Sep 28 2005
A new capability that will allow Ashland researchers to replicate production-like conditions for Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) product development is being installed at Ashland’s Dublin, Ohio, technical center. The installation complements an earlier agreement, between Ashland Specialty Chemical, a division of Ashland Inc and SinterCast AB, to align their global technical and marketing capabilities.
The installation of the SinterCast1 Mini-System 2000 at the Ashland R&D facilities will allow Ashland to independently replicate production-like Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) conditions on a pilot scale and to accelerate its ongoing development of CGI-specific mold coatings, binders, resins and core materials. The Mini-System 2000 is based on the proven SinterCast sampling technology and thermal analysis software used in the fully automated System 2000 for CGI series production, but utilizes a simplified hardware platform to allow iron foundries and research facilities to cost-effectively support product development, prototyping and limited-volume CGI production.
“As CGI series production continues to ramp-up, the installation of the SinterCast Mini-System 2000 allows Ashland to independently conduct its product development activities under realistic production conditions in our metal casting research facility,” said Mike Swartzlander, vice president, Ashland Specialty Chemical, and general manager, Ashland Casting Solutions. “We are pleased by the positive response to our global CGI alliance with SinterCast and look forward to introducing our new CGI products and solutions to the market.”
“Our alliance with Ashland continues to provide benefits to the overall CGI market development,” said Steve Dawson, president & CEO, SinterCast. “We have already received requests for field trials of Ashland’s CGI-specific moulding solutions from our core customers in Europe, North America and South America and we have jointly begun to introduce CGI process control technology to new geographical markets. We are also working together with foundries and OEM end-users to incorporate the benefits of Ashland’s CGI molding technology into aggressive new CGI component designs.”
SinterCast (Stockholmsbörsen O-List: SINT) is the world’s leading supplier of on-line process control technology for the reliable high volume production of Compacted Graphite Iron. SinterCast’s production agreements encompass a total of 26 foundries in 14 different countries that account for more than 40% of the world production capacity for cast iron cylinder blocks and heads. SinterCast’s foundry customers also produce a variety of other automotive and non-automotive components, with casting weights ranging from 8 kg to 17 tonnes. To learn more about SinterCast, visit www.sintercast.com.
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