“South Africa is a very important market for Omega and since gaining some significant projects in the region it was obvious that we needed to take the next step and establish a local presence. I am very pleased that an agreement to partner with Endeco has been reached and we will be looking to build on the synergies between our companies to deliver a full range of services and products to the market,” stated Mark Fenyes Chairman of Omega Foundry Machinery at the launch of the Endeco Omega Foundry Machinery joint venture (JV) agreement three years ago.
At the time there were skeptics of the JV agreement but the vast majority in the foundry industry welcomed the new development. The JV merger between local foundry equipment manufacturing company Endeco and UK based Omega Foundry Machinery brought together two companies that have an established record locally and worldwide, with over 60 years in combined experience in manufacturing and supplying foundry equipment.
Omega manufactures a complete range of thermal units from 0.25 to 12TPH
Omega Foundry Machinery is a leading manufacturer of no-bake equipment based in Peterborough, England. The company has a successful history of developing JV’s to support regional markets; the first JV company was formed in the USA in 2000 and subsequently similar ventures have been formed in India, Australia, China, Italy, Turkey and Malaysia.
Endeco Omega Foundry Machinery’s business is to design, procure, manufacture, supply, install, commission and project manage a foundry plant and project as the main contractor. Every contract is rigidly programmed and progressed through regular client/contractor co-operation.
The synergies that have been created between the two companies ensured that the design and supply of foundry equipment to the South African market will be on a par with international standards and best practices.
“As suppliers we can influence and adapt the mentality of the local industry as to how and when they embrace investment in new technologies. But more importantly we are here to support existing installations and create future growth in the South African foundry sector. We provide full market support in terms of installation, service and repairs, spare parts availability and, now manufacturing of the complete Omega product range,” said Endeco Omega MD Rui Dias.
“The confidence shown by the local foundry industry in the JV is reflected by the number of major contracts that we have acquired over the last three years and successfully manufactured and installed.”
“In 2015 we were engaged to supply and install a new sand reclamation plant at a major foundry facility in Gauteng.”
“Included in the equipment lineup was an Omega Gamma 15LL vibratory sand processor with a throughput of up to 15tph and a deck loading of 5 000 kilograms. Specifically fabricated for this machine was an acoustic booth that accounts for industrial noise and dust reduction.”
An additive day tanker with flow monitoring system
“Accompanying the Omega Gamma 15LL vibratory sand processor is a reverse jet type dust extraction unit operating at 16 400m3 an hour and a PV 10 pneumatic conveyor. The sand is then transported to the G10 sand cooler/classifier with a throughput of up to 10 tons an hour and includes an evaporative water-cooling tower. The reverse jet type dust extraction for the cooler classifier operates at 5 500m3 an hour and also includes a PV 10 pneumatic conveyor.”
“Omega’s unique low level range of mechanical reclamation plants mean that they can be installed without pits or special foundations. The low level range is also very compact in design and can fit into very small areas inside or outside of the foundry,” explained Dias.
“Omega’s mechanical reclamation plants use the non-aggressive, dry attrition method of binder removal, which means that fragile sand grain structures can be effectively reclaimed without sand degradation. In fact, the scrubbing action of the attrition units will round the sand grains and make them more suitable for no-bake moulding. Also, due to four stages of sand scrubbing, a good reduction in LOI can be achieved.”
“The installation helped the company achieve cost savings in its sand department, which ultimately led to an improvement in casting quality, minimised dumping and improved dust control. We had previously installed a mould pusher at the company but this was our first major equipment order that we secured from them.”
Volumetric dispenser/mixer
“At the same time we helped complete the installation of a large automated fast loop moulding line at one of the largest foundry Groups in South Africa that Omega Foundry Machinery had been contracted to install before our JV agreement. The installation included one of the largest continuous mixers ever to be installed in South Africa.”
Endeco Omega 8-station carousel moulding line
“One of our most recent installations has been at a large international company manufacturing wear resistant products. The company invested in an Endeco Omega 8-station carousel moulding line with a 2-station pattern changeover and a new 50 ton hopper that houses a combination of reclaimed and new sand and is located at the beginning of the new moulding line and easily delivers sand to the new Endeco Omega 20 ton an hour continuous mixer. The sand hopper includes a venting unit and a 4-way pneumatic sand blending gate above the mixer, as well as the touch screen fully programmable autoblend system.”
