News

Pyrotek Installs Another Integrated Melting System (IMS) at Customer Site

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 14:31:00 -0700

Another Pyrotek customer has recently added a new Pyrotek Integrated Melting System (IMS), a milestone in the customer’s journey toward greater efficiency and sustainability in aluminium recycling.

What is the Pyrotek Integrate Melting System (IMS)?

The IMS consists of equipment specifically engineered to process machining chips, converting the chips efficiently back to usable metal. The IMS system provides significant increases in recovery rates, depending on surface-to-weight ratio and if the chip material is produced clean and dry. Customers report recovery rates as high as 98 percent. These systems are custom designed to the customer's specific needs. Ancillary equipment available from Pyrotek for use with the IMS includes:

Shredders
Centrifuges
Magnetic Separators
Conveyors or Pneumatic Chips transport
Hoppers
*Compact Jet Bed Dryers
LOTUSS Vortex
Electromagnetic circulation pumps
Other equipment can be supplied as needed

YouTube - Watch Assembly of the Pyrotek Compact Jet Bed Dryer for Drying Scrap Aluminium?- Video shared with permission of Presezzi Extrusion Group.

A unique and key integrated feature of the IMS is the Jet Bed Dryer.

The Compact Jet Bed Dryer, as recently acquired by Presezzi Extrusion Group,?is specifically engineered for drying scrap aluminium for the removal of water, oil, coolants, and other liquids. This optimizes a customer's metal recovery when re-melting and recycling aluminium chips.

The fluid bed of the Jet Bed Dryer is strategically positioned atop the thermal oxidizer, creating a highly efficient and compact system. This integration is an example of Pyrotek's dedication to providing innovative technology in the aluminium industry around the world.

"At Pyrotek, we take immense pride in contributing to our customers' successes by delivering exceptional projects that drive progress and innovation in their industries," says Ethan Wright, a Pyrotek Technical Support Engineer. "This is just one of the many exciting projects we have undertaken and we cannot wait to witness the positive impact it will have on our customer's operations."

Contact Ethan Wright at ethwri@pyrotek.com for more information about this Pyrotek technology.

Advantages of the Compact Jet Bed Dryer

Enhanced Energy Efficiency: by leveraging the IMS technology in conjunction with the Pyrotek LOTUSS technology, our customer can optimize energy consumption and reduce operational costs significantly.

Space Optimization:?the compact design of the system allows Pyrotek customers to make the most of their facility space and streamline the layout of their production.

Increased Productivity: with precise control over the drying process, the IMS technology in conjunction with the Pyrotek LOTUSS technology, ensures higher yields and better-quality recycled aluminium, elevating productivity levels.

Eco-Friendly Approach: the advanced thermal oxidation capabilities of these systems align with Pyrotek's customers' commitment to environmental sustainability.

Pyrotek Rigid Glasweve? Filters Help Foundries Accelerate Toward Sustainability Goals

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 13:19:00 -0700

Pyrotek Rigid Glasweve? (RGW) filters are the chosen filtration and flow-control solution of modern, environmentally conscious foundries seeking to minimize their impact on the environment.

One of the top reasons to make the switch to these filters: a change to RGW from CFF stops nearly 10,000 lbs of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere for every 100,000 filters used – this is an estimated 60% reduction in overall CO₂ emissions.

This volume of reduction in greenhouse gases emitted results from efficiencies in shipping and product use, but the largest benefit is related to raw materials. RGW (pictured) is inherently less energy intensive because while much of the raw material for foundry applications is energy intensive, this filter requires 79% less material by mass than typical foundry filters. In addition, RGW utilizes 60%-plus sustainable materials compared with less than 10% for CFF.

RGW creates advantages in packaging and shipping, too. Because RGW filters take up very little space when stacked and packaged in a sleeve, a given pallet or box of RGW filters will hold eight times the number of filters.?Efficiencies in shipping, packaging, and storage really matter to foundries because they can reduce costs and simplify their supply chains and internal plant logistics.

Something else to consider: waste dumped into landfills. Foundry operators find that filter waste is reduced by 85%-plus due to the smaller mass of each filter used in their process. This helps with reducing waste transport, cost of disposal, and the volume of material in landfills.

RGW Global Impact

RGW makes up a small fraction of the weight of a comparable ceramic foam filter (CFF) and is made up of 60% renewable and sustainable materials. Each CFF filter uses 14 times more non-sustainable materials by weight. If all foundries globally switched to RGW, it would eliminate 1,500,000 kg of unsustainable and nonrenewable materials from waste streams and 2,400,000 kg of CO₂ would not enter the atmosphere every year.

Pyrotek Rigid Glasweve (RGW) Filters

Ceramic foam filters remain an excellent filtration and flow device. In recent years, Pyrotek CFF production teams have made strides to improve CFF's environmental impact. Part of that includes purchasing renewable energy and improving energy efficiency by 21%.

Conclusion:?Pyrotek developed the RGW filter technology to give its foundry partners in the aluminum industry critical efficiencies to be more competitive for years to come. Technology for greater sustainability and process efficiency is where Pyrotek continues to dedicate its research and development resources around the world.

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More information:

Rigid Glasweve Filters for Low-Pressure Casting

Rigid Glasweve Filters for Sand and Permanent Mould Casting

Pyrotek Shares New Casthouse Innovations at NorCast Conference

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 08:11:00 -0700

ARENDAL, Norway – More than 120 aluminium casthouse leaders at NorCast 2023 in Arendal learned Tuesday, June 6, about Pyrotek’s two new critical casthouse innovations, the Ring-Fit and Fracture-Guard Transition Plates.

Ring-Fit Transition Plates

The aluminium industry conference is invitation only, and attendees travel from approximately 20 countries. Pyrotek was one of the honored presenters at the conference. Companies like Hydro, Alcoa, Mercedes-Benz were among some of the others.

"The audience is made up of key stakeholders, mainly from casthouses, both re-melters and primary aluminium, as well as casthouse support engineers," says Rune Heggland, Pyrotek's Sales Manager for the Nordic Region.

Global Product Manager Mahmud El Khoja, Pyrotek USA, delivers his remarks at NorCast 2023.

Pyrotek's presentation, titled, "High-End Casting Machines – Development & Delivery of New Transition Plate Technologies: material development addressing specific properties needed for modern casting equipment," was delivered by both Senior R&D Engineer Emma Cedillo-Saucedo, Pyrotek UK, and Global Product Manager Mahmud El Khoja, Pyrotek USA.

Ring-Fit T-Plates?address a chronic issue in the industry with calcium silicate transition plates.?Fracture-Guard T-Plates?solve the problem of catastrophic failures in transition plates in?Hycast? Gas Cushion (GC) billet casting machines.

"Ring-Fit transition plates offer an innovative solution specifically designed for the calcium silicate board utilized in direct chill billet casting machines," El Khoja says. "They greatly reduce the premature failures this type of product has seen in the industry for decades."

Senior R&D Engineer Emma Cedillo-Saucedo, Pyrotek UK, discusses the innovation of Pyrotek's Fracture-Guard Transition Plates.

This new Pyrotek product is patent pending in several countries and regions. Ring-Fit has performed well already in the field with tens of thousands of successful casts. Ring-Fit surpassed the service life of similar industry offerings by more than 100 percent. Larger diameter versions, which typically last fewer casts, have shown significant improvement because of the Ring-Fit design.

Ring-Fit is available for sale in Europe, the USA, Canada, and the Middle East.

Fracture-Guard Transition Plates almost entirely eliminate the catastrophic failure mode of transition plates in Gas Cushion (GC) billet casting machines. By nearly eliminating this high-risk failure mode, Pyrotek achieves a significant accomplishment, as the potential consequences associated with such failures can be extremely severe.

Fracture-Guard Transition Plates

"The fabric reinforcement of Fracture-Guard Transition Plates has a dual role," says Cedillo-Saucedo. "It has been strategically positioned within the transition plate body to provide additional mechanical toughness while acting as a safety net preventing crack propagation."

Ring-Fit datasheet

Fracture-Guard datasheet

Contact Global Product Manager?Mahmud El Khoja for more information.?

Electromagnetic Priming of Aluminium Filtration Systems: Pyrotek EM-DF

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 16:09:00 -0800

Full priming of single and multiple CFFs.
Controlled priming via electromotive/Lorentz forces, dynamic metal velocity, and static metal head.
Standard filter box design with slightly deeper box and induction coils.
EM field applied only during the priming and draining stage.
Filtration operation on fully primed CFFs promotes:?consistent filtration efficiency, stable operation, and reliable performance.

YouTube video showing the EM-DF System

Electromagnetic Deep Filtration (EM-DF) System

Does the above interest you? Interested in innovative new technology? Want to learn more about how Pyrotek could help provide your business with engineering solutions?

Come and visit us at the TMS 2023 Annual Meeting & Exhibition March 19–23, 2023 | San Diego Convention Center & Hilton San Diego Bayfront.

Robert Fritzsch will be presenting the technical aspects of our new EM-DF on 20/03/2023 at 14:05-14:30 in the Convention Center - C31.

Abstract from Electromagnetic Priming of Filtration Systems (Pyrotek EM-DF) paper:

"The reliable and complete priming of ceramic foam and other filter types is a known challenge to casthouses. Process mistakes can lead to significant loss of filtration performance and generate major losses for a casthouse/foundry by reducing the final melt quality. Various technologies have been implemented to support the priming stage for optimized filtration. Using the patented technology to electromagnetic (EM) prime CFFs has shown significant potential over the last decade. The technology has now been developed into a full-scale industrial filtration unit utilizing multiple CFFs of any grade/ppi, delivering performance for highest purity by increased depth filtration and full volume utilization. The EM fields also showed substantial priming effect when retrofitted to existing CFF systems. These EM priming systems allow enhanced priming and regular, undisturbed gravity filtration during the casting process. This paper presents industrial trials of the pilot units, related to metal cleanliness, ease of operation and throughput."

For all commercial enquires:?Managing Director MCR Group, Jason Midgley – jasmid@pyrotek.com,?Pyrotek Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire office number - +44 1283741147

Product and technical support:?EM Filtration Product Specialist and Project & Development Engineer, Joseph Whitworth – joswhi@pyrotek.com

Major Foundry in Spain Installs Pyrotek Degassing Units to Optimize Metal Treatment

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 08:57:33 -0800

MAPSA, the largest wheel caster in Spain, has just expanded its metal treatment technology with new Pyrotek aluminium degassing machines. Compared with other units on the market, Pyrotek's machines ensured repeatability in the metal density.

Pyrotek’s newly engineered degassing machines automatically read metal temperature and air humidity and adjust the degassing cycle based on those readings. This allows them to consistently deliver stable density, and also ensure critical metal cleanliness.

There is a lot of pressure on wheel casters in the competitive European market and others around the world. They must all improve operational efficiency, and the best way to do that is by using leading technology like Pyrotek's advanced degassing machines.

"It's the best product on the market for metal treatment in the low-pressure process," says Saul Gracia Villacampa, Pyrotek Foundry Division Manager for West Europe.

Pyrotek's degassing units at MAPSA in Spain.

CASE STUDY: Steel Plant Reduces Energy Loss by Choosing ISOMAG Structural Insulation

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 14:14:00 -0700

Case Study: Pyrotek delivered an insulating solution that enabled a customer in Eastern Europe to reduce energy consumption related to their steel ladle by EUR€250,000 per year and delivered a return on their investment in less than three months.

Steel plants around the world, and particularly in Europe, face sky high energy increases currently and are forced to search for ways to reduce their energy costs.

Pyrotek was able to study and identify a high-value technical solution that reduced the Eastern European steel plant's energy consumption. This particular Pyrotek customer produces flat carbon steel and operates with a capacity of 2 million tons per year.

? ? Pyrotek Solution:

Pyrotek Sales Manager Rapha?l Amesse, who has broad experience developing innovative insulating solutions in the industry, learned this plant was implementing a program to reduce its global energy costs. He identified its steel ladles as being a source of high energy losses.

"High heat loss rates were due to low mechanical resistance, resulting in rapid deterioration of their actual insulation,"?Rapha?l says. "From the ladle furnace to the caster, they were losing an average 40°Celsius in 42 minutes, or 0.94°Celsius per minute."

