voestalpine Foundry Group
This is precisely the question voestalpine Foundry Group is addressing - in the form of a technical feasibility study in collaboration with KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) including an overall casting concept, simulation and material selection.
In a world where efficiency and speed are becoming increasingly important, the accelerated production and delivery of high-precision steel mold castings has also become a crucial factor in order placements. Conventional methods require complex and time-consuming preparations to build a mold before the actual casting can take place. However, thanks to the revolutionary FASTLANE service combined with 3D sand printing technology, this is now a thing of the past.
The scrap recycling circular economy fascinates industry experts, environmental promoters and technology enthusiasts equally. That is because the approach aims to increase the use of scrap in steel foundries for highly complex mold castings to 100 percent. This results in many advantages for companies that drive sustainable development in the industry. At the forefront of this is voestalpine Foundry Group.
In a recent TV report of the ORF Lower Austria our 3D sand printing competence center in Traisen was presented. The innovative technology enables us to produce complex sand molds in a short time and with high precision.
For Huisman, the world market leader in offshore heavy lifting, we were once again able to demonstrate our expertise in steel casting.
The mood at the voestalpine Foundry Group is one of excitement and anticipation, plus a little pride. Although terms such as automation and digitalization can sometimes make people feel uneasy, the project team under Project Manager Erich A. knows from the trial operations that the robotic welding systems reduce the workforce’s load, improve working conditions, and result in a more resource-efficient production process.
The voestalpine Foundry Group is expanding its 3D sand printing competence centre with another high-tech printer.
When an urgent request came from a customer at the end of last year for the completion of his project, creativity and solution orientation were required. High-security parts for the new development of an electric railcar were needed within eight weeks, with a delivery time normally around 16-20 weeks.
voestalpine has been engaged in pioneering 3D printing with metals for many years. These metals are already being used at its own 3D printing and research centers around the world. Now the steel and technology Group has started operating Europe’s most advanced 3D sand printer for heavy steel castings at its site in Traisen, Lower Austria. The new additive manufacturing technology for the production of sophisticated castings using silica sand reduces production times and is more environmentally friendly than the previous process.
As one of the first steel companies worldwide, the voestalpine Steel Division in Linz has now been officially certified as a sustainable production site by the non-profit organization "ResponsibleSteel". As a subsidiary of the Steel Division, the voestalpine Foundry Group also makes an important contribution to this certification.
Six bridge nodes from the voestalpine Foundry Group are part of the new bridge in Linz.
The extra electricity produced by the St. Pantaleon plant is sufficient to power a total of 1,200 households, representing a significant contribution to climate protection.
The voestalpine Foundry Group has made the impossible possible and produced four huge hinges, each weighing 135 tons, for ship cranes. These are the largest and most complex components the foundry has ever cast.
