Amid an increasingly pressurised push to go green with governments tightening environmental regulations all over the world, foundries are having to invest in greener technologies. They are starting to adopt advanced furnaces that consume less energy, are modular in their design and some are even starting to utilise recycled materials, such as reclaimed sand. This is over above the more obvious measures such as sinking boreholes and covering your factory roof with solar panels.
The circular economy is no longer just a buzz phrase, but slowly becoming a reality. These measures not only aim to meet emission targets but also address cost pressures driven by fluctuating raw material prices.
However, the Catch-22 is the challenge of balancing the costs of investments while being in a position to meet the growing demand for environmentally responsible manufacturing and being more carbon-efficient.
Industry’s adoption of the use of green steel technologies could shape its role in a cleaner supply chain and the green steel revolution is transforming how steel is produced, focusing on reducing the sector’s substantial carbon footprint.
Traditionally, steel manufacturing relies on coal in blast furnaces, a process that emits significant amounts of carbon dioxide. The shift to green steel aims to replace coal with renewable energy sources, primarily hydrogen, in production. Hydrogen acts as a cleaner reducing agent, enabling steel to be manufactured with minimal emissions, but widespread adoption is still a way off with prohibitive costs and long-established infrastructure already in place for traditional steel production.
Nevertheless, for the casting and foundry industry, this revolution is destined to bring changes in materials and processes. Foundries, which typically melt and cast steel into final shapes, rely on raw steel produced in conventional ways. As green steel becomes more available, foundries will have access to lower-carbon materials meaning slowly but surely their operations will align with sustainability goals. This transition may require process adaptations to handle potential variations in the properties of green steel.
Encouraging though is that overall global demand for cast metal components remains steady, with Asia, particularly India and China, leading in production volumes, even seeing increases in demand and output. These countries benefit from large-scale industrial bases and relatively lower costs. In contrast, Europe and North America focus on precision and specialty castings, and certainly face stronger pressures to become more carbon neutral. Other regions like parts of Africa and South America are attempting to increase their foothold but face hurdles like outdated technology and limited capital investment.
Sustainability will continue to remain in the limelight and slowly but surely these new technologies will eventually replace the older ones, it’s just a question of time. We can already see how automation and digital transformation are reshaping operations in foundries. Systems like robotic handling, Internet of Things (IoT) applications and artificial intelligence are being used to improve efficiencies and reduce defects. Methods such as the additive manufacturing and 3D printing of moulds and cores with the use of the digital twin are also fast gaining traction as a way to streamline production processes.
And so while labour shortages remain an important issue worldwide, particularly in regions with aging workforces, maybe they won’t even matter in 10 years from now? Geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions continue to affect many aspects of our industry like raw material availability and pricing. Despite these challenges, the industry is likely still in a position for gradual growth, driven by innovation and the shift toward lightweight, high-performance components, especially in the hybrid and electric vehicle space.
As the foundry industry begins to adapt to these changes, collaboration and investment in technology and further sustainability will likely determine its trajectory in the coming years.
Damon Crawford
Online Editor / Journalist
