METAL CASTING 
Project Fact Sheet 
REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND 



 
	
 
VARIABILITY IN STEEL FOUNDRY OPERATIONS 

	

		 
	
 




	 


	



	 
	
	
 


		 

	
	
 

 

	
 

 

  


			

 
		 

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NEW GUIDELINES WILL REDUCE MELTING ENERGY 

	




 
	


	

	
 
	




 
	

	

	
 
               
	

 
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REQUIREMENTS 
Currently, a major challenge for steel foundries is the lack of robust techniques to 
control product and process variation. Without reliable data in this area, only 
incremental improvements have been possible. Iowa State University, the Steel 
Founders' Society of America and industry partners will study ways to improve 
product and process control. These practices will assist foundries to reduce 
energy consumption, reduce casting variability, and improve overall efficiency in 
the steel foundry. 
The research team will conduct field studies at steel foundries to measure and 
monitor process variables and their effect on process variation. Results will be 
analyzed using statistical techniques to identify areas that will provide the 
greatest benefits from new technologies, better controls, and improved casting 
practices. 
This project will provide steel foundries with the data and information needed to 
improve energy and process efficiencies and improve product control. Results will 
help to reduce scrap and improve operational and energy efficiencies. New and 
improved steel foundry practices will be developed and instituted at participating 
foundries. Results will be disseminated to the steel casting industry. 


	
 

	

 
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A goal is to reduce the magnitude of quality problems so that 90% of the 
parts of a casting will reach the level currently achieved by only 10% of the 
parts of a casting. 
OFFICE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES 
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

	

 
Goals: The goals of this R&D project are to reduce energy consumption, reduce 
variability, and improve overall efficiency of steel foundry melting and casting 
operations. This project will also provide steel foundries with the necessary 
understanding, technologies, and expertise to make the required melting and 
operational changes to improve product and process controls. 







 
Planned tasks in this three-year project include: 
• Process and Literature Review– A literature review will be conducted to study any 
previous research in the areas of process variation reduction, or process variation 
measurement, in the metal casting industry. Companies will be surveyed on the 
variability of their processes. Based on previous experience on the Metal Casting 
Industry of the Future "Re-Engineering Casting Production Systems" project, it is 
known that little quantitative data in these regards exist. 
• Development of Casting Assessment Systems– During the first four months of the 
project, researchers will start investigating potential methods and technologies for 
assessing casting variation. Some potential methods include measuring the load 
required on grinders or integrating meters on welding machines. This may be one 
way to assess the amount of material that needs to be removed from a casting, 
which would not be easily biased by the operator. 
• Field Studies– It is planned to conduct field studies at about 16 foundries over the 
three-year project to study the variation of casting processes. The focus of these field 
studies will be to quantify the amount of process and product variation. With this 
data, root cause analysis will be conducted to identify and cure the source of 
variation. During the second and third years of the project, efforts will be directed 
towards integrating the assessment methodologies into industry production and 
information systems. This is designed to prove to the industry the value and usability 
of the system. 
• Laboratory Modeling and Experimental Studies– As information is uncovered 
during the field trials, data analysis and experiments will be conducted in support of 
the variation of casting operations work. The analysis of the cross company data will 
be used to develop schemes to minimize process variation. 
• Improved Production Scheduling– One of the unplanned outcomes of the Metal 
Casting Industry of the Future "Re-Engineering Casting Production Systems" project 
at Iowa State University was initial development of scheduling tools to assist 
foundries to develop production schedules. Enterprise software used by the industry 
fails to address this concern. This project will continue to develop this software. 
• Improved Practices/Equipment Field Trials– Based on the results from process 
review, initial field studies and lab investigations, new and improved steel foundry 
practices will be developed and implemented in participating foundries. 


	

 
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