3.0 Ideas Developing Sustainable Operation There are several specific strategies that can be implemented in pursuit of sustainable design and operation investment casting furnaces:
of
3.1. Energy Saving Systems Energy saving systems are available for the primary energy consumers in vacuum casting furnaces, like the vacuum pumps. For example, Leybold offers energy saving systems for diffusion vacuum pumps. They enable savings up to €4,000 per pump per year, by reducing hold power at ultimate vacuum. This also permits increasing oil and heater life. [2] There are also energy saving
systems available for dry vacuum pumps, enabling savings up to €2,000 per pump per year, improving ultimate vacuum. It is also possible to improve the performance of motor output by varying pump and impeller speeds with variable-frequency drives.
3.2. Efficient Induction Melting The largest energy consumer on a casting furnace is the melting system. Inductotherm, on the leading producer of induction melting power units worldwide, provides VIP® power supplies designed to operate at multiple frequencies on the power supply, allowing optimum and efficient melting across a wide range of capacities. Inductotherm power units guarantee constant power factors of greater than 0.98. This efficiency is not met by alternative power supply suppliers. Moreover, VIP® is designed based on the optimum frequency to get the best melting efficiency for each charge.
3.3. Reduce Waste-Fluids Reduction of waste and fluids from the melting process is another inmprovement area: • The use of dry vacuum technology is a non-contact, non-wear design that doesn’t rely on sealing fluids or lubricants to create and maintain desired vacuum levels, so much less lubrication oil is used. This also means significantly lower maintenance needs and a longer
®
Figure 2: Leybold diffusion pump energy saving system.
Figure 3: Inductotherm VIP® lifespan.
• Energy saving systems on diffusion vacuum pumps increases oil and heater life.
• Substituting hydraulic systems for electromechanical mechanisms implies the complete removal of hydraulic oil, which can improve overall performance and reduce maintenance needs.
• Disposable materials like
thermocouples can be sourced with improved insulation systems, extending their usable life and reducing single-use waste
• The use of more accurate measurement systems like Mass Flow Controllers for argon, which reduces the consumption of such expensive fluids.
voltage fed power unit constant power factor.
3.4. Preventive-Predictive Maintenance Total productive maintenance (TPM) strategies are methods of maintaining and improving the integrity of production and quality systems through the machines, equipment, employees, and the supporting processes. The positive effects are: • Reduces downtime • Better machine performance • Extended machine life With the same objective, Consarc
also offers overall equipment efficiency (OEE) automatic tracking which helps users interpret the performance of the equipment and the leading causes of downtime.
Consarc, continued on pg 20 May 2024 ❘ 19
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