Foundry is the main basis of the mechanical engineering complex and its development depends on the pace of development of mechanical engineering as a whole.
At the XI Congress of Russian Foundry Workers in Yekaterinburg in September 2013, the question of the state of the foundry industry, which is inextricably linked with the development of mechanical engineering, was urgently raised.
The production of Russian castings during the years of reform decreased by 4.5 times from 18.5 million tons to 4.2 million tons and tends to decrease below 4.0 million tons in 2013. The number of foundries decreased almost three times from 3500 to 1250 enterprises. 10 foundry research institutes were liquidated.
Export of castings is insignificant, export of foundry equipment is practically non-existent. At the same time, imports of foundry equipment, including for foundries of metallurgical plants, have increased almost 9 times over the 10 years since 2003, exceeding US$1.0 billion. dollars in 2012.
Urgent measures are needed to revive Russian foundry production, which requires combining the efforts of foundries, the engineering industry, and scientific potential with real support from government organizations and financial development institutions within the framework of a public-private partnership.
An article by the President of the Russian Foundry Association, prof. Dibrova I.A.

Fig.1. Production of castings by country in 2011

Foundry production in Russia is the main base of the mechanical engineering complex and its development depends on the pace of development of mechanical engineering as a whole. The prospects for the development of foundry production are determined by the need for castings, their production dynamics, the authority of foundry technologies and competitive ability among developed foreign countries.

Let's consider the state of foundry production in Russia.

In 2011, 98.6 million tons of castings from ferrous and non-ferrous alloys were produced in the world, including 4.3 million tons in Russia, which is 4.36%

The production of castings by country is shown in Fig. 1, from which it can be seen that the leading place in the production of castings is occupied by China, which today produces about half of the world's production of castings.

Fig.2. Casting production in BRICS countries in 2011

Russia ranks 6th after China, the USA, India, Germany and Japan.

Casting production in the BRICS countries in 2011 amounted to 59.49 million tons, which is 60% of world production (Fig. 2). Russia ranks third among the BRICS countries and produces 8.22% of the casting output of these countries.

Foundry production in Russia occupies a leading position among such procurement bases of mechanical engineering as welding and forge. Metal utilization rate (from 75 to 95%). On the other hand, foundry production is the most knowledge-intensive, energy-intensive and material-intensive production. To produce 1 ton of castings, it is necessary to remelt 1.2-1.7 tons of metal charge materials, ferroalloys and fluxes, process and prepare 3-5 tons of molding sands (for casting in sand-clay molds), 3-4 kg of binding materials (for casting into molds from CTS) and paints. In the cost of casting, energy costs and fuel account for 50-60%, the cost of materials 30-35%.

Fig.3. Production volumes of castings in Russia from 1990 to 2012

Dynamics of casting production in Russia from 1990 to 2012. shown in Fig. 3. The highest production volumes of castings were in 1985 and amounted to 18.5 million tons. After this, a sharp decline in production began, associated with a violation of the general principles of cooperation in engineering products between the republics of the USSR, privatization and liquidation of enterprises. In Moscow alone, about 20 enterprises have closed, including AMO ZIL, the Stankolit and Dynamo plants, and the plant named after. Voikov, which produced about 500 thousand tons of castings. From 2001 to 2008 production of castings stabilized at 7 million tons. Subsequently, the decline in casting production is associated with the economic crisis, the reduction of qualified personnel, primarily pensioners, and the closure of enterprises. In recent years, the production of castings from ferrous and non-ferrous alloys has stabilized at the level of 4.2 - 4.4 million tons.

The total number of foundries in Russia is about 1250, which produce castings, equipment, and related materials.

The production of castings per employee in 2012 was about 14.3 tons per year.

The foundry industry of mechanical engineering and metallurgy (according to expert estimates) employs about 300 thousand people, including 90% workers, 9.8% engineers and 0.2% scientists.

The majority of foundries in Russia (78%) are small foundries with a production volume of up to 5,000 tons of castings per year.

Data on capacities, output volumes and the number of workers in foundries, according to information available to the association, are given in table. 1.

Table 1. Analysis of the state of Russian production by capacity, output volume and number of employees

№	Production volume of castings (t per year)	Number of employees	Number of enterprises	%	Notes
1	50000-100000	2000-3000	12	1	Foundries of automobile factories, power engineering, defense complex
2	10000-50000	500-2000	84	6,7	Foundry shops of large machine-building plants
3	5000-10000	200-500	180	14,4	Workshops of machine-building plants and individual workshops
4	1000-5000	50-200	430	34,4	Workshops of machine-building enterprises
5	Less than 1000	50-100	544	43,5	Small workshops for various purposes

By technological processes, the production of castings is distributed as follows:

Table 2. Production of castings by technological processes, %

78% of castings are produced on mechanized lines and machines and manually. The level of automation and mechanization of foundry production in Russia is presented in table. 3.

Table 3. Level of automation and mechanization of foundry production

Currently, the export of castings is 30 thousand tons per year to countries such as Germany, England, France, Israel, Sweden, Norway, Finland, import is about 70 thousand tons.

The production volumes of castings significantly depend on the production volumes of domestic foundry equipment for our own needs and export supplies.

