Brazilian ferrous foundry group Tupy S.A. will install the SinterCast AB Ladle Tracker® technology at its production complex in Joinville, marking the second installation of the automated system for monitoring and tracing the progress and location of ladles full of molten iron.
Tupy is said to be the world’s largest producer of cast iron cylinder blocks and heads for automotive manufacturing. According to SinterCast the installation is planned to be commissioned during the Q3 2018.
“The SinterCast Ladle Tracker technology is an important part of our ongoing campaign for growth and to establish Tupy as the cast iron foundry leader for quality, automation, process control and traceability,” according to Tupy president and CEO Fernando de Rizzo.
In the Ladle Tracker process, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is affixed to each ladle and RFID reader antennae are installed at critical locations throughout the foundry, such as furnace tapping, treatment stations and pouring. The system documents the time of the ladle at every position; ensures that every ladle reports to every step in the process; and, ensures that each step is completed within the allocated time.
SinterCast is noted as the world’s largest supplier of process control technology for compacted graphite iron production, and Tupy is among the most notable licensees of that process.
“Our Ladle Tracker technology measures and controls every step of the process on the liquid metal side of the foundry, while our Cast Tracker technology provides traceability and process control on the molding and coremaking side of the foundry. Together, these technologies bring Industry 4.0 traceability and connectivity to the foundry industry,” stated SinterCast president and CEO Dr. Steve Dawson,
According to SinterCast, peripheral information can be incorporated into the process database, including temperatures, ladle weight, wire-feeding results and chemistry.
The hardware platform can be configured to suit the layout, process flow, and production volume of any type of foundry, for casting iron or any other metal, SinterCast noted.
The Joinville foundry installation will be the second for the Ladle Tracker process, following an installation at Tupy’s Saltillo, Mexico foundry more than two years ago. SinterCast noted it worked with Tupy to co-develop a customized Ladle Tracking installation for the Brazilian site, including the layout, process flow, and production demands at Joinville.