The plant's refractory manager provided Pyrotek with some operations data and a heat-loss study was conducted on the plant's 150-metric-ton capacity steel ladle. The Pyrotek technical team proposed the optimal insulation thickness for the plant's specific operating conditions. The Pyrotek solution was ISOMAG 70XCO 12.7 millimeter.

Thermography of the exterior of the ladle.

"The advantage of using ISOMAG is that it can withstand pressure up to 15 MPa and retain its insulating power in time for a steady performance,"?Rapha?l says.

Studying the level of expected savings in energy and reduced heat loss due to the insulation was important.

"The heat-loss study allowed us to estimate the potential savings with a good level of accuracy coming from multiple past cases," he says. "With that, the process engineer from the plant was able to get the approval from the meltshop manager and go forward with the ISOMAG insulation for a trial."

Also challenging to demonstrate is the actual level of energy savings during a trial. It is time consuming and requires a global understanding of the process parameters.

Rapha?l stayed in touch with the plant process engineer, who shared information related to the energy consumption and losses over a period of more than one year.?He collaborated with the Pyrotek team and defined the savings with three primary metrics.

Ladle furnace energy reduction of 1.5kWH/mt
Cooling rate reduction of 0.05°C/minute
Shell temperature reduction of -27°C

Now, the plant is only losing 36.5°C (0.86°C per minute) instead of 40°C. That 3.5°C is worth EUR€250,000 per year with production at 2 million tons per year. (Note: the calculation of savings was made when the price of energy was EUR€80/MWh.)?

KEY TAKEAWAY:?Two main obstacles stand in the way of a successful insulation trial — estimating the potential savings to get the trial approved and calculating the real savings during the trial. Understanding this and helping the customer to overcome those two hurdles leads to a successful trial. Customer collaboration was a key to their satisfaction. Pyrotek is a trusted advisor and solution provider, not just a product supplier.

USA Plant Recruitment Videos Earn Telly Award

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 13:22:00 -0700

The USA manufacturing plant videos, produced last year by Pyrotek Global Marketing to support critical ongoing recruitment efforts and promote the facilities more broadly, are the recipient of a 2022 Telly Award. The Telly Awards honor the best work created within television and across video, for all screens.

2022 Telly Award

According to the Telly Awards website, "Receiving over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents, Telly Award winners represent work from some of the most respected advertising agencies, television stations, production companies and publishers from around the world."

The plant videos were made at Pyrotek Carlisle, Sanborn, Columbia City, Aurora, Salisbury, and Cortland.

Scott Gill, Pyrotek Director of Operations - Manufacturing, says, "The videos have been a great tool to help drive recruitment in each of our plant locations. This tool also enables our communities to get to know Pyrotek for future resource growth."???????

Whitney Boyd, Pyrotek Senior HR Business Partner, says, "We love the insight and realistic job preview that the videos give our candidates. Also, we love that it showcases all our fantastic team members and their efforts at the plants."

Pyrotek Receives Contractor Award from Constellium Muscle Shoals

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 09:30:00 -0700

Last month, Constellium Muscle Shoals'?aluminium manufacturing operation in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USA, presented Pyrotek with a "Contractor of the Year Award," following molten metal furnace refractory relining and maintenance work. Since 2015, Pyrotek's refractory services team has been providing refractory linings for furnaces, crucibles, and troughs for Constellium Muscle Shoals.

"We have experienced great collaboration with you and your efforts have helped use to be a better operation," says Eric Middendorf, senior commodity manager for Constellium Muscle Shoals. "There has been true transparency and good communication throughout the partnership, and we appreciate you."

On the right, Simon Taberham, Managing Director of the Pyrotek division TAB Refractory.

Simon Taberham, Managing Director of the Pyrotek division TAB Refractory, was presented with the award. Pyrotek was chosen because it provides innovative and effective solutions and introduces best practices from within the industry. Pyrotek's efforts have resulted in more production and less downtime.

Taberham's team has relined 18 furnaces at the facility since 2015. Project management was provided by Louis and Paul Taberham and design engineering by Tom Crowther. The relines by Pyrotek have proven to have service lifetimes of 200-300% compared with previous suppliers.

"The customer says we have revolutionized the way they look at their furnace relines and maintenance," Simon Taberham says.

The business Pyrotek won at this facility was taken from a long-standing local contractor that had undertaken the work for the past 20 years and had a base of operations less than a mile from the Constellium plant.

Pyrotek has purchased a 25,000-square-foot facility that is a half mile from Constellium's main gate. The Pyrotek facility is equipped with overhead cranes, bakeout oven, and offices, making it fully capable of undertaking crucible repairs, relines, and manufacturing emergency pre-cast shapes.

Ceramite Dual-Cast Crucibles Offer Maximum Life

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 10:30:00 -0700

At 2.5 tonnes of capacity for molten metal, a Pyrotek Ceramite? Dual-Cast Crucible transfer ladle is the largest in use today at any foundry in Western Europe. It’s currently performing successfully for a premium automotive foundry in Germany.

A Pyrotek Ceramite? Dual-Cast Crucible transfer ladle currently performing successfully for a premium automotive foundry in Germany.

The "Dual-Cast" means the one-piece crucible is comprised of two different materials. The bottom of the crucible is one material for maximum erosion resistance. A second material is used for the walls because of its advanced insulating materials.

"The Ceramite dual-cast refractory solution offers maximum service life—up to two times longer than transfer ladles made with other special refractories, all while keeping metal temperature loss at the minimum," says Saúl Gracia Villacampa, Pyrotek's Foundry Team Leader in Western Europe.

Pyrotek designs and manufactures any shape and capacity to use in existing steel shells. Pyrotek also offers complete relining services from its Archersleben facility in Germany. Old refractory material is removed, repairs are made to the steel shell, and a new lining is installed with advanced insulating materials.

Learn more by visiting Pyrotek at EUROGUSS 2022, the International Trade Fair for Die Casting Technology, Processes, and Products, scheduled for 8-10 June, 2022, in Nürnberg, Germany. Pyrotek will have one of the Dual-Cast Crucibles on display in its booth.

Ceramite Dual-Cast Crucibles for Aluminium Applications

Benefits:

Crucible sides are precast with fused silica-based Ceramite SFR-B refractory. This formulation has good mechanical strength and wear resistance, low thermal conductivity, and low thermal expansion.
Crucible bottom is precast with silicon carbide-based Ceramite CSR-B refractory. Properties include excellent abrasion resistance and high strength.

Baili Bowers - Pyrotek Engineering Internship Success Story

Mon, 30 May 2022 13:47:00 -0700

Congratulations to Baili Bowers for completing her internship with Pyrotek Columbia City. Baili has been diligently working part time for more than a year. She continues to be instrumental to the success of many projects, including new products and process improvements.

Baili Bowers

Baili graduated from college this month with the highest honors as an outstanding graduate in mechanical engineering. She will become a full-time member of the Pyrotek engineering team in early July. The team leaders in Columbia City look forward to having Baili as part of the team and watching her career growth.

Columbia City Operations Manager Richard Hack and Director of Operations Scott Gill say they are proud of Baili’s accomplishments. The internship program for Pyrotek in Columbia City has been a great success. The program gives Pyrotek an advantage in attracting young talent in many different functional areas.

“We plan to expand this into all of our operations,” says Scott Gill.

Blansko Earns Renewable Energy Certificate

Tue, 17 May 2022 10:41:00 -0700

As the European aluminium industry keeps pushing suppliers to be more "green," Pyrotek Blansko is already in a great position to meet targets as leaders there have made sure operations run sustainably using renewable energy sources.

Pyrotek Blansko is now officially "green," recently receiving a "Renewable Energy Certificate" from an important European Union institution.

"Not everyone can get it, as there are limited numbers of green energy sources," says Michal Streck, Managing Director Eastern European Region – Manufacturing for Pyrotek. "It is our intention to secure this type of energy for future years, too."

He says Pyrotek Blansko is seeking to build a solar power plant, which would provide for roughly 20-40 percent of the energy consumption there.

"Pyrotek is a responsible company, and our sustainability policies are not just a formal document - this is the way we live and work," Streck says.

Pyrotek Blansko leaders have long been looking into ways to reduce the environmental footprint of operations. There have been projects focused on emissions reductions, where the results far exceeded government requirements. They also have focused on noise reduction and water consumption.

Anovion Launches as a Leader in the North American Battery Materials Supply Chain Bringing Proven Anode Technologies and Over 140 Years of History in Synthetic Graphite Production

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 15:10:00 -0700

Acquisition of Pyrotek’s Battery Materials Division Now Positions Anovion
with the Largest Commercial Production Capacity for Key Anode Material in the USA
with Expansion Plans to Address the Rapidly Growing Market Needs

Chicago, Illinois?— Anovion launches as a leader in the North American battery materials supply chain through the combination of key assets contributed by affiliates of Amsted Graphite Materials, a world leader in graphite materials science, and the acquisition of Pyrotek's battery materials division, a manufacturer of synthetic graphite anode material critical for lithium-ion batteries. Together, these businesses create a leader in North America's rapidly growing battery materials supply chain and the largest commercially operational production capacity of synthetic graphite anode material in the United States. With over 140 years of combined history in synthetic graphite production, Anovion is well-positioned to serve a growing, diverse set of demanding customers with anode technologies for lithium-ion batteries.

"Synthetic graphite is critical to the USA's migration to an electrified future powered by rechargeable batteries," said Eric Stopka, CEO of Anovion. "But foreign producers, overwhelmingly from China, have controlled the global supply of anode material. Launching Anovion is a huge step toward securing the supply chain of our electrified future in the United States and throughout North America."

Synthetic graphite is the key advanced material in the anode of lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles which are already ubiquitous in consumer electronics, critical defense applications, and stationary storage for electric grids.

"Long-life batteries need high purity, highly consistent anode material that drives strong preference for synthetic graphite," said Ian McCallum, Chief Growth Officer of Anovion, and former VP, Sales & Marketing of Amsted Graphite Materials. "Our integrated, 100 percent domestic supply chain includes USA-sourced raw materials as well as multiple manufacturing operations, research and development hubs, and other office locations throughout the country."

Amsted Graphite Materials is located in Clarksburg, WV. Pyrotek's battery materials division operates at locations outside of Niagara Falls, NY, and in Spokane, WA. Anovion is headquartered in Chicago, IL.

Anovion uses proven, reliable, scalable graphitization technology to ensure a product with high crystallinity and low impurities. Anovion has the largest anode powder graphitization capacity in North America at 5,000 tpa (tonnes per annum) today; a first expansion plant, planned to launch by 2025, will boost capacity up to 50,000 tpa finished product – a critical step in a roadmap targeting 150,000 tpa in capacity or more over the longer term.

"We are excited to join an experienced leader like Amsted Graphite Materials in launching Anovion and in helping to create supply chain security and efficiencies in this rapidly growing market," said Dr. Jeremy Schrooten, Vice President of Technology with Anovion, formerly Pyrotek's Technical Director. "Anovion uses advanced technologies and follows environmentally responsible manufacturing practices that yield high purity and exceptional quality without compromising throughput." Anovion's pilot operations include a proprietary thermal treatment process that brings its direct emissions profile to near zero and uses clean, cost-effective hydroelectric power to achieve its aggressive sustainability targets.

The investor group supporting Anovion's future plans includes affiliates of Amsted Industries and Monomyth Group, both headquartered in Chicago, IL.

About Anovion

Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Anovion is an advanced materials technology company with North America's first commercially operational capacity dedicated to synthetic graphite anode material. Bringing over 140 years of history to the production of synthetic graphite, Anovion is already a leader in lithium-ion graphite anode battery materials innovation and manufacturing, with domestic commercial production and shipments to North American customers. Anovion has continually expanded its portfolio of high-performing anode material designed to suit a wide range of demanding lithium-ion battery applications. Anovion products are already qualified and in scaling production with customers in key markets like commercial electric vehicles, aerospace and defense, and are undergoing qualification testing with leading automotive electric vehicle OEMs and suppliers, among many others. For more information, visit www.anovion-anode.com.

Media Contact: Julie Baron
+1 (847) 525-3043 |?PR@anovion-anode.com

Pyrotek Delivers Experienced Furnace Cleaning Services

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 15:18:47 -0800

Regularly cleaning furnaces can significantly contribute to better metal quality.

