Atlantis Foundries develops its automation processing of core handling and installs second Nederman MikroPul FS system

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Foundry Corporate News

Collecting its data, opened the doors to AI for Atlantis Foundries.

Lesedauer: min | Bildquelle: www.castingssa.com

Eight years ago, Atlantis Foundries, embarked on the journey of becoming a smart foundry that embraced the fourth industrial revolution.

As reported by Castings SA, the foundry launched a project that combined various technologies to collect and analyse process data, with the goal of improving product quality and cost efficiency.

The foundation of this concept were robotics, process instrumentation and the tracking of components using RFID and other software applications.

With all the data available and its traceability to individual castings, Atlantis Foundries was able to implement AI for its process control and the inspection of components.

Casting SA said this allowed Atlantis Foundries to become recognised as a global leader in the foundry industry.

Pieter du Plessis, the CEO of Atlantis Foundries had the vision of conveying a message of forward thinking to the rest of the world, that foundry owners could only dream of at the time.

Upon the featured publication, the MD of the DataProphet, who was involved in gathering and analysing the data to help Atlantis Foundries achieve the correct combination of process parameters during the production of the castings, shared that he had been summoned to Europe by influential foundry owners, after they had read about the venture.

“They were astounded to see that South Africa was so far ahead of them,” he said. “They wanted the same for their businesses.”

Front and back-end core automation. The core shooter remains unchanged. The core automation process for both the front and rear ends has been enhanced, while the core shooter itself remains unchanged. The automation focuses on the operational stages after the cores exit the shooter, including fettling and sub-assembly, before being transported via the same conveyor system to the main assembly cell. This process now incorporates three Fanuc robots and an additional turntable. The sequence begins as the rear and front-end cores leave the mould, where a Fanuc R2000iC 270kg robot lifts them and places them onto a designated location fixture.

Atlantis Foundries manufactures engine blocks weighing approximately 430 kg, all of which are exported. Delivering products with sub-surface defects to markets like the US or Germany is not only costly but also detrimental to their reputation. DataProphet was tasked with identifying the optimal combination of process parameters to achieve the best results and minimize scrap. As pioneers in this approach, they sought more than just parameter optimization.

Du Plessis and his team also examined the supporting systems, aiming for overall operational improvements in processes and workflows. They collaborated with Robotic Innovations, which introduced an automation program utilizing Fanuc robots. These robots became essential workhorses, carrying instruments to collect data while simultaneously handling tasks with precision. Their implementation improved consistency, reduced human error, and alleviated operational stress.

When necessary, equipment was relocated to seamlessly integrate the Fanuc robots into the workflow.

Image of Atlantis Foundries site. The company’s renewable energy adoption agreement has over 20 000 solar panels and a total rated capacity of 13.5MWp. The system, which has been specifically engineered to align with the foundry’s electrical consumption, could replace up to 20% of the foundry’s annual electricity consumption. This would considerably reduce its carbon footprint and represent a major milestone towards the firm’s sustainable energy utilisation.

Operational improvements
“From the beginning Atlantis Foundries has not stopped looking at ways to improve its operational processes so as to reduce its scrap rate and increase efficiencies. Improvements in scrap and efficiencies have a direct impact on bottom line and sustainability,” du Plessis commented.

“Our Smart Foundry ambitions have been the core of the dramatic improvements at Atlantis Foundries. But you can’t reach these high goals that we have set by only making improvements in a few areas of production and manufacturing. You have to look at every step of the process, analyse, decide on a solution and then implement the improvements into the process, whether it is main line or supporting, and realise the benefits. And there are many different steps in a foundry that need to align,” he said.

Fettling by Fanuc M10iD 12kg robots, located on a specifically designed fixture on a three-station indexing turn-table.

“Besides finding the correct process parameters for castings to be a daunting challenge for any foundryman, fettling of castings can be a major bottle neck in any foundry too. It is a time-consuming process as well as one that is physically demanding on the employees. With automation replacing manual repetitive processes, foundries are now achieving better productivity along with consistency in output,” Du Plessis said.

Several processes were implemented during the pandemic to enhance organization across different areas of the foundry and streamline operations. These measures included acquiring new equipment, upgrading and refurbishing existing machinery, and installing radiation portal monitors to detect radioactive sources in trucks transporting iron and steel scrap to the site.