The line has been installed to produce the moulds for high complex components up to 150 kilograms. The Endeco Omega 8-station carousel moulding line with a 2-station pattern changeover includes other complementary equipment and systems such as two additional refurbished sand hoppers – one for new sand and one for reclaimed sand – and a resin chemical mixing plant, that are located outside the production building. This allows for suppliers to deliver product to these bulk storage systems without any interruption to our production.”
Low running costs are achieved through a combination of the excellent insulation of the furnace with the ‘Dead Bed’ system as well as a heat recovery module after the furnace that takes the heat from the hot sand as it leaves the furnace and reintroduces that heat as hot air into the fluid bed section of the furnace. The ‘bubble cap’ burners are located in the bottom of the furnace and will last for many years
“Pneumatic conveyors then transfer the sand to the new 50 ton hopper that houses a combination of reclaimed and new sand and is located at the beginning of the new moulding line and easily delivers sand to the new Endeco Omega 20 ton an hour continuous mixer. The sand hopper includes a venting unit and a 4-way pneumatic sand blending gate above the mixer, as well as the touch screen fully programmable autoblend system.”
“We have also included a mould compaction table for mechanical ramming of chemical bonded sand mould through vibration technology. For the chemicals used in the no bake process we have incorporated four stainless steel tanks that hold enough resin and catalyst chemicals for one shift. Once filled and compacted the cope and drag pattern bolsters are then moved through the automated rollover before being automatically transferred to the hydraulic in line tilt flood coating station. The conveyor belt then moves the patterns to the flame off section before the mould manipulators are used for coring and closing. Thereafter they move to the melting section.”
In the meantime
“The Auto Industrial Group has spent a considerable amount in the last two to three years on new equipment and systems for its two cast iron foundry operations that are situated in Isando and Wadeville, Gauteng. We were contracted to install IBO Anlagenbau fume extraction hoods on the induction furnaces and Nederman filters at both foundries as well as the auxillary equipment and civils that are associated with the installation.”
“We have subsequently received another order for the IBO Anlagenbau fume extraction hoods and a Nederman filter from a foundry in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape.”
“Another project that we were involved in was at Naledi Foundry. The company has recently had a major upgrade to its foundry. The company concentrated on refurbishing and modernising its moulding line and metal department. However, they did add an Endeco Omega CB 30 coreshooter in the core shop and a five-ton an hour Endeco Omega continuous mixer that delivers the sand on demand.”
An Endeco Omega Gamma 15LL vibratory sand processor with a throughput of up to 15tph and a deck loading of 5 000 kilograms. Specifically fabricated for this machine is an acoustic booth that accounts for industrial noise and dust reduction
“2017 saw us do a number of installations of various equipment. Besides completing the installation of the carousel system at the large international company manufacturing wear resistant products – this company has subsequently ordered a CB 30 core shooter from us – we also installed a reclamation plant at a foundry in KwaZulu-Natal. This was completed just before the end of 2017.”
“Currently we are installing a reclamation plant at a relatively new foundry that makes pump components in the Gauteng area. This project includes a five ton mixer and a low level three ton shakeout.”
“We are also in the process of fabricating equipment for a foundry in the Free State. This will entail us manufacturing and delivering equipment that includes a 20-ton mixer, a rollover, compaction table and two manipulators that have a payload of three tons each. This foundry manufactures castings in cast iron, SG, manganese steel, low alloy steel, 27% chrome iron, and rock tuff 700 steel.”
Fabrication
“When Endeco started as a company it initially outsourced all the fabrication work that it required. However, this changed when we purchased our own premises in Alberton, Gauteng 23 years ago. Since then all the fabrication and manufacturing has been done in-house. This has been a great advantage to us as Endeco Omega as we can control our quality and delivery schedules, which have been very hectic in the last few years.”