Pyrotek, with decades of experience in the aluminum industry, safely cleans furnaces and associated launders, removing dross, corundum, and oxides by utilizing specialized tools, fluxes, and inert gas when necessary.

"We have found that there are Pyrotek customers having a hard time finding workers to perform this important work," says Dave Schlicht, a business manager for Pyrotek. "Pyrotek has an experienced team that knows their way around molten aluminum and these important pieces of capital equipment."

"We partner directly with Pyrotek to keep our furnaces clean," says Trevor Schwartz, Support Services Manager at Mercury Marine's?large die casting facility in Wisconsin.

"Pyrotek’s service is critical to helping Mercury Marine maintain high-quality metal and efficient and productive operations," Schwartz says. "All this allows us to deliver the highest quality product to our boating customers."

Pyrotek furnace cleaning crew members at a customer plant.

Pyrotek provides this furnace cleaning service to foundries and aluminum operations throughout North America, Schlicht says.

"Typically, these customers have multiple furnaces, and they lack the workforce resources to regularly keep their furnaces clean," he says. "This unfortunately leads to decreased furnace lining life, reduced furnace efficiency, and poor metal quality."

Pyrotek cleans all types of gas or electric melting and holding furnaces, launders, and degassing boxes. Any foundry or aluminum operation looking to schedule a cleaning can contact a local Pyrotek sales engineer or contact Dave Schlicht at davsch@pyrotek.com.

Pyrotek Ceramite? Floor Tiles Withstand Extreme Environments, Ideal for High-Wear Areas

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 11:32:18 -0800

Eliminate?Concerns About Flooring

Pyrotek’s Ceramite? floor tiles can eliminate costly interruptions in facility operations. The strong, abrasion-resistant floor tiles are made with the refractory material Ceramite BKR, which is based on bauxite.

Ceramite has extreme abrasion resistance, low porosity, high "hot strength" and "cold strength," and great compression strength. So, floor tiles made with the technology are a more durable alternative to concrete, steel plates, bricks, conventional castables, and other industrial floor materials.

Ceramite benefits from a filler material that improves the flowability when it’s being cast, requiring less water in the process. The result is fewer voids and a denser end product.?The smooth, low-porosity surface of Ceramite floor tiles outperform competitors’ products, which often pit and become more vulnerable to wear from contact with molten metal and high mechanical abuse.

It gets added strength from the filler material, which is not inert but creates chemical bond, adding to Ceramite’s strength.?The floor tiles have proven to last for decades. Some, installed 30 years ago, remain in place.

"They last long enough that you will have forgotten the date of installation," says Uli Auer, Pyrotek's Ceramite Sales Manager in Europe.

Ceramite floor tiles can be installed in areas where molten metal splashes, such as around furnaces. They also provide protection in areas where vehicles wear away the surface transporting equipment and heavy loads.

Pyrotek can install the tiles, making sure the floor underneath is properly prepped. Pyrotek offers a range of standard sizes, but it can make customized tiles as needed. It also can offer global on-site service.

Contact Uli Auer at uliaue@pyrotek.com?for more information.

Pyrotek Transfer Line is Ideal Customized Solution for Foundry in Spain – And Right on Time in Urgent Situation During Holiday Production Shutdown

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 12:02:23 -0700

Summary

Pyrotek delivered and installed a 19.5-meter (64-foot) transfer line (launder) with infrared heating lids at CIE C. Vilanova, a high-pressure die casting plant in Barcelona, Spain. A previously installed transfer line provided by another vendor was leading to freezing aluminium, metal overflows, and unsafe conditions.

Pyrotek’s winning engineered solution saves CIE C. Vilanova money because of reduced downtime and increased energy efficiency. Pyrotek also eliminated the use of unsafe burners that were used on the existing transfer line, greatly increasing operational safety.

Pyrotek Highlights

Delivered rapid, safe installation during scheduled Christmas holiday production shutdown
Provided on-site engineering, analyzed the problem and provided a lasting solution
The Pyrotek transfer line (launder) technology reduced metal oxidation and generated energy savings
Stayed on the project until all challenges were overcome to customer’s complete satisfaction

Case Study

Last year, CIE C. Vilanova, which is part of the CIE Automotive Group, had a new melting furnace installed at Vilanova i la Geltrú (near Barcelona, Spain), where the company performs high-pressure aluminium injection and gravity die casting.

Shortly after the furnace was in use, however, they experienced major problems with metal freezing and metal overflows along the connected transfer line that had been installed by the furnace supplier.

The critical transfer line moves metal around the clock, Monday through Saturday, with maximum flow rates of 5 tonnes per hour, sometimes with very low temperatures, 630-640°C (1166-1184°F).

Pyrotek Sales Engineer David Tello Lorente and members of a Pyrotek engineering and service team perform the install during the Christmas holiday production shutdown at CIE C. Vilanova.

The low flow rates and low temperatures, combined with the transfer line’s lack of insulation and some dimensional problems, were resulting in metal freezing inside the line—even with the use of burners all around the line. The use of burners wasn’t desirable, either, because of the associated dangers.

The customer quickly contacted David Tello Lorente, the Pyrotek sales engineer for this account, needing a solution urgently. Pyrotek was already a trusted partner of CIE C. Vilanova’s, suppling: aluminium filters, reinforced fiberglass material (RFM?) ladles and launders, fluxes, graphite shafts and rotors, degassing units, hydraulic transport crucibles, gas preheating equipment, and more.

In less than two weeks after being contacted in this case, Pyrotek had already met a couple times with CIE C. Vilanova representatives.

"We worked very fast to be able to install the line over the Christmas holiday," says Saul Gracia Villacampa, Pyrotek’s Foundry Manager in Western Europe.

Members of Pyrotek’s engineering center in Blansko, Czech Republic, set to work fast and found a solution. Pyrotek decided to adjust the transfer line profile, add high-quality insulation, and cover most of the line with infrared heating lids. The line was given 16 infrared lids with eight different heating zones to set different temperatures, with a maximum temperature of 860°C (1580°F).

"Blansko made the effort to accelerate all the production lead times to supply the line before Christmas" during the scheduled holiday production shutdown, Gracia Villacampa says. "That would be the only stoppage until summer, so it was critical to get the job done in December."

The transfer line arrived at CIE C. Vilanova’s plant three days before Christmas, and commissioning was completed during the final days of 2020 and first days of 2021.

Success

The infrared panels didn’t overheat the metal in the transfer system, unlike the burners. That improvement has significantly reduced metal oxidation. The elimination of burners will also increase the service life of the refractory in the transfer system.

Significantly, CIE C. Vilanova continues to see the benefits of reduced energy consumption. The average energy consumption of the transfer system is 20 kilowatts per hour.

Newly installed technology like this can require fine tuning and adjustments to get everything exactly right. Pyrotek made sure that work was done.

"We always stay and work with the customer to make sure any challenges are overcome, and their goals are met," Gracia Villacampa says.

Automotive Assembly Plant in Mexico Selects Pyrotek’s Rigid Glasweve? Filters as Standard Filter for Casting Cylinder Heads

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 16:04:00 -0700

The aluminium foundry at a major automotive operation in Mexico is now using?Rigid Glasweve? (RGW) filters as part of its cylinder head casting process, finding after a large-scale trial that RGW reduced scrap compared with the use of ceramic foam filters (CFF).

Rigid Glasweve Filters for sand casting, permanent mould casting and semi-permanent mould casting.

Scrap reduction was the key reason the company switched from CFF to RGW filters. The cylinder head casting scrap reduction was a result of improving their metal pouring, which was only possible with RGW filters. Pyrotek’s Metallurgical Services Group at Milton Keynes, U.K., analyzed specific defects in the castings that the foundry was targeting to improve.?

This Pyrotek customer also appreciated the part-cost savings and the improved melting they achieved with RGW. They are now estimated to save USD$70,000 per year after switching to RGW. As more positive data comes in, it is anticipated these savings would go even higher.?

Contact your local Pyrotek Sales Engineer for more information about this new filter technology and other Pyrotek Foundry innovations. Reach a Pyrotek representative anywhere HERE.

Rigid Glasweve? Filters for Permanent Mould, Sand-Casting Improvement

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0700

Foundries are finding they can save an average of 15 percent per filter when switching from a ceramic foam option to Pyrotek's innovative new filter design used in permanent mould and sand-casting processes.

Importantly, they don't sacrifice casting quality when they make the switch. In fact, casting quality can improve.

Aluminium foundries around the world have long trusted Pyrotek to develop innovative ways to improve their melting and casting processes and overall operational efficiency. For foundries that perform permanent mould casting and sand-casting processes today, the latest innovation from Pyrotek is the new patented?Rigid Glasweve? (RGW) filtering technology.

"While ceramic foam filters (CFF) have been a traditional filtration solution for sand and permanent mold casters, there are many difficulties associated with the product," says Jay Fritzke, Foundry Technical Manager for Pyrotek. "Problems like ceramic inclusions in the melt, CFF sticking to degassing rotors, furnace side walls, and floors, and reduced metal value for recycling can all be avoided with Rigid Glasweve."

RGW—for permanent mould casting and sand-casting processes—eliminates the difficulties foundries find with remelting gating, scrap from too much flow variation, the costs of separating filter pockets from gating, and eliminating ceramic inclusions from CFF snow from entering the casting. All are significant challenges presented by CFF. Pyrotek's RGW was engineered to address these challenges, along with others.

Remelt Gating Problem Free

Remelting gating efficiently within an existing recycle stream can save casting operations tens of thousands of dollars, and possibly more. Additionally, while several steps are required to remelt CFF gating, gating with RGW, by contrast, can simply be charged into the furnace without contaminating the metal.

RGW filters are less dense than molten aluminium, so they float to the top of the melt during remelting and don’t stick to the furnace walls or degassing rotors. They can be easily skimmed off the top of the melt with the dross.

"Our goal is to maximize our customers’ metal quality and improve their process," says Fritzke. "RGW filters simplify the remelting process."

Eliminate Snow, Reduce Scrap

RGW doesn’t contain any ceramic components, which break off of CFF filters and cause ceramic inclusions, also known as "snow," to enter the casting. In machined castings, Pyrotek has found ceramic snow from CFF filters has resulted in foundries needing to scrap up to 0.7 percent of their castings.

Better Reliability and Repeatability

RGW eliminates the flow-rate variability that CFF can generate that leads to the production of mis-run and cold-shut casting scrap.

"Pouring time standard deviation can be reduced by up to 75 percent," says Fritzke. "This is giving our customers a much more consistent, reliable flow rate."

Along with greater pouring consistency, RGW can match current pouring flow rates foundries use with CFF.

Other process benefits foundries are seeing by replacing CFF with RGW include:

Far less floor space for storage - 1 pallet RGW versus 8 pallets CFF
Better filter fit and less metal bypass
Global expertise and technical support, including metal-quality testing
Proactive support including local sales engineer, stocking and services?

"We set out to develop for our customers a filter technology that would perfectly fit our customers' existing mould equipment, match their desired flow characteristics, and have automated placement capability, all while solving the process issues associated with CFF," says Andrew Carlson, Pyrotek Product Manager. "It's great to see aluminium foundries around the world benefitting from this innovative Pyrotek-invented product."

CASE STUDY: Cable Casting Operation Turns to Pyrotek Experts For Advanced Molten Copper Transfer Solution

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 12:33:50 -0800

No matter where metal casters are around the world, they face the same types of challenges every day. Those challenges include needing to reduce the labor-intensive work and cost of maintenance, finding ways to improve the metal quality of their products, and optimizing production by minimizing scrap.

For a rod and cable casting operation in Greece, those challenges existed for both its aluminium and copper production operations. To stay competitive in their markets, plant operators were looking for ways, both large and small, to overcome those challenges.

Pyrotek has supported the company for years as a supplier of consumables. Pyrotek has supplied products like ceramic foam filters (CFF), fluxes, thermocouples and protection tubes, reinforced fiberglass materials (RFM?), coatings, and pre-cast refractory shapes.

Through its service to the company, Pyrotek learned they were not getting the service life they needed from a transfer launder?—?supplied by a different vendor?— that ran between their melting furnace and holding furnace inside their copper casting plant.

?

