Some of the largest steel castings in the world are made at Sheffield Forgemasters Engineering Ltd in the UK. Cti  was asked to assist in the design, procurement, installation and commissioning of an additional pit moulding facility for steel castings. In a relatively short period after commissioning, the cell contributed a 30% increase in casting production.

 
The bay chosen for the new facility had an overhead crane capacity of 8 tonnes. The new requirement was for handling ladles of 70 tonnes capacity and the minimum gross handling capacity was calculated to be 130 tonnes.

To achieve this objective, the bay had to be stiffened up using additional substantial support columns. To complete the handling requirement a 180 tonne box girder crane was located on the second hand market. This was shortened and completely reconditioned and finally de rated to the required 130 tonne capacity.

The moulding pit measured 26m x 5.5m x 5.5 m and was constructed with an all-welded steel tank membrane to guarantee that there would be no ground water ingress into the pit. Furan moulding sand was supplied from a large mobile mixer designed to dispense both silica sand and a blend of chromite and zircon sand.

For further information contact Ernest Mackenzie