Other services and equipment
“Our association with Omega Foundry Machinery has also led to a broader spectrum of services and equipment that we can offer clients in the Southern Hemisphere. Prior to the JV agreement Omega were represented in South Africa by Mondeco Solutions. Peter Petersen of Mondeco Solutions is a shareholder in the JV and takes care of the marketing and sales of the Endeco and Omega equipment, whether manufactured locally or imported. His company also represents a number of other international partners and Endeco Omega Foundry Machinery provide local installation and after sales support for these international partners products, where needed.”
“This includes induction furnaces, pouring technology equipment, foundry ladles and other equipment for the safe handling of molten metals, extraction hoods, core making, carousel or fast-loop mould handling, chemically bonded sand mixers, roll-over, mould manipulators, mould coating, heat treatment ovens, sand reclamation, green sand mixers and coolers, decoring stations, fettling machinery, knock-off hammers, manipulators, grinding units, shotblast and surface preparation, dedusting filters and sand laboratory equipment.”
Endeco Omega offer carousel moulding lines
“Additionally, Mondeco Solutions have this year been appointed the agents for the Norican Group. Included in the Norican Group are well-known companies in the foundry industry such as Disa, StrikoWestofen, ItalPresse and Gauss. Again we will provide local installation and after sales support for these international partners products.”
Thermal sand reclamation for all foundries; Why thermally reclaim?
Today’s modern foundry is under increasing pressure to reduce costs but also to reduce its impact on the environment, whilst at the same time improve and maintain it’s casting quality. One of the ways of meeting these requirements is to invest in sand reclamation. Whilst most foundries now have mechanical reclamation, many are looking to further reduce costs and invest in thermal reclamation to get as close to 100% reuse levels as possible.
Thermal reclamation applications
In the thermal processing of sand, a 100% of all binder and other organic materials are removed by oxidation. Firstly, the sand from the mechanical reclamation plant will pass through a cleaning tower, which basically removes any metallic particles prior to entry into the furnace. The furnace itself is a fluidised bed design with a gas and air mixture providing the fluidising medium and igniting on the sand bed surface via pilot gas nozzles. Typically, a thermal unit will run on natural gas or LPG and operate at temperatures of between 670C and 720C depending on the type of binder used. In most cases sizing of the thermal will equate to the amount of new sand purchased by the foundry per week which is then divided by five days and 24 hours which equates to the continuous operation of the thermal unit and is run on a ‘campaign’ rather than switching off and on frequently which is less efficient.
The lowest maintenance thermal on the market?
Omega manufactures a complete range of thermal units from 0.25 to 12TPH. Omega offer a unique 3-year warranty on the burners and lining. This is made possible by the patented ‘Dead Bed’ system, which also ensures total heat insulation and therefore lower running costs. This is due to the ‘Dead Bed’ providing protection for the insulation from sand erosion caused by the moving processed sand.
Low gas consumption
Low running costs are achieved through a combination of the excellent insulation of the furnace with the ‘Dead Bed’ system as well as a heat recovery module after the furnace that takes the heat from the hot sand as it leaves the furnace and reintroduces that heat as hot air into the fluid bed section of the furnace. This means that the fluidising air is always hot, leading to lower gas consumption.
Best for the environment – the thermal that meets all global emissions standards
Unlike competitors models the Omega thermal is sized on LOI V throughput, which ensures that there is enough oxygen available to get full combustion. This combined with a freeboard retention of 2 seconds ensures the VOC’s meet all global emission requirements.
Safety is also of prime concern so multiple safety systems are employed to monitor fluid bed ignition, temperatures for every component (including dust collector) and level of sand available for processing. Also, a full touchscreen HMI with status and fault-finding indications is provided.
Reclamation of alkaline phenolic binders
For the alkaline phenolic system, a special inhibitor must be pre-mixed with the sand to prevent the alkaline salts causing low temperature fusing of sand grains. Omega has significant experience in this field and can provide the mixing and monitoring equipment to ensure that the additive is applied correctly.
Conclusion
Thermal reclamation has been around for many years but it has now reached a point where it is cost effective, economic, and reliable and therefore a viable solution for most foundries.
For further information contact Roy Dias of Endeco Omega on TEL: 011 907 1785 or email roy@endeco.co.za, or Peter Petersen of Mondeco Solutions on 079 448 1277 or email peter@mondeco.co.za or visit www.endeco-omega.co.za
