A new foundry-sand reclamation process is being adopted by an Italian additive manufacturing business. Resand Ltd. entered into an agreement with Corsa3D to supply its electric sand reclaimer technology for regeneration and recycling of sand used in 3D printing.
The Finnish developer reported the agreement with Corsa3D was completed in December, and the reclamation unit should be installed within four to five months.
Resand is a two-stage process that starts with a heat-treatment cycle to remove binder residues from molding sand, followed by a mechanical drum sequence that separates any other impurities. The developer reports the process can clean 1,000 kg of sand per hour, material that provides 95% of the mold strength of virgin sand.
After regeneration, the sand can be reused multiple times, in 3D printing and foundry processes, “effectively reducing the need for virgin sand,” according to Resand.
Previously, foundries in Finland, Spain, and Germany have adopted the sand-regeneration method, using the developer’s Resand® “Sand as a Service” off-site treatment program.
Corsa3D uses binder-jet technology to 3D-print sand cores and molds. The Milan-area business is a unit of Slayer Blades s.r.l., which is an ExOne Co. technology partner. It has a patented post-printing technique called Resin Soak that it claims improves the mechanical properties of molded parts, with applications beyond casting, including carbon lamination, furniture design, building restoration, and artistic applications.
Noting the importance of ‘sustainability’ to Italian foundry operators, Resand claimed that its modular electrically powered reclaimer unit will allow operators to cut CO2 emissions by up to 70%, mainly because it reduces reliance on new sand and associated transportation.
Further, Resand claims that when powered by renewable energy, the reclaimer's direct greenhouse gas emissions, i.e. Scope 1 emissions, remain low.
“I'm very delighted about our entry into the Italian market. This marks our first agreement in Italy, where our customer will play an important role in promoting our solution in the market as well. With this milestone, we continue to drive innovation in the European foundry market, contributing to a more sustainable future for the foundry industry,” stated Resand CEO Kalle Härkki.