A number of major manufacturers of foundry equipment in Russia have retained and expanded their specialization, but they do not satisfy the needs of foundries and factories. The following equipment is not produced in Russia:

• automatic and mechanized lines for the production of flaskless molds from sand-clay and cold-hardening mixtures;
• machines for making molds from sand-clay mixtures with flask sizes from 400x500mm to 1200x1500mm;
• machines for the production of foundry cores using hot and cold tooling;
• equipment for painting foundry molds;
• chilling machines;
• low pressure casting machines;
• centrifugal casting machines;
• medium frequency induction furnaces with a capacity of more than 10 tons for smelting cast iron and steel;
• batch and continuous mixers for preparing cold-hardening mixtures with a capacity of more than 10 tons/hour;
• equipment for the regeneration of cold-hardening mixtures with a capacity of more than 10 tons/hour.

A partial range of high pressure casting machines is produced.

The foundry equipment fleet has been updated slightly over the past 5 years, its average age is 28 years.

Fig.4. Dynamics of imports of foundry equipment from 2003 to 2012.

In this regard, it is expected that in the next 5-10 years the missing equipment will be purchased from foreign companies in Germany, Italy, the USA, Japan, Turkey, Denmark, England, the Czech Republic, France, etc.

Let's evaluate the market for imported equipment.

Dynamics of imports of foundry equipment to Russia from 2003 to 2012. (millions of US dollars) is presented in Fig. 4.

In 2012, imports of equipment, spare parts and accessories for foundries and related industries from all countries of the world amounted to about $705 million. USA. Dynamics of imports of foundry equipment from all countries of the world from 2007 to 2012. (millions of US dollars) is presented in table. 4.

Table 4. Dynamics of imports of foundry equipment from 2007 to 2012

2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
833,1	948,1	632,2	499,15	676,24	1081,5

The highest volumes of foundry equipment supplies to Russia from all countries of the world before 2012 were in 2008, but in 2012 the volume of equipment supplies increased and amounted to more than $1 billion. USA. Supplies of foundry equipment alone amount to 720 million US dollars, the remaining 259.5 million US dollars. The USA supplied castings, molds, pallets, various fixtures and instruments to Russia, including for metallurgical foundries. Supplies of foundry equipment from leading countries of the world over the last three years (2010-2012) are presented in table. 5 (million US dollars).

Table 5. Supplies of foundry equipment from leading countries of the world for 2010-2012.

From Table 5 it can be seen that foundry equipment is mainly supplied from Germany and Italy. In general, 72% of foundry equipment is purchased from foreign countries. Therefore, the production of castings for the manufacture of domestic equipment is reduced.

Despite the low level of casting production volumes in recent years, many factories are reconstructing foundry production on the basis of new technological processes and materials, and advanced equipment.

The main goal of the reconstruction is to expand production volumes, improve the quality of products that meet modern customer requirements, improve the environmental situation and working conditions. When carrying out reconstruction, an in-depth study of the product sales market, analysis of modern technological processes, equipment and materials, development of optimal technological layout and equipment arrangement, and development of a working design are required. Technological and operational design requires qualified specialists. Unfortunately, today in Russia there is a limited number of organizations capable of completely taking on the technological and operational design of a workshop or site. Therefore, creative groups of specialists and organizations are created to perform this type of work.

Over the past 3 years, more than 90 foundry shops and sites have been completely or partially reconstructed.

Reconstruction of workshops and factories is carried out on the basis of mechanized lines, replacing manual labor. Over the last 4 years alone (2008-2012), 25 automated and mechanized lines for the production of foundry molds have been installed in foundries.

Introduction of promising technologies

For the production of cast iron and steel, technological processes of smelting in induction and electric arc furnaces are promising, providing a stably specified chemical composition and heating temperature of the melt for effective out-of-furnace processing.

The following are promising for the smelting of cast alloys:

For melting cast iron:

• Medium frequency induction crucible furnaces with a capacity of up to 10-15 tons. Such furnaces are produced by domestic companies: RELTEC LLC, Ekaterinburg, Elektroterm-93 OJSC, Saratov, Novozybkovsky Electrothermal Equipment Plant OJSC, Kurai LLC, Ufa, NPP Institute of Electrotechnologies CJSC, Ekaterinburg, SODRUZHESTVO LLC and others,
  as well as foreign companies ABP, Juncker (Germany), Inductotherm, Ajax (USA), EGES, Turkey, which are most widely used in Russia;
• DC arc furnaces manufactured by JSC Sibelektroterm, Novosibirsk, LLC NTF EKTA, Moscow, LLC NTF Komterm, Moscow.

For iron smelting, medium-frequency induction crucible furnaces are more technologically flexible.

Fig.5. Increase in production volumes of cast iron smelted in induction furnaces (%)

Unfortunately, in recent years, no work has been carried out to improve the technology of cupola iron melting. No, and previously there was no mass production of cupola furnaces in Russia. In this regard, all operating cupola furnaces are manufactured using a homemade method without preheating the blast and high-quality cleaning of exhaust gases from dust and harmful components. Gas cupola furnaces have not found proper distribution in our country due to the lack of a reliable design and are used only for producing low grades of cast iron.