A new A1 Roper 14.5-ton capacity lip pour ladle with extended sidearms, supplied by Mondeco, has been delivered for use. To facilitate liquid metal transport between the ABP melters, holding furnaces, and the pressure pour furnace, a semi-automatic monorail system for transfer ladles was installed. The primary goal of this project was to eliminate the use of forklifts with rotating fixtures for molten metal transport, thereby reducing the risk of spillage and significantly enhancing workplace safety.

Additionally, an ingate cutting system was installed, featuring a combination of two Fanuc robots. A large Fanuc M900iC handling robot (700kg capacity) loads and unloads blocks into a precision location jig, allowing a smaller Fanuc R2000iC 210F robot, equipped with a Fanuc spindle motor and diamond cutting blade, to cut the moulding ingates on the CAM section of the blocks after moulding.

The core shop became the central focus of Atlantis Foundries' investments and process automation enhancements. The key project involved implementing and installing equipment to automate core trimming and assembly handling.

Next, a small Fanuc LR Mate robot equipped with a specialized industrial inkjet printer was installed to mark sand cores as they exit the slurry curing oven, ensuring easy traceability.

The efficiency of CNC machining operations on blocks—carried out by three Heller machines—was significantly enhanced with the installation of a 12-meter robotic linear rail. Positioned strategically in front of the CNC machines, this rail carries a Fanuc M900iC robot (700kg capacity) to manage loading and unloading. The same robot retrieves machined blocks from each CNC machine and places them onto an outfeed conveyor. Previously, this process was performed manually, with blocks suspended from KBK overhead cranes. The automation has eliminated safety risks, introduced controlled precision, and dramatically improved efficiency. Cycle times have been reduced to just 90 seconds.

Fanuc Robots for Picking, Placing, Core Trimming, and Assembly

The core shop became the primary focus of Atlantis Foundries' investments and process automation advancements, though planning for these improvements had begun well in advance. The key project involved the implementation and installation of equipment to automate core trimming and assembly handling.

The objective of the project is to automatically stack the eight sand cores that form the center cores of the engine block. These cores consist of two core assembly variants, each with three sub-variants, which shape the interiors of different engine blocks. The cores are produced by three separate core shooters.

To achieve this, Robotic Innovations integrated seven Fanuc robots into the system. Three medium-sized Fanuc R2000iC robots (270kg capacity) handle the picking and placing, while four Fanuc M10iD robots (12kg capacity) perform core trimming. The system includes two robot cells positioned at either end of the core shooters, two large 120° servo-indexing turntables, and one even larger 180° forward-and-backward indexing turntable. Additionally, a core reject conveyor and an over/under front and rear core buffering conveyor complete the system’s key components.

Image of a completed assembled core exiting the automated assembly cell.

This project, installed and commissioned in December 2023, also enables the removal of moulding flash from each core’s edges. Following this, the cores undergo a go/reject inspection process before being arranged into a sequenced sub-assembly stack and ultimately assembled into the final unit—all within stringent automotive tolerances and cycle times.

Front and Rear End Core Automation

Directly across from the center core manufacturing core shooters and assembly cell is the front and rear end core shooter machine. Until December 2024, these cores were manually handled and placed on a conveyor for transport to the core assembly cell. This process has now been automated with the implementation of a three-robot cell.

“The core shooter has not changed. It’s the operational processes between the cores leaving the core shooter, followed by fettling and sub-assembly before being transported by the same conveyor system to the main assembly cell that have been automated with three Fanuc robots and another turn-table,” explained Altus Mostert, Managing Director of Robotic Innovations.

“We were given the order in April 2024 with a target date of December 2024 foundry shutdown to install our system. We had to design the whole project from scratch, which includes the tooling, jigs, fixtures, manipulators, gripper, turn-table and other system requirements such as the software. We then had a month to install and commission.”

Image of fully assembled cores being transported for further inspection. Later, they will be fed into the casting process.

“The operational aspect starts with the exit of the cores – rear and front end – which are then lifted by a Fanuc R2000iC 270kg robot from the mould before being placed on a location fixture. We have custom designed and manufactured the dual Fanuc servo driven gripper that move simultaneously in a single motion for this robot, as it has to perform special operations during the process before the cores are transported to the main assembly line.”