"Due to the high service temperatures and heavy flames above this launder, the lifespan of the castable launder was one month on average," says Serkan Bozkus, Pyrotek’s Continuous Casting Market Manager, based in Istanbul, Turkey. "The company was already utilizing Pyrotek precast shapes in the aluminium plant successfully, so they were eager to discuss this copper plant issue with us and trust our technical experience."

First Step: Learn and Gather Information

Transfer launder at plant.

With the plant’s foundry technical team, Bozkus discussed what materials were being used for that launder, how those refractories were performing, and what specific issues they were having to address each month. He knew that fully understanding the processes and challenges would be key to finding the right solution. Bozkus didn’t want to find any solution, he wanted the exact right solution.

Bozkus found that the launder was handling temperatures around 1120° Celsius. He identified the exact copper alloy. He learned the casting schedule. Finally, he reached a full understanding of the underperforming material currently in use.

The poorly performing refractory was driving up labor maintenance costs. It reduced metal quality due to the refractory wear. Scrap was increasing because of the impurities. Knowing all this, Bozkus needed to work fast and get this right.

Solution

With that investigation complete, Bozkus turned to Pyrotek’s Uli Auer, an expert in Pyrotek’s advanced refractory material Ceramite?. Auer identified Ceramite CSA as a material with a high potential to offer extended service life in this molten copper environment. A trial with Ceramite CSA was undertaken at the copper plant, and the results showed this Pyrotek solution doubled the service life of the transfer launder—from one month on average to 10 weeks.

KEY TAKEAWAY: As a result of this longer lasting transfer launder, the copper caster is now in a position where maintenance has decreased and metal cleanliness has improved, delivering measurable savings.

"Having a global team of product and material specialists who help make sure our customers’ challenges are always resolved with exactly the right solutions is a real differentiator for Pyrotek," Bozkus says. "Calling on that experience and working with a company like this, with a team of its own that's eager to make use of the best new products and materials in the industry, allowed Pyrotek to help solve this problem."

CASE STUDY: Aluminium Plant Improves Potroom Crucible Lining Service Life by Five Times

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 16:19:00 -0800

A large aluminium producing plant in Turkey has found that choosing a Ceramite? refractory lining for its crucibles increased the service life of the linings by five times - and resulted in easier and reduced maintenance, along with increased efficiency and more production time.

At Eti Aluminium A.S.’s Seydi?ehir Plant, where it extracts aluminium from bauxite ore, it was experiencing continual mechanical and wear problems with the linings of its 8-tonne crucibles in the electrolysis department.

Eti needed a much stronger, longer-lasting refractory lining for these crucibles.

When they turned to Pyrotek, the state of Eti’s crucibles was very poor. The linings were crumbling. Pyrotek sales engineers, evaluating the situation, shared details about the possibilities of Ceramite.

They recognized that a very high-quality lining for Eti’s crucibles was needed for efficiency and service life and reduced maintenance.

Pyrotek had already been a long-time supplier to the aluminium plant, providing high-quality consumables for casting lines and the electrolysis department.

"Our relationship with Eti has been more like a partnership than a supplier," says Tunc Yuksel, a Pyrotek Sales Engineer who works with Eti. "We are always welcome in their plant and spend a lot of time with different departments."

This strong relationship helped the Pyrotek team members gather the information they needed from Eti to deliver the best solution for the crucible linings. (Eti was using nine different crucibles in the electrolysis department.)

The low-quality linings from a local supplier were lasting only 3-4 months. Those low-cost, low-quality linings lead to more work stoppages for maintenance, which was very challenging because the linings would crumble during the cleaning processes. Eti couldn’t afford so many costly production interruptions for this maintenance.

"I explained the price-to-performance ratio advantages of Ceramite, and that they will pay less over time and gain more production time by using this very advanced material," Yuksel says.

Pyrotek sales engineers could see the molten aluminium was coming from the electrolysis cells very aggressively. So the strength of Ceramite was clearly the solution.

Ceramite Crucible Lining

Solution

The crucible liners needed to be cast in place, so Protek started its trial with Eti using bagged Ceramite.

Bagged Ceramite BCR-SB for in-situ casting

Pyrotek’s trial started in January 2019, with one of the nine crucibles. The first crucible lined with Ceramite is still working today, two years later, with no cracks or wear on the surface. The expected service lifetime is now two years for the crucible lining walls and bottom.

"Eti was very happy with the performance and satisfied with the mechanical properties," Yuksel says. "The metal was not sticking to the surface compared with other linings they have tried, including brick and other refractories."

Eti reported that cleaning the crucible was also very simple with the Ceramite lining.

The result of the trial was that Eti opted to have Pyrotek’s Ceramite used for all nine crucibles.

KEY TAKEAWAY: Aluminium plant operators globally who are struggling with low-cost and poor-performing crucible linings spend a lot of time on maintenance and experience lost production. By using a liner made of Pyrotek’s Ceramite refractory they can be their most efficient, productive and competitive.

Rigid Glasweve Replaces CFF as a Production Filter at Major Automotive Caster in Spain

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 10:09:00 -0800

Rigid Glasweve? (RGW) filters?have been chosen as the preferred filter for the sand casting process at a?major automotive parts caster?in Spain, Saint Jean Industries – Valladolid (SJI).

The Saint Jean Industries – Valladolid (SJI) factory.

In addition to low-pressure casting applications,?RGW filter technology is also used in sand-casting, permanent mould casting, and semi-permanent casting applications to capture impurities in molten metal and regulate metal flow rates, directly replacing traditional ceramic foam filters (CFF).

An RGW filter in the mould prior to casting. The RGW filter was placed using SJI's automatic placement designed for CFF filters.

RGW generates the same quality castings as CFF, but at a lower cost per filter. It also delivers a number of meaningful process benefits.

SJI, which had been using CFF, made the switch primarily because of part-cost savings. Another factor was improved metal flow, which reduces the cost of operations for them by extending pump life.?All of this was provided while maintaining the quality of SJI’s castings.

For Pyrotek, obtaining this business with SJI means adding another reference to a growing list of users of RGW for SPM. SJI is an automotive caster making more than a million castings per year.?For any questions about Rigid Glasweve for Sand casting, Permanent Mould casting and Semi permanent mould castings, contact your local Pyrotek Sales Engineer.

www.98kb.net??

EnerSys and Pyrotek Team Up to Compete in AFWERX Energy Showcase

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 10:20:00 -0800

Pyrotek and EnerSys are combining decades of technical experience and U.S.A.-manufacturing capabilities to provide an advanced, high-energy, zero-volt capable, lithium-ion battery system to meet the demands of U.S. space resiliency and deliver top performance in the space warfighting domain.

AFWERX, the catalyst for fostering innovation within the U.S. Air Force, recently announced that Pyrotek and EnerSys combined to form one of the teams selected to compete in the AFWERX Challenge, which is centered around six topics. One of those topics is Fixed and Mobile Energy Generation. The proposals selected to advance represent innovative solutions for more effective warfighting and humanitarian missions that are less reliant on fossil fuels.

EnerSys and Pyrotek are competing in the Fixed and Mobile Energy Generation part of the AFWERX Challenge alongside a diverse group of teams from North America, Europe, Australia and other allied countries.

The EnerSys-Pyrotek high-energy zero-volt technology solves several critical battery issues for national secure space.

? Enables full, on-board computer power reset to recover from in-orbit cyber-attacks
? Yields increased usable energy for enhanced payload capability and mission flexibility
? Provides recovery from dead-bus failures without mission degradation
? Advances high-energy chemistry results in lower mass and volume battery systems
? Allows in-orbit satellite hibernation and facilitates in-orbit servicing of external power equipment

"EnerSys is excited to partner with Pyrotek on the development and production of advanced lithium-ion chemistries to provide beyond state-of-practice zero-volt battery systems to meet the demanding needs of performance and resiliency in today’s, and tomorrow’s, space warfighting domain," says Mark Matthews, EnerSys Sr. Vice President.

"This is an exciting collaboration with EnerSys, because it combines the industry-leading technologies of our two companies to meet the demanding energy storage requirements of the U.S. Space Force," says Bruce Gallaher, Pyrotek General Manager – Energy Group. "Together, we are developing and manufacturing the world’s most powerful and resilient battery systems right here in America."

Aerospace, defense and security technology leader Lockheed Martin Corp. is currently investing in a battery design that incorporates the zero-volt technology for a baseline battery design for future military satellite programs.

The combined EnerSys-Pyrotek product will be made in the United States with all domestic-sourced materials, material processing, battery manufacturing and battery assembly. The production methods will meet or exceed strict domestic environmental standards, and the production will be in part powered by green energy.

ABOUT EnerSys
EnerSys makes batteries, chargers, and related accessories, along with power equipment and outdoor equipment enclosures for customers globally. It’s a US-based company, with multiple US manufacturing centers. It serves telecommunications and utilities, transportation, defense, aerospace, and space exploration. Known for mission-critical stored energy solutions, EnerSys is already supplying the power for the US space program to Mars, asteroids, and deep space planets. It regularly works with companies like Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin.

ABOUT Pyrotek - Battery Materials
Pyrotek is a maker of high-performance, low-cost graphite material for lithium-ion batteries. The material delivers high cell capacity and extended service life. Pyrotek has supplied graphite to the lithium-ion battery industry for more than 25 years. Its clean, low-cost production in the USA relies entirely on low-cost hydroelectric power with almost no emissions for production. Pyrotek has been around for 60 years, and is trusted in high-temperature material development around the world.

Media Contacts:
Bruce Gallaher, Pyrotek – brugal@pyrotek.com
Joseph Troutman, EnerSys – joseph.troutman@eas.enersys.com

AFWERX Media Contacts:
support@afwerxchallenge.com
marketing@afwerx.af.mil

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Pyrotek’s Machined Graphite Parts for Float Glass

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 10:54:00 -0800

Pyrotek machined graphite parts for float glass.

Pyrotek is known internationally for its high-quality precision machined graphite parts for float glass operations. These graphite parts are relied upon to make the highest quality architectural and automotive glass products.

“Pyrotek understands the float glass manufacturing process and tin bath requirements because we’ve been in the glass industry for decades,” says Tim March, Pyrotek’s Global Flat Glass Sales Manager. “We work closely as trusted partners with hot-end managers, tin bath supervisors, production managers and others around the world in these great production facilities.”

Pyrotek manufactures precision machined graphite parts from various grades of graphite and can apply oxidation resistant coatings to the parts. Pyrotek often custom machines parts to customer drawings, tolerances and specifications.

Pyrotek graphite parts for float glass operations include, among others:

Lift-Out Roll Carbons	Perimeter Carbons	Carbon Flags	Carbon Fences	Top Roll Seal Carbons
Carbon Boats	Camera Carbons	Paddle Wheel Carbons	Carbon Pushers	Miscellaneous Customer Machined Parts

The advantage of choosing Pyrotek for these critical parts is more than just excellent product quality, competitive pricing, and being able to place orders in a local currency around the world. Pyrotek also supports its customers with an international team of sales engineers dedicated to the glass industry and based in many regions around the world.

Pyrotek has more than 30 years of graphite machining experience, with four graphite machining operations across three continents staffed by highly skilled and experienced manufacturing teams. The machining technology Pyrotek uses makes it possible to manufacture large sizes and complex shapes.

Pyrotek is already registered as a vendor by many large float glass companies.

“We’re a supplier of many of the other products float glass manufacturers need, so it’s convenient to get more of what they need from a single source,” March says.

Pyrotek has always specialized in high-temperature materials and handling molten and hot glass without thermally or physically damaging it. We understand the glass manufacturing process and the associated challenges. Pyrotek’s international team of dedicated sales engineers and customer service representatives provide unparalleled support.

Email Pyrotek Flat Glass Industry Product Manager Douglas Watson at douwat@pyrotek.com.? ?

French Foundry Turns to Pyrotek for Critical Furnace Project Amid Health Crisis

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 16:36:00 -0700

Complete furnace and components

When a major foundry in France, a supplier of cast parts to the country’s automotive manufacturers, needed two dosing furnaces relined, a new control system for the furnaces, and an advanced electrical cabinet, and they needed it all during a pandemic when worker health and safety was on everyone’s mind—they turned to Pyrotek. Pyrotek had long been their trusted partner, supplying equipment technology and reliable, high-performing parts, as well as on-site technical expertise.

