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Spotlight

Custom innovation: Storage-stable inorganic solution for Mercedes Benz Cars

There are innumerable advantages to inorganic core production, ranging from climate change mitigation to improved working conditions, cost savings and productivity gains to the foundries. The advanced series system used in the Mercedes Benz Cars AG (MB Cars) aluminium foundry in Mettingen, near Stuttgart, showcases the success of a core production system that is uniquely adapted to each casting process and the specific conditions in the foundry.

MB Cars has long been committed to protecting the environment and minimising the company’s own CO2 footprint. Their goal is to achieve a virtually emissions-free foundry. To this end, the company decided to pioneer the introduction of inorganic core production. In partnership with HA, MB Cars converted five of its Cold-Box core shooters to inorganic binders. Since 2011, Mercedes Benz Cars in Mettingen has now been successfully producing in series inorganic cores for complex castings, including water jackets for cylinder heads.

The challenges

Once the company had decided to switch to inorganic binders, it faced challenges associated with the unique climatic conditions in its foundry on the Neckar River and with the specific casting process it used (Rotacast).

As a service partner working in close collaboration with foundries, HA continuously refined the custom binder system for MB Cars, tailoring it precisely to the foundry’s special requirements and needs.

MB Cars put a special emphasis on enhancing the storage stability of the cores, including low moisture absorption and low gas formation potential, as well as on optimising the mould base material’s recyclability. In fact, MB Cars returns 100% of the reclaimed sand to the core shop.

Another key requirement for the binder system was that it should be used in the production of all cores for all cylinder heads. MB Cars needed a system that would allow them to produce a wide variety of cores in different sizes, with different wall thicknesses and geometries with only one binder.

Intensive research work at HA’s R&D department in Hanover, followed by extensive testing at the HA Center of Competence, enabled HA to meet MB Cars’ requirements for a robust and storage-stable system.

The HA Center of Competence precisely recreated the foundry’s production parameters in order to tailor the inorganic binder system to MB Cars’ specific needs and get it ready for use in series production.

The custom solution

The binder system, which was further refined in close collaboration with MB Cars, enables the production of particularly robust cores that are resistant to moisture and remain stable during storage. It also represents a milestone on the pathway to an emissions-free foundry.

Customer benefits at a glance:

  • Vastly improved core storage stability compared to previous systems
  • Highly robust binder system
  • Cores absorb hardly any moisture
  • Low gas formation potential during casting
  • Reduced risk of casting defects
  • Potential reduction of shooting pressure during core production
  • Improved workability of core sand mixture
  • Sand can be effectively reclaimed and recycled
  • A single solution for all of the foundry’s cores and castings

 

Your contact person:
Dr. Christian Lustig
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