Figure 5 shows data on an increase in production volumes of castings from cast iron smelted in induction furnaces, and a decrease in production volumes of cupola iron castings.

The production of castings from various types of cast iron in 2012 is presented in table. 6.

Table 6. Production of castings from various types of cast iron in 2012

Fig.6. Growth in production volumes of castings from aluminum and magnesium alloys (%)

The increase in the volume of smelting of cast iron with low sulfur content in induction furnaces has made it possible to increase the production of castings from high-strength cast iron with spherical and vermicular graphite. Between 2006 and 2012. the production of castings from high-strength cast iron with nodular graphite increased by 12% (Fig. 6) due to a decrease in the production of castings from gray and special cast iron and steel.

For melting steel:

• AC and DC electric arc furnaces, medium and high frequency induction furnaces.

Production of castings from various types of steel in 2012. Presented in table. 7.

Table 7. Production of steel castings

For melting non-ferrous alloys:

• Electric induction, arc and resistance furnaces, gas and oil furnaces.

The production of castings from non-ferrous alloys in 2012 is presented in table. 8.

Table 8. Production of castings from non-ferrous alloys

In recent years, there has been an increase in the production of castings from aluminum and magnesium alloys, which in some cases replace

The production of shaped castings in Russia from aluminum alloys using various methods is presented in Table. 9.

Table 9. Production of shaped castings from aluminum alloys by various methods

Currently, the development of the production of high-quality castings based on modern technological processes in various branches of mechanical engineering is carried out unevenly. The highest production volumes of castings are observed in the transport (automobile, railway and municipal) engineering, heavy and power engineering and defense industries.

Fig.7. Production of castings by industry in 2012

The production volumes of castings by industry are presented in Fig. 7

An analysis of the dynamics of the production of castings and domestic foundry equipment over the past 10 years does not allow us to determine the prospects for the development of foundry production in the coming years. An increase in production volumes of castings from ferrous and non-ferrous alloys is not expected, as the policy and practice of purchasing engineering products abroad continues. The trend of increasing purchases of castings abroad also continues. The domestic industry's demand for cast billets is decreasing. Cast billets are not competitive in the world market due to their high cost and in terms of “price-quality” we are inferior to developed foreign countries.

New foundry technologies have not been developed in recent years, since 10 research institutes involved in foundry production have been liquidated by the privatization system. Scientific research is carried out only by foundry departments of universities, whose main task is to train young specialists. The majority of departments are not equipped with modern instruments and equipment. There is no coordination of scientific activities in Russia. The number of scientists over the past 15 years has decreased from 8 to 0.2% of all workers in the foundry industry. The connection between science and production is broken, there is no industrial science.

In the current conditions, for the further development of foundry production, the reconstruction of old foundries and the construction of new ones based on new technological processes and modern environmentally friendly equipment, information activities carried out by the Russian Foundry Association play an important role. The Association regularly organizes scientific and technical specialized conferences, once every 2 years a congress of foundry workers and an exhibition with the participation of foreign specialists is held, in addition, it organizes trips of specialists to international exhibitions on foundry production and foundries of foreign countries in order to familiarize themselves with innovative technical solutions and exchange experience. Published monthly scientific and technical magazine "Foundryman of Russia".

It should be noted that along with the stabilization of casting production volumes in the last 4 years, the quality of castings has increased significantly, dimensional accuracy has increased and, accordingly, their weight has decreased, strength and performance characteristics have increased, and marketability has improved.

The technological equipment of a number of enterprises has improved significantly; over the past 15 years, about 350 enterprises have carried out reconstruction, which is hampered by the lack of working capital at many enterprises.

We hope that the joint activities of foundries with scientific and public organizations with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation will allow for the further development of foundry production in Russia.

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In September, business meetings between Dutch companies and Russian potential partners took place in the Urals. Partnerships were proposed for various industries: metallurgy, mechanical engineering, agriculture, food industry. The crisis disasters that affected the Urals, like all regions of the Russian Federation, did not frighten European industrialists. And this is a good sign!

Despite the fact that the Urals are in decline today, we need to think about the future, says Marina Bogdanova, business development manager at GEMCO CAST METAL TECHNOLOGY. - When the economy starts to develop again, it may already be too late. In Russia, the foundry industry is represented mainly by foundries that are part of machine-building and other manufacturing corporations and holdings, and a relatively small number of independent foundries. In this situation, foundry production for the company as a whole is often perceived as auxiliary, and therefore “eating up” the company’s funds. Hence the residual sign of capital investment in development. Over the course of decades, this approach has led to almost universal moral and technical obsolescence of equipment and technologies. Point-by-point attempts to improve and modernize do not give the desired effect.

As a result, in the industry as a whole we have high-cost, inefficient, poorly organized production, which weighs heavily on the shoulders of companies. Meanwhile, everything should be the other way around. Foundry production is a business where you can and should make money. How to make this possible? Naturally, serious capital investments are required. But besides this, and no less important, we need a highly professional approach to mastering such tools. Purchasing new equipment is not everything; here you need to solve a complex of problems. Namely, the choice of equipment should be optimal, so as not to spend extra money on excess capacity, and at the same time not create a shortage of capacity. It is necessary to build an optimal production scheme and optimally organize the production process. This will significantly reduce costs, make it possible to recoup capital investments within 4-5 years, and bring production to the level of an independent business that brings good profits. Today, the winner in the market is the one who offers high quality at a low price. However, this task is not an easy one. GEMCO, which has a staff of professionals who have accumulated relevant experience and knowledge, knows how to achieve such a combination.

