Te industry has only scratched the surface of achieving the higher level ofsustainability the future will demand.


drum or shot blast equipment. Keeping scrap yard sand/dirt to a minimum and away from the charge bucket will pro- vide energy benefits, as well as reduc- tions in potential fugitive dust.


Cores/Binders Te Casting Emissions Reduction


Program (CERP), which is a collabora- tion among the U.S. Department of Defense, environmental agencies and the private sector, evaluates the hazard- ous air pollutant emission potential of various coremaking processes and binder systems. CERP identified phenolic urethane nobake and coldbox cores as having the highest emissions.


Te binder industry responded with options to replace some or all of the aromatic solvents. In ferrous applications, biodiesel


binders can reduce benzene, toluene, xylene and naphthalene emissions at pouring, cooling and shakeout by 20-30%. In nonferrous applications, tet- raethyl orthosilicate replaces aromatic solvents in parts 1 and 2 of urethane coldbox resins. Tis silicate-based sol- vent reduces condensate formation and smoke and odor at pouring, cooling and shakeout. Tis is especially important with the lower pouring temperature used in aluminum semi-permanent molding, as excessive smoke and


condensate formation in the die are not only environmental concerns, but they also affect productivity. Even with substitutions, the contin- ued use of phenolic resins is threatened by lower emission standards. Tis has given rise to a new generation of inor- ganic systems such as heat-cured sodium silicates or ester-cured nobake sodium silicate. Te latest generation systems all use some form of aluminosilicate or other inorganic additive to reinforce the water-soluble silicate. Tese systems have little to no volatile organic compounds, are generally non-flammable, generate no odor during mixing, coremaking and shakeout, and generate little to no smoke during casting. Further, many efforts have been


made to remove core washing from the coremaking process. In many cases, it can be eliminated with improved coreroom process controls, while for other castings it is a necessity. A novel way to cut core drying costs is to use a color changing indicator in the core wash to determine when it is dry. Drying time and therefore gas consumption can be reduced by 50%.


U.S. FOUNDRY’S CREATIVE ECOLOGICAL INITIATIVES


All metalcasting facilities use some degree of recycled material. U.S. Foundry, Medley, Fla., uses 100% recycled material in its castings. The maker of municipal castings, such as manhole covers, tree grates and curb and gutter inlets, does not purchase any pig iron or prepared metal, according to technical director Adam SanSolo. U.S. Foundry receives recycled metal from typical and atypical sources. For instance, while the rubber in tires is a well-known recycled material used in athletic facilities and playgrounds or as a fuel source, the steel wire used in steel-belted radial tires has historically been disposed. U.S. Foundry melts the wire at its casting facility. “It enables us to use 100% recycled material and also means that the tire itself is then a 100% recycled mate- rial,” SanSolo said.


U.S. Foundry is also a recognized recycler of demilita- rized material, so it melts scrap from arms and explosives and is licensed by the State of Florida as a recycler of special waste that would otherwise go to a landfill. “We’ve been a recycler of special waste since the mid-1990s,” SanSolo said. “We are always trying to find more unique materials to recycle. We strictly adhere to our technical properties, but because of the product we produce, which is a low technology


40 | MODERN CASTING April 2011


Cast-in emblems on manhole covers remind citizens to refrain from dump- ing wastes in areas that lead to waterways.


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