“This customer has really come to trust our solutions,” says Michael Machado, the Pyrotek Foundry Sales Engineer who has been working directly with the customer. “Our partnership has always been based on a mutual goal of seeing them develop.”

New control cabinet and panel

In the midst of a pandemic, Pyrotek was there when the work had to be done, he says. Pyrotek made many trips to the customer's facility during the process, but always with safety as the top priority.

“The work was not easy, and deadlines were affected by the Covid-19 crisis,” Machado says. “But it ended with a happy customer that was rapidly back to casting parts faster than they expected.”

Considering the scale and circumstances, Pyrotek commissioned and managed several local subcontractors to perform parts of the project. The total project included:

Safe removal of the furnaces from the customer's facility
Destruction and removal of the old refractory
Sandblasting and painting of the furnace's exterior metal casing
Complete supply of all the furnace spare parts, including dosing tubes, filling cones, filling hoppers, heating elements, thermocouples, thermocouple protection tubes, and more
Refurbishment of hydraulic elements
Supply of complete electrical cabinet
Supply of new dosing furnace control system equipped with a capacitive touchscreen in cooperation with the furnace designer
Delivery and commissioning of the furnaces in their place of work

Furnace being filled

“My direct partner at the plant has been really happy about the quality of our refractory, and he is confident regarding the lifetime of the furnace,” Machado says. “We have updated 20-year-old technology at all levels.”

Pyrotek and the customer are already looking to partner on more technology updates and projects critical to the foundry’s success.

The upcoming projects include relining a melting furnace, and the addition of a Pyrotek advanced degassing system and hydraulic-tilting transport crucible.

Contact Michael Machado at micmac@pyrotek.com.

MEET PYROTEK: Q & A with Ross McGregor, Milton Keynes, U.K.

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 02:33:00 -0700

Ross McGregor, a Metallurgical Services Engineer at Pyrotek’s research and development center in Milton Keynes, U.K., is committed long-term to helping grow and develop Pyrotek’s advanced Metallurgical Services Group (MSG), adding value to the company by helping its customers achieve their goals. In the process of helping customers in industries like aluminium and glass, the group will be helping the environment, too, as it supports critical research on improving refractories.

As a member of the MSG team, McGregor is inspired each day at the R&D center by the opportunity to work on projects touching many different industries and seek to improve the performance of a vast range of products and processes.

Ross McGregor

“A role this varied can lead to transferable ideas and new products that could improve efficiency,” he says. “The role also has the scope to allow myself to develop into a world-leading consultant, providing technical assistance within the aluminium industry.”

Q & A?

As a Metallurgical Services Engineer, what does a regular day look like for you as part of Pyrotek’s Metallurgical Services Group?

McGregor: Everyday is different depending on the progress of a task, and the type of project, product, and industry we are working with. This is what makes the role exciting and challenging. My wife often says that I “troubleshoot aluminium,” and in order to do this we can be conducting trials or testing new products or preparing and analyzing failed components for a root-cause investigation. Many of the tasks have a similar process route: initial observations, micrographic preparation, imaging techniques, and finally report writing. We then internally review our reports as a team before sending them out to customers. We have daily meetings between the team, so we all know the progress of each task and can share ideas with each other.

What is it about the Metallurgical Services Group that drives you daily in the lab?

McGregor: I love to solve puzzles and working in the lab can feel like one huge jigsaw, piecing together all the analysis that we do to create our reports. It’s a fast-paced environment, but the attention to detail is critical. It’s really satisfying when a report can help a customer to locate an issue or help them sell their products.

What types of projects regularly come through the lab? What have you been working on recently?

McGregor: It’s hard to describe a regular project as we service such a variety of different materials, products and industries. I would say that they generally fall into three categories: product development and prove-out a via PoDFA metal cleanliness; root-cause failure analysis; and quality assurance. Recently, I have been working on several tasks, but to name a few: product defects in wine bottle caps and how they relate to metal cleanliness, identification and qualification of a glass industry insert, and PoDFA metal cleanliness assessments.

Pyrotek has hundreds of sales engineers around the world who work closely with customers to increase metal quality and improve their processes. How have Pyrotek customers seen or benefited from the work of our Metallurgical Services Group?

McGregor: MSG operates as a value-added service. We offer our customers, both internal and external, the technical assistance they require to sell. Technical assistance has come in the form of root-cause failure analysis, inclusion identification and elimination, proving out new and improved products, and confirmation of metal cleanliness. The assistance has helped to develop our Rigid Glasweve fibre, non-phosphate filters and a myriad of other components, especially around castable refractories. We aim to improve and develop our Pyrotek product and MSG capabilities to suit our changing customer needs. We do this while looking to deliverer a high-quality and reliable service.

What sets Pyrotek’s services apart from others from other companies?

McGregor: Pyrotek have an MSG facility that has been specifically developed to aid our customers with technical analysis. The equipment is some of the best I have had to work with in my career, and we are flexible in finding the right equipment for the right job. The MSG team has been assembled with a wide range of expertise and is constantly gaining new knowledge. We aim to provide customer-focused, high-quality, useful and timely reports. The MSG team also has access to industry consultants and world experts within the business, so, if we don’t know we can find someone who does. Further to the services we currently provide, we are constantly looking to increase our testing capability, while improving and developing our internal processes based on customer feedback and needs.

How can customers gain access to the services you provide?

McGregor: Simply enquire with your Pyrotek sales engineer. We have a link on our internal systems (soon to be made more accessible) this will raise a request with ourselves. Your sales engineer will also be able to communicate with us prior to this formal request to discuss what testing and facilities are available to best suit your needs. MSG and Pyrotek can also often help you understand what your needs are or where to look—you need only ask.

How did you start at Pyrotek?

McGregor: Finishing my graduate scheme and starting a family, I wanted to find a challenging, long-term career with a good work/life balance. Pyrotek advertised the role of Metallurgical Services Engineer—a role that suited my interests and prior experience with the potential to travel, a need for understanding of processes across multiple industrial sectors, and a bias towards materials and failures. Coming for the interview, I was really impressed by the facilities that have been developed and saw the potential for a long, interesting career in the industry. I joined the team excited to learn, grow, and add value for such a global company.

What was your background before joining Pyrotek?

McGregor: Prior to joining Pyrotek and the MSG team, I finished my Graduate scheme Mercedes AMG HPP where I undertook a variety of roles in manufacturing, design and materials; helping the team to win two F1 Constructor and Driver titles. This came after completing my master’s degree in materials science and engineering at the University of Sheffield, achieving a first class honors. Throughout my degree, I had worked with a variety of materials from nuclear, to glass and aerospace, with my dissertation focusing on FASTforging of Nickel Superalloys. In the summers between semesters, I completed two internships; in paint engineering at Toyota TMMUK, and in brake engineering at Jaguar Land Rover. I have been interested in materials and engineering from a young age, completing several programs from the Engineering Development Trust (Headstart, EES, and a Year-In-Industry at Rolls-Royce PLC). I also received an Arkwright Engineering Scholarship while at school, who I support now as an alumnus.

MEET PYROTEK: Q & A with Gary Bywater, Milton Keynes, U.K.

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 01:58:00 -0700

Gary Bywater, a Senior Metallurgical Services Engineer at Pyrotek’s research and development center in Milton Keynes, U.K., is part scientist and part engineer. On any given day at the R&D center, you could find him in a conversation with Pyrotek colleagues from around the world, discussing and examining a challenge a customer might be facing. And at the center of that conversation and study will likely be a material, and what role it’s playing in the customer’s process.

Gary Bywater

“Soon I’ll be cutting up that material, polishing it, examining it under microscopes, and then I’ll be writing a report about what I found,” says Bywater, who joined Pyrotek’s Metallurgical Services Group (MSG) in February 2018.

Q & A

What is it about the Metallurgical Services Group that drives you daily in the lab?

Bywater: I feel this boils down to problem solving, and that I have always been a practical learner. I have that academic side to me where I am more than happy to hit the books and learn about something; however, knowledge that is not applied in my eyes is moot! So, I certainly love to get my hands on materials, components, products and dive into what went wrong (which is usually the case) or knowing what makes the product good and possibly how to make it better. Oh, and the excellent equipment at the R&D center, a.k.a. great toys, certainly helps.

What types of projects regularly come through the lab? What have you been working on recently?

Bywater: Metal cleanliness, using the PoDFA inclusion measurement method, and defect assessment of a customer’s aluminium process is a common part of the job. We deliver feedback to the customer about how clean their metal is from different points in their casting process by assessing PoDFA samples. When a product has shown reoccurrences of a certain defect, we will then analyze multiple samples supplied by the customer so we can trace it back to its source. It’s also common for our team to be doing failure analysis, and problem investigation. We’re always eager to help find a solution to a particular problem.

Bywater:?This is a topic we want to know more about. We usually receive general feedback with our work, namely if we solved the problem, and moreover how the work was appreciated by the end customer. Overall, we want to be actively involved with seeing the work through for both Pyrotek engineers and the end customers. To do this, we need Pyrotek engineers to help-us-help-them! If you keep us engaged, we will do our utmost to support.

What are some of your long-term goals at Pyrotek?

Bywater: I’d like to get more exposure to the various industries we supply and serve, to those products, and to see MSG become even more of an integral problem solver for Pyrotek. We certainly won’t, and do not, solve problems all by ourselves, we absolutely need to learn from the plethora of knowledge throughout Pyrotek and work with such colleagues. Where I think the MSG team has some excellent capabilities is being able to bring together the materials phenomena (found from analysis) with the knowledge and experience of sales, production, and process engineers.

What sets Pyrotek’s services apart from others from other companies?

Bywater: The majority of customers qualify for free of charge analytical work by the MSG lab. Pyrotek and the MSG lab is totally motivated to solve a customer’s problem and help them run as efficiently as possible. Other labs can be rather expensive for even the simplest analysis. It’s a key support service supplied by Pyrotek to provide our customers with analytical services.

How can customers gain access to the services you provide?

Bywater: Contacting their respective sales engineer is the best route! They are able to quickly raise the topic to us and we immediately go from there.

What was your education and career path prior to arriving at Pyrotek?

Bywater: Education wise, as a young, budding engineer, I started in mechanical engineering at the University of Hull, in East Yorkshire, U.K., which is the city I grew up in (other than 5 years in Taipei, Taiwan, from 5- 10 years old as my mother is Taiwanese). After that I shifted briefly into structural engineering. I was soon fortunate enough (at the University of Sheffield) to get into a course in Advanced Metallic Systems, which involved a nine-month master’s program before undertaking a Ph.D. My Ph.D. was on the development of niobium silicide-based in-situ composites as the potential next-generation high-temperatures alloys, which is a fancy way of saying niobium silicide alloys that turn out to be not very good. I completed that work in 2017. From my Ph.D. experience, I gravitated towards metallurgy and materials science.
While writing up my Ph.D. thesis, in early 2014, I began work at Honda Engineering Europe based in Swindon, U.K. This was a technology research and reporting role that was not as hands-on with experimentation as I had hoped, so after a year I moved over to a metals laboratory at BMW’s Swindon Mini plant as a materials contractor. After 3 years in that lab, and completing my Ph.D. along the way, I finally moved over to Pyrotek’s Metallurgical Services Group in February 2018, which was then transitioning from its former Birmingham, U.K., location to Milton Keynes.

MEET PYROTEK: Q & A with Karlis Zivtins, Milton Keynes, U.K.

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 17:13:00 -0700

Karlis Zivtins, a Metallurgical Services Engineer at Pyrotek’s research and development center in Milton Keynes, U.K., was drawn to service with Pyrotek’s Metallurgical Services Group (MSG) because he saw he would be working in a modern, advanced and dynamic facility that serves customer globally, providing critical metallurgical and materials analysis.

Karlis Zivtins

“From the start, the description made clear that the work would be varied and valuable to a successful, multi-faceted company,” Zivtins says.

Q & A

What was your background before joining Pyrotek?

Zivtins: Prior to Pyrotek I was a laboratory technician with the global testing company, Intertek, working as an embedded contractor at the Rolls-Royce aerospace facilities in Bristol and the Isle of Wight. My work involved the analysis of jet engine components comprised of a several different materials; nickel super-alloys, titanium, and carbon-fiber. I was also involved in the testing of ceramics that were used in the manufacture of components, and the assessment of thermal barrier coatings, specified to withstand temperatures of up to 1525°Celsius (2,777 °Fahrenheit).