Marina, what, first of all, does a production worker really care about: profit or quality?

This issue cannot be divided. These two concepts depend on each other. They are inseparable. If a company produces low-quality products, then what benefits are we talking about? The owner of the company can increase quality, at the initial stage at a loss, and establish himself. Or maybe lower it, but there is a risk of losing customers. The profitability of an enterprise depends on sales volume. You made a successful batch, they bought it from you - you have proven yourself. This is how business connections are built. Quality - reputation - sales - benefits .

Russia has long been among the countries where any activity is specific. This requires a special approach. However, the Dutch are no strangers - they know how to professionally and effectively make a Russian company a leader.

What tools does the company offer to solve problems in foundry production?

Our company is engaged in foundry production: ferrous and non-ferrous. The activities of GEMCO CAST METAL TECHNOLOGY are divided into three components. Engineering: includes the development of a foundry project and the stages of its implementation. Contracting: general contracting. Foundry consulting, which can be operational or strategic. Operational is a marketing research on customers, a comparative analysis of production efficiency. This may include technical and commercial audits required for mergers and acquisitions. Operations consulting involves developing methods to improve production. When an enterprise has been operating for a certain time, it is necessary to periodically monitor production efficiency.

We are talking again about strategic planning, the absence of which our entrepreneurs often sin. In this case, precisely calculated technical and economic aspects are simply necessary. After all, in order to get the expected result, you need to act correctly at each stage.

Marina, your company is called unique. For what?

There are companies on the market that provide only engineering, or only consulting, or specializing in the supply of equipment. What makes GEMCO unique is that we provide a comprehensive approach. And our customers will confirm to you our accuracy and responsibility.

Tell us your step-by-step approach to the project

First, you need to consider aspects of the future project that the company is going to release. Based on them, a production concept is made, the technical part is drawn up and preliminary layout is carried out. Then the project begins to be filled with the necessary equipment according to needs. There is no point in installing equipment that cannot support production volumes or that will not be used 100%.

Next, we calculate resource costs: how much gas, water, energy, raw materials are needed, how many people should service the line. This is the concept. After completing the above work, we calculate how much the entire project will cost.

For example, what specific advantage can you give to the customer’s company?

For example, creating a team. It is very important. If a company does not have a team, it is doomed to failure. Uniting technologists, metallurgists, and working operators is not an easy matter. Let’s say the company has been using the “casting in the ground” technology for a long time and the management decided to introduce a new product. And for this we need another technology that has not yet been mastered. It is we who will carry out the transfer of technology: we will select personnel according to professional requirements, determine the responsibilities for each team member, train and, most importantly, monitor the implementation of the process.

What is the current state of the foundry industry in the Netherlands?

To answer this question, you need to trace the situation ten years ago. During this period of time, major changes occurred. Some businesses closed, many were moved to new locations. Over the past 10 years, there has been a tendency to concentrate on narrow-range products. Now in Russia the same topic is just beginning. There are many such industries in the Russian Federation. Now the attitude towards foundry production is as auxiliary, as ballast, but everything must change.

In the Netherlands, the crisis is almost over. This is not to say that everything is great, because... there are problems that require solutions. Many companies have suspended operations. And, interestingly, part of the vacated market has already been occupied. Roughly, everything will return to normal in about two years. But for Russia the time frame is longer. And if we knew the answer to the question “When will the crisis end?” - they wouldn’t tell it to anyone, but use it for themselves. In the Netherlands this is several months, for Russia it is years. There are still banking problems and bureaucratic barriers, but it is the task of the state to create conditions. in which people wanted to do something.

You held meetings with Ural businessmen, but now the situation is so unstable. Do you think today is the time for new projects?

There is a concentration of such companies in Chelyabinsk, but today a serious modernization of production is needed. Management understands this and is working in this direction. Unfortunately, the process takes longer than we would like.

GEMCO CAST METAL TECHNOLOGY's early activities were related to the manufacture of equipment for foundries, but practice has shown that it is necessary to focus on intellectual activity. There is such a thing in business - finding your niche. We found her. It is important that there are people who will help you professionally understand the issues of applying the most economically and technically effective production solutions, make the optimal selection of equipment, determine the technological process and movement of materials, and effectively use investment capital. I would like to emphasize that we will provide a realistic overview of the required investment and project timeline; We will give an objective definition of the price level of products and financial indicators.

Foundries in Russia are enterprises that produce castings - shaped parts and blanks - by filling casting molds with liquid alloys. The main consumers of foundry products are enterprises of the machine-building complex (up to 70% of all cast billets produced), and the metallurgical industry (up to 20%). About 10% of products produced by casting are sanitary fittings.

