StrikoMelter modernization helps Aludyne on its lightweight mission!
StrikoMelter – better melt for better cast.
Lightweighting solutions expert, Aludyne, is one of the world’s leading providers of chassis, subframe, EV, powertrain, and structural components for the mobility industry. Serving a global portfolio of automotive OEMs, their motto is “Less Mass Starts with a Better Cast”.
And at Aludyne Netherlands b.v., home to one of their major European HPDC facilities, they believe a “better cast” starts with StrikoMelter. Having relied on their melting furnace for almost three decades, they asked us to propose updates that would boost the performance and prolong the life of their favorite furnace.
A clear plan for powerful improvements.
Following a site visit and thorough inspection of their StrikoMelter, our expert engineers identified the upgrades and modernisations that would make the biggest difference to daily operations, energy consumption and service life. Sebastiaan van Swarm commented: “I was impressed with the process. Everything was clearly presented so that we could see the benefits each proposed update would deliver. It was seamless.”
Focus on charging cycle optimization.
In addition to general modernizations to bring electrics, temperature displays, controls, and software up to date - including upgrades to enable secure remote service access for ongoing technical support - a major focus was charging cycle performance.
Further to this, the furnace system was brought up to the current state of the art by completely modernizing the entire gas supply system.
— Fabian Heiden from StrikoWestofen, said.“To increase the operational safety and efficiency of the melting furnace, boost melting capacity, and optimize charging cycles, we suggested an overhaul of charging unit, and adopting technology to automate the charging process for maximum energy and process efficiency. This is achieved using our shaft filling laser."
Laser precision for energy efficient filling.
The laser continuously monitors the level of charge material in the shaft, automating the charging process accordingly. This ensures the furnace is fed with the right amount of material at exactly the right time to optimize energy recovery and productivity. Savings of up to 10% are achievable.
— Sebastiaan van Swarm added.“From start to finish the Strikowestofen team communicated clearly, worked efficiently, and collaborated closely with our experts. We love our StrikoWestofen furnaces, and having seen how successful this project has been I look forward to working with them on future modernizations."