As a Metallurgical Services Engineer, what does a regular day look like for you as part of Pyrotek’s Metallurgical Services Group?

Zivtins: Days in the Metallurgical Services Group usually start with a short meeting with my colleagues, detailing which reports or tasks will be worked on and what objectives we each hope to achieve. These short meetings are an opportunity to pool ideas and share thoughts on how best to approach tasks and reports. Each day can be a varied mix of preparing and analyzing samples, collating data ready for reporting, and reviewing each other’s reports, ready for delivery.

What is it about the Metallurgical Services Group that drives you daily in the lab?

Zivtins: The desire to make clear and concise reports, that enable sales engineers to deliver the answers they need to help solve issues and questions for their customers, driving sales and achieving targets.

What types of projects regularly come through the lab? What have you been working on recently?

Zivtins: With the varied requirements and specifications of customers around the world, it is very rare that any two projects are exactly the same; though often similar strategies can be employed when analyzing or assessing samples or components supplied. Documentation and photography are key through the analysis of any task; ensuring traceability and clear evidence, not just for the report, but if data needs to be revisited in the future. Provided samples usually need to be sectioned into smaller pieces and materialographically prepared, to allow them to fit under the optical microscope, or in the scanning electron microscope (SEM), for high-magnification imaging and elemental analysis. I have recently been involved in reports concerning metal cleanliness through PoDFA analyses; validating the effectiveness of Pyrotek ceramic foam filters (CFFs), and SNIF degassers. Other reports I have been involved with included the analysis of undesirable non-metallic inclusions in both metallic and ceramic components, identifying their composition, so as to direct an investigation to their origin.

Zivtins: The MSG specializes in metal cleanliness assessment, samples taken and analyzed by PoDFA before or after certain steps in a customer’s processes can give a clear indication of the effectiveness of Pyrotek’s products: CFFs, SNIFs etc. Metal cleanliness data can show not just the level of inclusions (in mm2/kg), but their composition too, potentially indicating whether refractory components earlier in the process might be corroding away, molten metal being held at too high temperatures is generating spinels, or an excess of grain refiner being added; all of which may cause undesirable inclusions in finished products. Analysis and identification of inclusions found in finished components is also a service that we can provide, something as small as 2 millimetres can mar the appearance of a cast aluminium wheel from 2 metres away. Being able to characterize the elemental composition of such inclusions is the first step towards identifying their potential source, and rectifying it with a customer, whether it’s from corroding refractories or contaminated raw materials. My colleagues have also undertaken extensive root-cause-analysis investigations, delving more in-depth into the potential causes of early component failure in service, across a variety of materials and industries, making recommendations for material and mechanical improvements.

What are some of your long-term goals at Pyrotek?

Zivtins: My key long term goal at Pyrotek over the next year is to complete a research project working towards my postgraduate qualification, working closely with the R&D facility to investigate novel methods of joining dissimilar ceramics, to maximize relevant properties in the right areas of a larger component. Further in the future, I hope to write papers for internal distribution, detailing some of the investigations we have carried out, and the solutions we have found with sales engineers around the world.

What sets Pyrotek’s services apart from others from other companies?

Zivtins: Having worked at and seen several labs and facilities in different industries, I can safely say that Pyrotek’s facilities and equipment at the R&D center in Milton Keynes are really world class. The sample preparation and analysis equipment were carefully chosen in consultation with my colleagues and I; based on our combined experiences and perceived value to performance, and not just based on the cheapest available. The brand new preparation and analysis equipment, acquired around the time I started at Pyrotek a couple of years ago, has enabled a high degree of automation to our processes, with the potential of reducing turnaround times for requests. Given that we are a dedicated lab for the use by Pyrotek, and for the benefit of its customers, ensures that we can dedicate as much time as necessary to researching tasks that come to us, and finding the most effective answers.

How can customers gain access to the services you provide?

Zivtins: Requests for analysis can be raised by sales engineers via a link on the SharePoint homepage (soon to be implemented I believe), or the MSG team can be emailed to discuss what facilities for testing are available, or what the best course of action for an investigation might be; for example what size, shape, and quantity of samples should be provided.

The Pyrotek Flat Flame Burner – Precise, Efficient, Uniform Priming of CFFs and Filter Boxes

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 15:29:00 -0700

Pyrotek Flat Flame Burner

The Pyrotek Flat Flame Burner modernizes an existing and critical technology used in the aluminium industry that plants rely on to preheat ceramic foam filters (CFF) and filter boxes safely and quickly, maximizing user output and protecting refractory life and improving performance.

“The Flat Flame Burner is a lightweight burner that achieves the wide distribution of hot air that is critical for a fast, homogenous heating pattern,” says Ale? Bláha, Project Manager at Pyrotek’s Blansko Engineering Center. “Along with the exceptional heating performance, testing has proven the burner is capable of preheating the largest, most-dense CFFs, even in a dual-staged design where one filter is above another.”

The swirling flame doesn’t touch the refractory lining, which helps maximize refractory life. The burner mounts to a filter box lid, and, importantly, an existing filter box can be retrofitted with one. The burner technology is controlled by a sophisticated combustion monitoring system.

Because safety is always the primary concern, Pyrotek made sure the burner meets all required safety standards.

Technical Data

Burner Power Rate Range – 30-80 kilowatts
Fuel – Natural Gas or Propane, Compressed Air (or Blower)
Suitable CFF sizes – 17 inches to 26 inches
Power Control – Two Stage / Lever Power Regulation – Low Fire and High Fire
Temperature Output – 600-900o Celsius (1112o-1652o Fahrenheit)
Preheating Time – 20-45 minutes (Depending on CFF Size, Grade, and Number)

Pyrotek Filter Box System

“The Pyrotek Flat Flame Burners have also proven to be successful in preheating complex filter-box chambers,” Bláha says. “They’re robust, compact, and a simple tool that works fast and reliably, and we’ve seen that repeatedly in the field.”

The Flat Flame Burner has been used with success in more than 15 filter box units in the past three years, following development by Pyrotek’s Research and Development Center in Milton Keynes, U.K., and the Pyrotek Engineering Centre in Blansko, Czech Republic.

For more information, contact Ale? Bláha at alebla@Pyrotek.com.

Pyrotek Coatings Expert: Right Product and Application Will Protect Your Capital Investments and Improve Your Metal Quality Now

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 13:51:00 -0700

George Stavnes, Pyrotek Global Product Manager and Coatings Expert

Generally speaking, since we’ll break it down more specifically in the following questions and answers, why is it critical for aluminium operations to use high-quality boron nitride (BN) coatings, even during times when value-add casting is reduced?

George Stavnes: The biggest reason to continue using a good coating is to continue to protect your investment – i.e., refractory, launders, etc. Using a protective coating that does not adequately protect your refractory will cost more money in the long run.

A coating increases the life of a substrate, providing a sacrificial and protective barrier. Can you explain how spending money on a coating actually saves you money?

GS: Choosing the correct coating and using it wisely will extend the life of a substrate, and, the better the coating, typically the more casts obtained between recoating activities.

Proper application of high-performance coatings is critical to maximizing performance. What could lead to challenges?

GS: The first is applying the coating too thick, causing it to spall. BN is most effective when applied to a dry film thickness of 50-150 microns. Spray application is the best way to control film thickness, and works great on hot refractory, as well as cold.

The second is the thixotropy or rheology of the coating. These coatings utilize ingredients where their viscosity is dependent on shear rate. Because they are shear-sensitive ingredients, they are pseudoplastic in nature, and their viscosity is dependent on several variables. It is always best to thoroughly mix any coating prior to use, and use wise dilution as a tool in making a customer’s application work best.

What part can protective coatings, like those offered by Pyrotek, play when it comes to aluminium scrap? What’s the potential for money savings related to scrap?

GS: BN is a good choice both before and after filtration. Being chemically inert to molten aluminium and having a lower density than most other coatings (like zirconium silicate, etc.), defects are less likely.

Better metal quality leads to greater product quality. How do coatings improve metal quality?

GS: A perfect example is in the foundry industry where the benefits derived from proper coating selection are:

Control of heat transfer to obtain better directional solidification and ensure that the castings fill properly.
Control of the metal flow to ensure that it reaches all parts of the die at a sufficient temperature to prevent the formation of seams, cold laps, etc.
Easy release, since castings are extracted at just below the solidification temperature, easy release ensures that castings do not come out deformed.
Good surfaces, which reduce finishing costs.
Longer die life, which increases productivity and reduces maintenance.

In aluminium casthouses, the right coating prevents substrate degradation, allows for better flow with less oxide generation, and smooth scull release providing quicker casting turn around.

Maximizing productivity is on everyone’s mind as they try and stay competitive in this business environment. Can you tie productivity to the use of protective coatings? What about profit?

GS: When a customer protects their refractory, they protect their pocketbook via throughput consistency, optimized labor, less refractory capital, less downtime, etc.

All coatings are not created equal. What should someone look for when selecting a coating? What do they need to know when comparing one coating with another?

GS: Percent solids and the type of solids are critical measurements that drive the cost of a coating. Other things to look for:

BN quality used – avoid chalky BN which may indicate poor reaction manufacturing.
Dilution may not always be an economical advantage. Dilution is more of a methodology or tool to reach a desired film finish on the substrate. For example, the higher the dilution, the more wet paint is required to reach a minimal dry film thickness target.

Boron nitride, or just BN, is considered the industry standard best practice globally. What are some key properties that have put it in that position?

GS: As a best practice, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) thermal properties fit most aluminium process conditions and provide the best lubricity and non-wetting properties for those processes. Other best practices and key properties include:

Use temperatures up to 1800° C (3300° F) are possible in inert and reducing atmospheres, up to 1400° C (2550° F) before sublimation in vacuum atmospheres, and approaches 1000° C (1832° F) in oxidizing atmospheres.
Very high thermal conductivity — at room temperature, it is about 0.08 cal/(cm-sec-K), ideal for use in heat sinks and as an additive to increase the thermal conductivity of oils, coolants, potting compounds, friction plates and release agents.
As a ceramic, BN is an excellent low-loss insulator material with dielectric properties superior to those of dense alumina. It has a dielectric constant of about 4 (half that of Al203) and a dielectric strength of nearly 1000 volts per mil, more than two times that of alumina. BN is also transparent to microwave energy.
Completely inorganic and inert, and is totally non-wetted by molten aluminium, magnesium, and their drosses, and offers exceptional non-reaction by most molten metals and slags. It is commonly used as a release agent and as a container material for molten salts, cryolite, aluminium, magnesium, silicon, iron, steels, copper, non-lead glasses, germanium, indium, antimony, tin, cadmium, and metal oxides, as well as many other materials. Also used as braze stop-off and weld spatter release.
Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is hexagonal and platy like graphite and offers similar lubrication, but is usable to much greater temperatures. For this reason, boron nitride is often referred to as “white graphite.” However, unlike graphite, BN maintains lubricity in vacuum atmospheres, making it ideal as a high-temperature lubricant for hot-pressing and isothermal forming of superalloys.

Pyrotek offers BN coatings by ZYP Coatings Inc., of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA.

Pyrotek Works Closely with Cometal Engineering At New Alu Menziken Casthouse in Romania

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 11:41:00 -0700

Alu Menziken Group, based in Switzerland, built a new greenfield production site on 20,000 square meters in Satu Mare, Romania, that includes two extrusion presses and an aluminium casthouse.

The Alu Menziken Group consists of Alu Menziken Extrusion AG, with plants in Reinach and Menziken, Switzerland; as well as Alu Menziken Euromotive GmbH, in Ranshofen, Austria; and Satu Mare (picture), where it created 250 jobs.

Cometal Engineering SPA, based in Montichiari, in the Italian province of Brescia,? is a well-known leader in engineering, manufacturing, and the installation of casthouses and extrusion lines. It was the turnkey supplier of the Alu Menziken casthouse in Romania. Cometal took the lead and supplied the foundry, and the two extrusion lines' complete handling systems, upstream and downstream, one for a 60-meganewton (force) press and a 10-meganewton press.

Inside Alu Menziken's new facility in Satu Mare, Romania.