Casting is the optimal way to produce workpieces of complex geometry that are as close in configuration as possible to finished products, which is not always possible to achieve by other methods (forging, welding, etc.). During the casting process, products of the most varied thickness (from 0.5 to 500 mm), length (from several cm to 20 m) and weight (from several grams to 300 tons) are obtained. Small allowances are an advantageous feature of casting blanks, which allows reducing the cost of finished products by reducing metal consumption and the cost of machining products. Over half of the parts used in modern industrial equipment are made by casting.

The main types of raw materials in foundry production are:

• gray cast iron (up to 75%);
• steel – carbon and alloy (20%);
• malleable cast iron (3%);
• non-ferrous alloys - aluminum, magnesium, zinc copper (2%).

The casting process is carried out in a variety of ways, which are classified:

1) according to the method of filling molds:

• conventional casting;
• casting with insulation;
• injection molding;
• centrifugal casting;

2) according to the method of manufacturing casting molds:

• in one-time molds (sand, shell), designed to produce only one casting;
• in reusable molds (ceramic or clay-sand) that can withstand up to 150 pours;
• into permanent metal molds (for example, chill molds) that can withstand several thousand pours.

The most common method is sand casting (up to 80% by weight of all castings carried out in the world). The technology of this type of casting includes:

• preparation of materials;
• preparation of molding and core mixtures;
• creating forms and cores;
• suspending cores and assembling molds;
• melting metal and pouring it into molds;
• cooling the metal and knocking out the finished casting;
• cleaning of the casting, its heat treatment and finishing.

The first Russian foundry (the so-called “cannon hut”) appeared in Moscow in 1479. Under Ivan the Terrible, foundries appeared in Kashira, Tula and other cities. During the reign of Peter I, the production of castings was mastered in almost the entire state - in the Urals, in the southern and northern parts of the country. In the 17th century, Russia began to export iron castings. Remarkable examples of Russian foundry art are the 40-ton “Tsar Cannon”, cast by A. Chokhov in 1586, the “Tsar Bell” weighing over 200 tons, created in 1735 by I.F. and M.I. Matorin. In 1873, workers at the Perm plant cast a steam hammer weighing 650 tons, which is one of the largest castings in the world.

Federal State Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education "Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin"

Institute of Materials Science and Metallurgy

Department of Foundry and Hardening Technologies

Lecture notes on the discipline "Foundry"

Lecture 1

Basic concepts of foundry production

Lecture outline

1. The concept of foundry production.

2. Brief historical overview of the development of foundry production. The role of Russian scientists in the development of scientific foundations and organization of production of castings and ingots.

3. Classification of casting alloys and their areas of application.

It is impossible to imagine modern life without metals. Metals are the basis of technical progress, the foundation of the material culture of all mankind. But metal becomes useful to a person only when products are made from it. There are three main types of production of metal products. These are foundry, metal forming and metal cutting. The Foundry course is dedicated to the first type of metalworking.

This lecture notes discusses in sufficient detail the theoretical foundations of foundry production, in addition, it describes the technological processes for producing various products and the equipment and tools used in this process.

Lecture notes are devoted to the foundry production of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. It outlines the fundamentals of the theory, technological processes and equipment designed to produce castings in various ways (in one-time sand-clay molds, lost-wax molds, in a mold, under pressure, etc.).

When presenting the material, the main attention is paid to the consideration of the physical and physico-chemical essence of the processes of a particular technology, the design features of equipment, the purpose of technological modes, the equipment used and automation equipment.

Along with the presentation of specific material for each technological method of producing blanks, special attention is paid to the main bottlenecks, problems of technological processes, analysis of ways and means of solving them to obtain products of a given quality and achieve high production efficiency; Based on the same approach, the prospects for the development of each process are considered.

Foundry concept

The essence of foundry production comes down to obtaining liquid, i.e. heated above the melting point, an alloy of the required composition and quality and pouring it into a pre-prepared mold. After cooling, the metal hardens and retains the configuration of the cavity into which it was poured. Thus, to make a casting, you must:

1) determine the materials that need to be introduced into the charge for smelting, calculate them, prepare these materials (cut them into pieces, weigh out the required amount of each component); load materials into the melting furnace;

2) carry out melting - obtain liquid metal of the required temperature, fluidity, proper chemical composition, without non-metallic inclusions and gases, capable of forming a fine-crystalline structure without defects with sufficiently high mechanical properties upon solidification;

3) before the end of melting, prepare casting molds (for pouring metal into them) that are capable of withstanding the high temperature of the metal, its hydrostatic pressure and the erosive effect of the jet, without breaking, and also capable of passing gases released from the metal through pores or channels;

4) release the metal from the furnace into the ladle and deliver it to the casting molds; fill the casting molds with liquid metal, avoiding interruptions in the flow and preventing slag from entering the mold;

5) after the metal has hardened, open the molds and remove the castings from them; PRODUCTION

6) separate from the casting all the sprues (metal solidified in the sprue channels), as well as the ridges and burrs formed (due to poor-quality pouring or molding);

7) clean the castings from particles of molding or core sand;

8) carry out quality control and size control of castings.

