YTO Group Corp., a manufacturer of agricultural and construction machinery also known as China First Tractor Works, has a new agreement to source SinterCast AB process control technology for compacted graphite iron production. Stockholm-based SinterCast reported it would install a Mini-System 3000 process control system and related hardware at the group’s foundry in Louyang, China. After commissioning the system, it will provide technical support for up to two years as the manufacturer develops CGI products and establishes “a robust CGI series production process.”
System 3000 is the third and latest generation of SinterCast’s process control package for CGI — the high-strength, lightweight alternative to gray iron and aluminum for automotive engine applications, in particular for diesel engines. However, the company notes that the process is in use by OEMs around the world for series production of over 40 different components in CGI, ranging in weight from 2 kg to 17 metric tons.
The Mini-System 3000 is a scaled version of the package intended for use in pilot operations or research programs. SinterCast previously supplied two Mini-System 3000 packages to China’s FAW Foundry Co. Ltd., an automotive foundry.
YTO manufactures tractors and harvesters, road construction machinery, mining and heavy pickup trucks, and diesel engines. Reportedly, it holds over 75% of China's large tractor market.
"This agreement with YTO marks our fourth installation in the important Chinese market and provides an opportunity to establish a new benchmark in the global agricultural sector," stated Dr. Steve Dawson, SinterCast’s president and CEO.
"Approximately 10% of SinterCast's current series production volume is derived from components other than automotive cylinder blocks and heads,” Dawson continued. “We look forward to supporting the CGI product development activities at YTO, leading toward series production, and increasing our presence in the agricultural and industrial power industries."