The casthouse has a capacity of 42,000 metric tons annually, producing 5-inch, 7-inch, 9-inch, and 12-inch diameter billets. The scope of Cometal's supply includes:

85-ton capacity twin-chamber tilting melting furnace with automatic charging machine and automatic skimming machine
32-ton capacity tilting holding furnace
A complete vertical casting machine with casting tables
Related cooling system
Loghead and tails cutting line
Two 45-ton capacity homogenizing furnaces, with one cooling chamber and automatic log stacker

As a partner and supplier, Cometal Engineering recommends the latest and best technology for the aluminium extrusion sector, using its accumulated experience from more than 40 years in the field and continuous investment in research and development in this area. Convinced of Pyrotek's high-performance solutions, Cometal turns to Pyrotek for the best technology in launder systems, filtration, degassing and refining.

"Working closely with the customer has been a key to being a significant partner with Cometal," says Paolo Ottelli, Pyrotek Aluminium Division Sales Manager, Vigevano, Italy. "The strong teamwork inside Pyrotek was key – between Pyrotek Italy, Pyrotek Sweden, Pyrotek Milton Keynes (U.K), the Blansko Engineering Centre, and the SNIF division."

Pyrotek Highlights

Pyrotek Italy will supply approximately 12 metres of interconnecting launders, a 26-inch SIVEX? ceramic foam filter (CFF) box, and a variety of INSURAL? 140 refractory shapes for the billet casting tables, which were engineered by Cometal.

The Pyrotek SNIF division supplied a SNIF SHEER NEO P-80I degassing and refining system. "The immersion-heated SNIF degasser, with the latest SNIF NEO nozzle technology, has been providing efficient and thorough hydrogen removal," says Tim Hennig, SNIF Regional Sales Manager, Elmsford, New York.

The CFF filter box has a precast refractory liner and uses SIVEX CFF. A programmable logic controller (PLC) operates the lids and dams, preheat system, and ensures the requested inclusion removal is successful.

The interconnecting launder system, made with Pyrocast FS73 refractory, uses complex precast sharpes. The special-designed joints eliminate leaking. All the insulating materials are adapted to extreme temperature changes and thermal stresses, in addition to providing non-wetting properties, allowing for easy cleaning by operators. It's the same for the Pyrotek tabletop refractory, which includes precast refractory components that distribute the molten aluminium to mould positions on the billet casting table.

Pyrotek Single-Chamber Underheated Furnace Provides Advanced Technology in Smaller, Compact Size

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 11:30:00 -0700

Underheated furnace after 1-2 years in use

Pyrotek, well known in the aluminium foundry industry for its dual-chamber underheated furnaces, is now providing a smaller, more compact single-chamber version for low-pressure casters who don't have enough floor space to accomodate the dual-chamber version. It is sized to fit underneath a casting station without major changes to the casting machine.

Pyrotek’s innovative underheated furnace technology has proven in hundreds of applications to improve metal quality with fewer inclusions, reduce energy costs, and offer longer service life compared to top-heated furnaces. Pyrotek's advanced designs have also proven in the field they can greatly reduce costly maintenance downtime compared to the older top-heated designs.

“Our single-chamber furnace is smaller than the dual-chamber design, and by fitting under a casting station they don't take up additional floor space,” says Tomá? Mazálek, Foundry Furnaces Project Manager for Pyrotek’s Blansko Engineering Center.

As with the dual-chamber underheated furnace, the single-chamber furnace increases safety for operators due to its lower steel-shell temperatures and reduced maintenance. When used properly, maintenance managers and furnace operators will never need to empty the furnace. This reduces energy consumption and downtime drastically.

“We understand that every hour of downtime on the whole production line equates to thousands of dollars lost,” says Mazálek. “Our furnace technology is designed to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through its entire lifetime. Foundries can see up to a 35-percent reduction in energy consumption.”

Note: Custom maintenance plans are prepared for every customer based on experience and specific needs.

Underheated furnace technology improves metal quality. Top-heated furnaces often overheat the surface of the metal and create oxides, which means higher operating costs. That's why Pyrotek advances underheated technology, fully submerging the heating elements. Pyrotek's design also ensures that the furnace filling happens below the alloy line.

“Our customers are seeing improvements in their metal quality and process efficiency,” says Mazálek. "Along with helping customers reduce their operating costs, our main objective is to help customers get a higher alloy quality with less inclusions and minimum porosity."?

Other features include:

Full furnace customization to match current pressure connections and production cycles
Furnace capacity of 800 kilograms to 1150 kilograms
Pyrotek’s globally recognized drop-in refractory liner
Extra door on the furnace for maintenance
Riser tube, feeder bowl, and other consumables available from Pyrotek

For a more in-depth look at how underheated furnace technology is improving foundry performance, read this article.

Single-chamber underheated furnace drawing

Customers Enhance Their Process Technology with Pyrotek Advanced Control Panels

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 09:10:34 -0700

Pyrotek’s Cortland, New York, USA facility and its panels are UL 508A certified.

Pyrotek is recognized globally as a design-and-build leader of advanced control panels for electric heating systems, gas combustion systems, and other automated control systems. Over the years, Pyrotek has specialized in making control panels for applications such as electric heating furnaces, heated launders, combustion furnaces, combustion preheaters, degassing furnaces, and pneumatic controls.

These include simple relay logic panels for single heater/burner applications to multi-zone, multi-panel systems with PLC (programmable logic controller) and HMI (human machine interface) screens which can interface with customers’ SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) control systems.

“Panels can be built to deliver any data requested,” says Bob Temple, an Electrical Engineer for Pyrotek at its Engineering Services Center in Cortland, New York, USA. “Typical data requested is process temperature, temperature set point, heater power, heater current, and heater voltage.”

Pyrotek control panels can include human machine interface (HMI) screens, helping customers improve their process.

Pyrotek’s control panels meet all the highest compliance standards. They’re inspected by independent laboratories for safety compliance to ensure customers get a safe, high-quality product. Pyrotek’s Cortland, New York, USA facility has a UL 508A certified panel shop.

“Our control panels keep customers safe by being designed and built to be touch-safe,” Temple says. “This means the panels are designed and built to prevent electric shock in the event someone accidentally touches the outer case of the interior panel components.”

Note: Only qualified personnel should ever be accessing the inside of a control panel.

In addition to enhanced safety for customers, Pyrotek control panels help improve production processes.

“Customers will be using more modern equipment and methods for greater efficiency, compared with older technologies and methods,” says Temple.

To learn more, contact Bob Temple at robtem@pyrotek.com.

Full Project Management and Engineering Services with Pyrotek

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:58:00 -0700

Pyrotek Sales and Engineering Services working with a furnace operator at PUNCH Powerglide in France.

As manufacturers have had to reduce the number of in-house technical staff members they employ, they have grown increasingly more reliant on Pyrotek and other vendors for engineering and technical expertise.

For decades, Pyrotek has been delving deep into aluminium operation processes, helping operations achieve the maximum return on their investments. With dedicated engineering groups in North America, Europe, China and Australia, each serves the needs of customers globally, whether they are buying Pyrotek’s manufactured products or not.

The teams, made up of roughly a dozen staff members each, include electrical and mechanical engineers and designers. Some teams have specialists in automotive engineering, machining, tooling, advanced materials, refractories and more.

Pyrotek facility in Blansko, Czech Republic.

“Pyrotek’s engineering team in Blansko, Czech Republic, regularly offers engineering services such as designing, calculations, manufacturing and installation, including commissioning as a whole package,” says Ji?í Ne?as, Production Manager for Pyrotek at Blansko. “This is primarily for launder lines, heated lids, filter boxes, foundry furnaces, degassing units, pre-heating systems, manufacturing of zinc recovery systems—and it’s done in cooperation with Pyrotek specialists for electromagnetic pump systems and others.”

Pyrotek engineering is becoming more skilled and experienced each year and is focusing on more complex systems and solutions. The engineering teams are growing the breadth of their services and field experience to take on new challenges in the future.

“We’re rapidly growing our experience in market segments like foundry furnaces and degassing units, as well as others,” Ne?as says.

Launder line design and manufacturing area at Blansko facility.

Through Pyrotek’s 60-plus years of service in the aluminium industry, its engineering teams have accumulated considerable experience in high-temperature manufacturing environments.

“To provide engineering support, it is first key that we fully understand customer problems,” says Mike Tomassi, Chief Engineer for Pyrotek’s engineering group in Cortland, New York, USA. “This is why it’s critical to go into the plants, observe operations and see each customer’s pain, asking questions along the way until we can fully understand how we can best bring value.”

“Our engineers visit customer plants to determine the needs and problems that can be improved with Pyrotek solutions,” says Samuel Rodriguez, Engineering Coordinator for Pyrotek in Apodaca, Mexico. “We most frequently offer technical support for aluminium, foundry and glass bottle manufacturers.”

Pyrotek Engineering Services routinely provides on-site measurements.

The team in Mexico, like others at Pyrotek, routinely provides on-site measurements to ensure correct design of customer process layouts.

“We participate in customer process and product development, we profile different configurations for thermal insulation solutions, measure temperature throughout a production process to detect heat leaks, hot and cold spots, and analyze temperature homogeneity and record thermal cycles using thermocouples and data loggers,” Rodriguez says.

Pyrotek has helped many customers lower their overall product costs by reducing energy consumption, minimizing melt loss, reducing downtime and optimizing their new or existing thermal systems. That’s just part of Pyrotek engineering centers and sales teams working with aluminium operations to determine the best solutions to meet their needs.

“Our teams are ready to support customers with any challenges, so they can focus on what they’re experts at—processing and casting aluminium,” Tomassi says.

Pyrotek heated launder section.

Improve Glass Tempering Furnace Efficiency with Pyrotek Roller-End Side-Seals

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 08:15:00 -0700

New Pyrotek side seals (lower area). Old side seals (upper area).

Stop losing heat and allowing profits to slip out of the side of your tempering furnace. Regain greater control of temperatures inside your furnace. Pyrotek’s roller-end, side-seal refractory shapes deliver both greater efficiency and control.

Automotive and architectural/residential glass makers can replace their worn out and failing furnace roller-end seals, also known as side-seals, with Pyrotek's advanced material shapes.

"Original equipment side-seals can be easily damaged during regular furnace use and maintenance,” says Doug Watson, Pyrotek’s Flat Glass Industry Product Manager. “Pyrotek side-seals are manufactured out of a more durable material, giving glass makers a reliable, longer-lasting seal.”

High-performing side-seals are critical to having an effective tempering or bending process. They ensure heat from inside the furnace doesn’t escape around the rollers that extend through the furnace walls.

“Glass heating costs are major expenses for our customers,” Watson says. “Our side-seals help furnace operators maintain consistent temperature control and more effectively heat the glass.”

Pyrotek has seal solutions for any seal shape.

“We are constantly innovating new shapes and better designs for our customers,” Watson says. “From design to installation, we collaborate with them in every step of the process to make sure they’re getting the best products for the application.”

Pyrotek has seal solutions for any seal shape. Pyrotek side-seals are primarily made from a dense calcium silicate refractory board material and can also be made from a ceramic fiber board depending on the shape and insulation required.

For more information, contact Doug Watson at douwat@pyrotek.com, or by phone at +1-717-254-1329.

RFM? Ladles Save Foundries from Frequent Changes, Downtime, Metal Sticking

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 10:42:00 -0700

Pyrotek reinforced fiberglass material (RFM) ladles can reduce the frequency of ladle-change stoppages caused by metal sticking and wear.

Pyrotek reinforced fiberglass material (RFM?) ladles are helping foundries around the world cut way down on inclusions flowing into their finished castings, and reducing the frequency of ladle-change stoppages caused by metal sticking and wear.

New Case Study

A global foundry operation in Europe that casts engine blocks and transmissions was relying on cast iron ladles to transport metal in its high-pressure die casting area. The cast iron ladles performed poorly because of the excessive buildup of metal that stuck to them. The stuck metal was far too often breaking off and flowing into castings, and customers were regularly complaining of inclusions in the finished product.

“It’s critical that aluminium doesn’t stick to the bottom or sides of a ladle,” says Nicola Goulbourne, a Pyrotek Sales Engineer. “As the metal is poured out, pieces can break free and enter the shot sleeve and eventually the casting.”

The poor-performing cast iron ladles forced too many work stoppages.