Currently, the largest number of castings are produced in one-time (sand) molds, made from a molding mixture consisting of quartz sand, refractory clay and special additives. After the metal has hardened, the mold is destroyed and the casting is removed. In addition to one-time ones, semi-permanent molds are used, made of highly refractory materials (chamotte, graphite, etc.), they are used to fill several dozen (50–200) castings, and permanent molds are metal, they are used to produce several hundreds, and sometimes thousands castings until the mold wears out. The choice of casting mold depends on the nature of production, the type of metal being poured, and the requirements for casting.

A brief historical overview of the development of foundry production. The role of Russian scientists in the development of scientific foundations and organization of production of castings and ingots

Foundry is one of the most ancient forms of metalworking art with which humanity has become acquainted. Numerous archaeological finds discovered during excavations of mounds in various parts of our country indicate that in Ancient Rus' copper and bronze casting was produced in fairly large quantities (bowlers, arrowheads, jewelry - earrings, wrists, rings, headdresses, etc.). During the excavations, surviving forges and furnaces, stone molds were discovered that were used for casting hollow axes, rings, bracelets, metal beads, crosses, etc. However, most of the castings found in Ancient Rus' were obtained by casting from a wax model.

The method of making the model was original: a pattern was woven from wired cords, representing a copy of the future product; Clay was applied to this wax model until a sufficiently strong mold was obtained; after drying, the mold was calcined, the wax was melted, and the cords burned out; metal was poured into the resulting cavity; after cooling, a casting of complex shapes was obtained.

In the 11th century In Rus', local production centers arose for the casting of church (copper crosses, bells, icons, candlesticks, etc.) and household (kettles, washstands, etc.) items. In addition to Kyiv and Novgorod the Great, Ustyug Veliky and Tver became major centers for the production of copper-cast products. The Tatar invasion caused stagnation that lasted until the mid-14th century, after which the rise of foundry production began. This is explained by the fact that a centralized large state was created, in connection with which cities began to develop and weapons, now firearms, were required. They switched from the production of welded cannons to cast bronze ones, cast bells, and created copper foundry workshops for artistic casting. By the middle of the sixteenth century. Moscow artillery occupied quantitatively first place among the artillery of European states.

The Peter the Great era represented a leap in the development of foundry production. Large Tula and Kaluga factories were created by Nikita Demidov and Ivan Batashov. The first steel castings were produced in the second half of the 19th century. almost simultaneously in various European countries. In Russia they were made in 1866 from crucible steel at the Obukhov plant. However, the quality of the castings turned out to be low, since the casting properties of steel were significantly inferior to those of cast iron. Thanks to the work of Russian metallurgists A.S. Lavrova and N.V. Kalakutsky, who explained the phenomena of segregation and presented the mechanism of occurrence of shrinkage and gas cavities, and also developed measures to combat them, the advantages of steel castings were fully revealed. Therefore, the shaped castings obtained by A.A. Iznoskov from open-hearth steel at the Sormovo plant in 1870 turned out to be of such high quality that they were demonstrated at an exhibition in St. Petersburg.

After the publication of scientific works by the founder of metallography D.K. Chernov, who created the science of transformations in alloys, their crystallization, structure and properties, began to use heat treatment, which improved the quality of steel casting. The theory of metallurgical processes was introduced in higher school by A.A. Baikov in 1908 at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute. In the period from 1927 to 1941. There is an unprecedented growth in industry for former Russia, and the largest mechanized factories are being built. Foundries are being built and put into operation, operating in a continuous flow mode, with a high degree of mechanization, with conveyors, with an annual output of up to 100 thousand tons of castings.

At the same time, research work is carried out, theories of work processes and methods for calculating foundry equipment are created. A scientific school of the Moscow Higher Technical School is being formed, founded and headed by prof. N.P. Aksenov.

The widespread use of foundry production is explained by its great advantages over other methods of producing blanks (forging, stamping). Casting can produce workpieces of almost any complexity with minimal processing allowances.

In addition, the production of castings is much cheaper than, for example, the production of forgings. The development of foundry production to this day has taken place in two directions:

1) development of new casting alloys and metallurgical processes;

2) improvement of technology and mechanization of production.

Great progress has been made in the field of studying and improving the mechanical and technological properties of gray cast iron - the most common and cheapest casting alloys. Special types of casting are becoming increasingly widespread and improved: chill casting, pressure casting, shell molding, lost wax casting, etc., ensuring the production of accurate castings and, therefore, reducing the cost of cutting processing.

Classification of casting alloys and their areas of application

On average, cast parts account for about 50% of the mass of machines and mechanisms, and their cost reaches 20–25% of the cost of the machines. Depending on the method of producing cast billets, alloys are divided into cast and deformed. Casting alloys are either prepared from initial components (charge materials) directly in the foundry, or are obtained from metallurgical plants in finished form and are only melted before being poured into foundry molds. In both the first and second cases, individual elements during the smelting process can oxidize (burn out), volatilize at elevated temperatures (sublimate), enter into chemical interaction with other components or with the furnace lining and turn into slag.

To restore the required composition of the alloy, the loss of individual elements in it is compensated by introducing into the melt special additives (ligatures, ferroalloys) prepared at metallurgical enterprises. Alloys contain, in addition to the alloying element, the base metal of the alloy, so they are more easily and completely absorbed by the melt than a pure alloying element. When melting alloys of non-ferrous metals, master alloys are used: copper-nickel, copper-aluminum, copper-tin, aluminum-magnesium, etc.