“Once placed on the specially designed fixture, which is located on a three-station indexing turn-table, they then proceed for fettling by two Fanuc M10iD 12kg robots and then a manual inspection. The Fanuc R-2000iC 270kg robot then places the cores onto one of the ten buffer conveyor location trolleys where the tricky operation of inserting a timing chain insert, which is a filter piece core, into the main core, is performed. All these operations have to be aligned so as to fit into the main assembly core to specification.”

“The Fanuc servo driven dual motor system on the gripper allows the rear end core to be rotated 180 degrees while being transported from the turn-table after inspection to the buffer conveyor. The cores are presented face up for fettling but the rear core needs to be placed face down on the buffer conveyor location trolleys.”

“The timing and space constraints ensured that these were challenging systems to supply – both the December 2023 and December 2024 projects – but we believe we have designed and installed world class solutions.”

Atlantis Foundries first installed a Nederman MikroPul FS-type filter for dust extraction in 2019. Now, they have added a second unit for several reasons. While the existing equipment continues to operate within specifications, future upgrades will be necessary. To prevent potential disruptions, Atlantis Foundries is proactively ensuring uninterrupted dust extraction and air filtration.

Pattern cleaning cell
“During 2024 we were also required to design, manufacture and install a pattern cleaning and spraying solution within the moulding hall. Here we have used two Fanuc M710 20L robots to blow the cope and drag moulds clean using air. Once this is done the robots spray a fluid over the moulds to protect them and to aid the moulding process.”

“Each robot is equipped with an AI camera system that detects whether compressed sand has been left behind within each mould after the cleaning process. These cameras take photos of the process for self-teaching, product predictability intelligence and process traceability.”

Second Nederman MikroPul FS type filter: Emission phase 2
“We installed our first Nederman MikroPul FS type filter for dust extraction system back in 2019. We have now installed a second Nederman MikroPul FS type filter for a few reasons. The current equipment is working according to specifications but will need upgrading in the future. To circumvent any breakdown, we are making provision for uninterrupted dust extraction and air filtration,” said Engineering Manager Mike Hartung.

“The added benefit is that even though we are way below the stipulated requirement we are going to further enhance our air quality, while having the satisfaction that the working environment will not be compromised for our staff.”

“The installation is part of Atlantis Foundries’ Emission Phase 2 project and is the second FS filter on this site.”

“The filter system has a design volume flow of 186 000m³ per hour. It will be supplied with a 250kW fan unit controlled by a Danfoss frequency converter type VLT for optimised control and energy consumption. The emission warranty stipulates residual dust level in the clean gas of maximum 5 mg/Nm3.”

“The plant incorporates Nederman Insight Software that monitors the filter plant performance on PC Dashboard and mobile app. The system includes alarm history and trend detection and uses remote (cloud) data storage with security technology.”

The extensive fabrication work was carried out locally, with Nederman MikroPul providing the intellectual property and detailed engineering, overseen by Mondeco Solutions.

“The FS type filter is a cassette type filter bag design using continuous cleaning of the filter bags without the use of costly compressed air. This leads to improved filter bag life.”

“The advantages of the FS filter design are numerous including a compact design with a small footprint and low space requirement, easy access to replace bags, reverse air cleaning so no use of compressed air is required, can handle very fine dusts, has low maintenance requirements and an attractive dust emission warranty.”

“The FS filter offered a number of advantages that were attractive to us such as the small footprint mentioned before, no use of compressed air, an emission warranty of maximum dust content in clean gas of 10mg/Nm, low maintenance requirements and a number of worldwide references in foundry applications including foundries in South Africa.”

“The Nederman MikroPul FS type filter was purchased from Nederman MikroPul, who are based in Germany, and Mondeco handled the local scope as well as all aspects of installation based on detailed engineering from Nederman MikroPul.”

Atlantis Foundries utilizes cold box technology to accommodate the full range of shapes and sizes required for its engine blocks. The facility operates fully automated core dipping systems, integrated with a tunnel indexing core drying oven, and employs green sand moulding techniques to produce the complete spectrum of automotive-grade grey cast iron components.

The foundry’s strategic planning and successful project execution have been further strengthened by its reacquisition by Daimler Truck AG in 2020.

For more information, contact Atlantis Foundries at TEL: 021 573 7200.

Source: www.castingssa.com

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