When casting ferrous alloys, ferroalloys (ferrosilicon, ferromanganese, ferrochrome, ferrotungsten, etc.) are widely used to introduce alloying elements, as well as to deoxidize the melt. During the deoxidation process, the elements contained in ferroalloys act as reducing agents: they combine with the oxygen of the oxide dissolved in the melt, reduce the metal, and, having oxidized, they themselves turn into slag. Purification (refining) of the melt by deoxidation helps to significantly improve the quality of the cast metal, increasing its strength and ductility. A number of alloys, as well as non-metallic materials (salts, etc.) are used as modifiers, which, when introduced into a cast alloy in small quantities, significantly affect its structure and properties, for example, they refine the grain and help increase the strength of the metal. Thus, to obtain high-strength cast iron, modification with magnesium is used.

The main quality criteria for cast metal are mechanical properties, structure indicators, heat resistance, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, etc., specified in the technical requirements.

Alloys are usually divided, like metals, primarily into ferrous and non-ferrous, the latter also including light alloys. Alloys are divided into groups depending on which metal is the base of the alloy.

The most important groups of alloys are the following:

cast irons and steels – alloys of iron with carbon and other elements;

aluminum alloys with various elements;

magnesium alloys with various elements;

bronze and brass are alloys of copper with various elements.

Currently, alloys of the first group are most widely used, i.e. ferrous alloys: about 70% of all castings by weight are made from cast iron and about 20% from steel. The remaining groups of alloys account for a relatively small part of the total mass of castings.

The chemical composition of an alloy distinguishes between the main elements (for example, iron and carbon in cast iron and steel), permanent impurities, the presence of which is due to the production process of the alloy, and random impurities that have entered the alloy due to one reason or another. Harmful impurities in steel and cast iron include sulfur, phosphorus, ferrous oxide, hydrogen, nitrogen and non-metallic inclusions. Harmful impurities in copper alloys are cuprous oxide, bismuth and, in some of them, phosphorus. Admixtures of aluminum and iron sharply worsen the properties of tin bronze, and in aluminum bronze, on the contrary, tin. Aluminum alloys should have a limited iron content, and magnesium alloys should also have a limited content of copper, nickel and silicon. Gases and non-metallic inclusions in all alloys are harmful impurities.

The requirements for each casting alloy are specific, but there are a number of general requirements:

1. the composition of the alloy must ensure that the specified properties of the casting are obtained (physical, chemical, physicochemical, mechanical, etc.);

2. the alloy must have good casting properties - high fluidity, non-saturation with gases and the formation of non-metallic inclusions, low and stable shrinkage during solidification and cooling, non-propensity for segregation and the formation of internal stresses and cracks in castings;

3. the alloy should be as simple as possible in composition, easy to prepare, not contain toxic components, and not release highly environmentally polluting products during melting and pouring;

4. the alloy must be technologically advanced not only in the manufacture of castings, but also in all subsequent operations of obtaining finished parts (for example, during cutting, heat treatment, etc.);

5. the alloy must be economical: contain as little as possible the number of expensive components, have minimal losses when processing its waste (sprues, scrap).

Test questions and assignments

1. What is the history of the development of foundry production in Russia?

2. What is the role of Russian scientists in the development of scientific foundations and organization of production of castings from alloys of ferrous and non-ferrous metals?

3. What are the methods for producing castings?

4. What molds can be used to produce shaped castings?

5. How are casting alloys classified?

6. What are the requirements for casting alloys?

7. List the main areas of application of casting alloys.

8. What is the essence of foundry technology?

Foundry is one of the industries whose main products are those used in mechanical engineering. There are many factories of this specialization in Russia. Some of these enterprises have small capacities, others can be considered real industrial giants. Further in the article we will consider what the largest foundry and mechanical plants in Russia exist on the market (with addresses and descriptions), and what specific products they produce.

Products produced by LMZ

Of course, such enterprises are a vital part of the national economy. Foundries in Russia produce a huge number of different products. For example, castings, ingots, and ingots are produced in the workshops of such enterprises. Finished products are also produced at enterprises in this industry. These could be, for example, grates, sewer hatches, bells, etc.

Iron foundries in Russia supply their products, as already mentioned, mainly to enterprises in the mechanical engineering industry. Up to 50% of the equipment produced by such factories comes from cast billets. Of course, companies of other specializations can also be LMZ partners.

Main problems of the industry

The situation with foundry production in the Russian Federation today is, unfortunately, difficult. After the collapse of the USSR, the country's engineering industry fell into almost complete decline. Accordingly, the demand for shaped casting products has also decreased significantly. Later, sanctions and outflow of investment had a negative impact on the development of LMZ. However, despite this, Russian foundries continue to exist, supply high-quality products to the market and even increase production rates.

The main problem of enterprises of this specialization in the Russian Federation for many years has been the need for modernization. However, the implementation of new technologies also requires additional costs. Unfortunately, in most cases, such companies still have to buy the equipment necessary for modernization abroad for a lot of money.

List of the largest foundries in Russia

Today in the Russian Federation, about 2,000 enterprises are engaged in the production of shaped products from cast iron, steel, aluminum, etc. The largest foundries in Russia are:

• Balashikhinsky.
• Kamensk-Uralsky.
• Taganrog.
• "KAMAZ".
• Cherepovetsky.
• Balezinsky.

KULZ

This enterprise was founded in Kamensk-Uralsky during the war - in 1942. At that time, the Balashikha foundry was evacuated here. Later, the facilities of this enterprise were returned to their place. In Kamensk-Uralsk, its own foundry began to operate.

During the Soviet era, KULZ products were focused mainly on the country's military-industrial complex. In the 90s, during the conversion period, the enterprise was repurposed to produce consumer goods.

Today KULZ is engaged in the production of shaped castings intended for both military and civilian equipment. In total, the company produces 150 types of products. The plant supplies the market with brake systems and wheels for aircraft, radio components, biometal and metal-ceramic blanks, etc. The head office of KULZ is located at the following address: Kamensk-Uralsky, st. Ryabova, 6.

BLMZ

Almost all foundries in Russia, the list of which was provided above, were put into operation in the last century. BLMZ is no exception in this regard. This company, the oldest in the country, was founded in 1932. Its first products were spoked wheels for aircraft. In 1935, the plant mastered technologies for the production of shaped aluminum products and in the post-war period, the enterprise specialized mainly in the production of take-off and landing devices for aircraft. In 1966, products made from titanium alloys began to be produced here.

During the collapse of the USSR, the Balashikha plant managed to maintain the main direction of its activity. In the early 2000s, the company actively updated its technical fleet. In 2010, the plant began developing new production areas in order to expand the range of products.

Since 2015, BLMZ, together with the Soyuz scientific complex, began implementing a project to produce gas turbine units with a capacity of up to 30 MW. The office of the BLMZ company is located at the address: Balashikha, Entuziastov Highway, 4.

Taganrog Foundry

The main office of this company can be found at the following address: Taganrog, Severnaya Square, 3. TLMZ was founded quite recently - in 2015. However, today its capacity is already about 13 thousand tons per year. This became possible thanks to the use of the latest equipment and innovative technologies. Currently, the Taganrog LMZ is the most modern foundry enterprise in the country.

TLMZ was built for just a few months. In total, about 500 million rubles were spent during this time. The enterprise purchased components for the main production line from Danish companies. The stoves at the plant are Turkish. All other equipment is made in Germany. Today, 90% of the Taganrog plant's products are supplied to the domestic market.

The largest foundries in Russia: ChLMZ

The decision to build the Cherepovets enterprise was made in 1950. Since 1951, the plant began producing spare parts for road construction machines and tractors. In all subsequent years, right up to perestroika, the enterprise was constantly modernized and expanded. In 2000, the plant management chose the following strategic directions of production:

• production of furnace rollers for metallurgical plants;
• production of furnaces for machine-building enterprises;
• pump casting for the chemical industry;
• production of radiator heaters for furnaces.

Today ChLMZ is one of the main Russian manufacturers of such products. Its partners are not only machine-building enterprises, but also light industry and housing and communal services. The office of this company is located at: Cherepovets, st. Construction industry, 12.

Balezinsky foundry

This largest enterprise was founded in 1948. Initially it was called the “Liteyshchik” artel. In the first years of its existence, the plant specialized mainly in the production of aluminum cookware. A year later, the company began producing cast iron. The artel was renamed the Balezinsky LMZ in 1956. Today this plant produces about 400 types of a wide variety of products. Its main activity is the production of oven castings, tableware and baking molds. Company address: Balezin, st. K. Marx, 77.

Foundry plant "KAMAZ"

This company operates in Naberezhnye Chelny. Its production capacity is 245 thousand castings per year. The KamAZ foundry produces products from high-strength cast iron, gray, with vermicular graphite. This enterprise was built in 1975. The first products of the plant were aluminum castings of 83 items. In 1976, the enterprise mastered the production of cast iron and steel products. Initially, the plant was part of the well-known joint stock company KamAZ. In 1997, it gained independent status. However, in 2002, the enterprise again became part of KamAZ OJSC. This plant is located at the address: Naberezhnye Chelny, Avtozavodsky Avenue, 2.

Nizhny Novgorod enterprise OJSC LMZ

The main product of JSC Foundry and Mechanical Plant (Russia, Nizhny Novgorod) is cast iron pipeline fittings. The products produced by this enterprise are used in the transportation of gas, steam, oil, water, fuel oil, and oils. The plant began its activities in 1969. At that time it was one of the workshops of the Gorky Flax Association. Today, its partners are many mechanical engineering, housing and communal services and water supply enterprises.

Instead of a conclusion

The well-being of the entire country as a whole largely depends on how smoothly and stably the Russian foundries described above will function. Without the products manufactured by these companies, domestic enterprises of mechanical engineering, metallurgy, light industry, etc. will not be able to operate. Therefore, paying maximum attention to the development, reconstruction and modernization of these and other foundries, providing them with comprehensive support, including at the state level, of course , necessary and very important.