Using cast iron ladles, the foundry had 893 ladle change stoppages annually, each taking 20 minutes to complete and producing three rejected parts per stoppage.

Working with Pyrotek to create a custom-designed RFM ladle, they discovered a large annual savings of more than USD$170,000 by reducing the number of ladle changes to nine per year.

RFM ladles are made of a composite ceramic material that is tough, erosion resistant, and has high-fracture resistance. Lightweight and offering a smooth pour, RFM ladles last many times longer than cast iron ladles.

Ceramite Launders – For Maximized Strength, Service Life, and Performance

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 09:47:00 -0700

Aluminium industry plants around the world have found they can improve their operational efficiency and increase profitability by using launders made with Pyrotek’s advanced strength Ceramite material, which is manufactured in a variety of blends for every specific application.

“Longer service lifetime from your launder means more continuous hours of production,” says Jonathan Levac, a Product Manager for Pyrotek. “The pre-cast shapes used for Ceramite launders ensure there is less downtime compared with cast-in-place launders.”

Pyrotek application engineers evaluate the specific needs of each customer’s processes and make recommendations for a specific Ceramite blend. Each blend is engineered for different applications, but all Ceramite launders are cast with high surface quality to limit sticking of metal and minimize erosion.

Pyrotek solutions include, among others, Ceramite CSA (silicon-carbon based), which offers robust, high-wear resistance and thermal conductivity. It works well for tap-out blocks, high-erosion launder sections, and degassing launders prior to filtration.

“Ceramite CSA is often used in the first couple segments of transfer launder systems, where heavy wear from aluminium contact occurs,” Levac says.

Another top performer for Pyrotek customers is Ceramite SFR/SFW (fused-silica based). It’s often used when higher insulating properties are needed. It should be considered for casting launders and degassing launders that follow filtration.

For high-magnesium alloys, Ceramite SFR-SB and SFR-B should be considered. For high-silicon alloys, Ceramite SFW is often the appropriate blend.

Pyrotek has multiple other blends, too. To find the right one, contact Jonathan Levac at jonlev@pyrotek.com or Uli Auer at uliaue@pyrotek.com.

Note: all blends can be coated to further protect against aluminium erosion and ensure smoother flows and less sticking.?

Ceramite launder after four months of use

Ceramite launder after eleven months of use

Precise, Safe, and Portable Heating with Pyrotek Zen Preheater Systems

Fri, 29 May 2020 08:32:00 -0700

Many aluminium foundries and casthouses around the world rely on Pyrotek’s compact and portable Zen heater units to preheat refractory parts and other operational components. These units are safe and useful for any high-temperature application where preheating is necessary, up to 1,500o Fahrenheit (816o Celsius). They allow operators to avoid contacting the surface of their materials with direct flame.

Zen units provide preheating for troughing systems, caster tips, spouts, pins, tabletops, tundishes (casting tubs), and ceramic foam filter cartridges, among many other components.

Successful Customer Applications

A Pyrotek customer purchased a Zen preheater to bake out its billet casting tables after regular maintenance. The customer reported successful use. Seven years and counting.
A customer used the Zen to preheat caster tips successfully. Three years and counting.
Customer preheated ceramic foam filter (CFF) cartridges successfully. Two years and counting.
Customer opted for the Zen to preheat distribution troughs successfully. Five years and counting.

The Zen system uses electrical heat with forced air pressure for precise distribution of heating. The electrical control system varies depending on the temperature control requirements of operators. The Zen system can be wall-mounted or be cart- or dolly-mounted for portability.

“The Zen offers electrically heated air, rather than combustion,” says Will Hadley, Program Manager and one of Pyrotek’s product experts?for the Zen units. “This offers the benefit of eliminating flame impingement on the refractory or other preheated part.”

The Zen preheater helps plant maintenance teams avoid damaging their refractory and filter parts. The damage from flames can cause premature failure of these parts.

“The Zen delivers much better temperature control and regulation than combustion systems,” says Mike Tomassi, Chief Engineer at Pyrotek's Cortland, New York, USA, facility.?

“There is also no opportunity for gas leaks or other required safety regulations that often come with using combustion systems,” Tomassi says.

Additionally, the Zen uses standard welding outlets for power, so no additional utilities are required.

“The Zen is typically more energy efficient,” Tomassi says. “Pyrotek offers units that operate at different voltages to serve customers globally.”

Zen preheating systems are available in Premium, Standard, and Economy options. Pyrotek engineers can customize the units to fit any customer application.

For more information about these units, contact Will Hadley at wilhad@pyrotek.com or Mike Tomassi at miktom@pyrotek.com.

Demand More from Your Degassing Consumables with RFM? Sleeved Degassing Shafts

Tue, 26 May 2020 15:08:00 -0700

Maximizing the lifetime of graphite degassing consumables is critical to decreasing downtime and improving process efficiencies.

“Foundry managers count on their degassing shafts and rotors to perform at a high level for an extended period of time,” says Nicola Goulbourne, Pyrotek Sales Engineer. “Premature wearing and breakage is just too costly, both due to parts costs and maintenance downtime that’s inflicted.”

Longer-Lasting Rotors

Pyrotek innovations such as enhanced strength graphite rotors and wrapping of these degassing consumables with advanced material developed by Pyrotek showed a high-pressure die caster making automotive castings in Europe that significantly longer service life is possible.

CASE: A major high-pressure die caster in Europe that produces automotive castings was experiencing poor performance from its graphite degassing shafts. Using a continuous degassing method, the shafts were constantly immersed in the aluminium. After only two weeks, the shafts were wearing very thin at the metal line and breaking.

“Increased lifetime on something like a degassing shaft can equate to thousands of dollars saved on downtime and replacement costs,” says Goulbourne.

So, a side-by-side trial was conducted. The current shaft in one degasser. On a second degasser, Pyrotek’s graphite degassing shafts with a reinforced fiberglass material (RFM?) sleeve. Note: Pyrotek uses an in-house developed process that gives its ZX-grade graphite twice the oxidation resistance of standard graphite. Oxidation resistance is increased with the addition of the RFM sleeve, combining for maximum product life.

The results of the trial were conclusive: By using Pyrotek RFM sleeved degassing shafts the company calculated it could reduce the number of degassing shaft and rotor sets needed annually per machine from 12 to 4, a potential annual savings of nearly USD$25,000 for their 9 machines.

PHOTOS: The original degassing shaft after two weeks (left); Pyrotek RFM sleeved degassing shaft after two weeks (right).

? ?

Maximizing Safety and Improving Efficiency with Sow Furnace Technology

Thu, 14 May 2020 11:14:00 -0700

Steve Sames, Sales Engineer

Casthouses in North America are increasing safety and operational efficiency through Pyrotek sow preheater furnace technology.

"We want our customers to have the safest process possible," says Steve Sames, Sales Engineer for Pyrotek and a former Casthouse Manager. "Using the sow preheater removes the possibility of a cold/wet sow going into your furnace."?

Along with a safer operation, casthouse managers are seeing increases in productivity and efficiency. One casthouse manger Pyrotek works with in New York state, USA, saw the most improvement during alloy changes. In a charge of 40,000 pounds (18,000 kilograms) of prime aluminium T-bar or ingot/sow, he saw a reduction of melt times from 7 hours to 4 hours. He also saw an increase in production of 35,000-70,000 pounds (16,000-32,000 kilograms) in the first month of use.

"If I were still a casthouse manager and didn't have a sow preheater, I would get one," says Sames. "It's the piece of mind that your employees are safe that's the most valuable."

Pyrotek sow furnaces are gas-fired and provide uniform preheat temperatures up to 800o-850o Fahrenheit (426o-454o Celsius), with sow capacities reaching up to 40,000 pounds (18,000 kilograms).

Key benefits of our custom sow furnaces include:

Installation and startup support
Remote control capability for opening/closing door
Floor-tile system construction included to support sowloading operations
Door safety locking pin design, with stack-light indications
Custom controls design and manufacture

Controlled air-circulation fans
Burner alarm
Limits-lost alarm
Independent high-temperature limit control

For more information, contact Caleb Pecola, calpec@pyrotek.com; Steve Sames, stesam@pyrotek.com; or Ken Schisler, kenschi@pyrotek.com.

Pyrotek RFM Drain-Out Pump Reduces Pump Times and Maximizes Efficiency

Tue, 12 May 2020 16:45:00 -0700

Pyrotek reinforced fiberglass material (RFM?) drain-out pumps are helping world-class foundries around the world more effectively empty holding and melting furnaces.

“The RFM drain-out pump works well in any application that requires fast, repeated submergence,” says David Schlicht, Pyrotek’s Mechanical Pump Business Unit Manager. “It’s able to operate in temperatures as low as 1200° Fahrenheit (649° Celsius) with no bowl degradation after repeated dunks.”

The RFM drain-out pump has a lightweight and compact design that helps operators transport it from one container to another. The RFM bowls have minimal preheating requirements, allowing for quick placement into the metal. For operator safety, they eliminate the need to tilt or manually empty containers using tapping ports or other means.

“This pump is designed with the safety of its operators in mind,” says Schlicht.

The pump is available in various lengths and motor configurations. For more information, contact David Schlicht, davsch@pyrotek.com, or submit a contact request at pyrotek.com/contact.

Increasing Ladle Efficiency and Service Life Through Proper Preheating Technology

Mon, 04 May 2020 09:37:00 -0700

Mike Tomassi, Chief Engineer

For aluminium foundries globally, Pyrotek’s ladle preheater systems provide safe and easy operation, take up little space, and offer flexibility and customization in design.

Foundries already using the technology have discovered the energy savings and process efficiency created, a reduction in maintenance downtime, and seen the service life of their refractory-lined transfer ladles maximized.

“It’s crucial that our customers get the highest performance from their transfer ladles and have the safest, most efficient process of preheating them,” says Mike Tomassi, Chief Engineer at Pyrotek’s Cortland, New York, USA, facility. “Our transfer ladle preheat systems help operators properly heat their vessels so they can spend more time operating and less time in maintenance.”

Pyrotek ladle preheat system

Safety First

Engineers at Pyrotek first thought of forklift operators, furnace technicians, and foundry maintenance personnel when they designed this system and its advanced, easy-to-use control panel.

Single selector switch for stopping and starting
Single selector switch for raising and lowering combustion lid
Emergency stopping control
Standard alarm lights
Stores automated preheat profiles that launch with a single push button

The system’s burner is contained in an insulated cover, and only turns on when the ladle is in place. The system will automatically shut off if the temperature exceeds a preprogramed setpoint.

“Typically, customers will just use a torch, with no safety features or controls, to preheat vessels,” says Tomassi.

?Note: Pyrotek’s transfer ladle preheater systems meet all North American combustion and electrical codes.

“Typically, customers will just use a torch, with no safety of efficiency controls, to preheat vessels."

Efficiency

The preheat system is designed as a compact, stand-alone station with a small plant-floor footprint, giving plant managers the ability to have multiple stations operating at the same time.

“This creates efficiencies throughout their process, along with better temperature control of metal into the furnaces from the transfer crucibles,” says Tomassi.

The consistent metal temperature provided by the system reduces heat loss during a transfer, increasing energy cost savings.

“In many cases, without preheat stations like Pyrotek’s, furnace temperatures must be raised to account for the ‘cold’ crucible metal that is being poured into them—translating into higher energy costs as well,” says Tomassi.

A ladle preheat system is a stand-alone station with a burner, system control center, and movable heater assembly inside of an insulated cover. The heater and cover assembly is raised and lowered above open ladles. These systems are typically designed for ladle capacities of one-half to two tonnes (1,000 to 4,000 pounds). Gas and electric power options are available, and equipment controls can be customized to customer needs, ranging from advanced temperature control options to manual controls.

Pyrotek's ladle preheat system's advanced, easy-to-use controls.

Benefits:

Uniform preheating
Consistent hold temperatures
Reduction of heat loss during transfers
Ease of operation
Installation, commissioning, field support
Plug-and-play design only requires 120 volts and 5 pounds-per-square-inch of natural gas

CASE STUDY: STAR E3500 Degassing Unit Delivers Stable Metal Density

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 14:33:00 -0700

Pyrotek STAR E3500

Pyrotek’s STAR E3500 degassing unit with Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is helping foundries achieve stable metal density regardless of alloy or input conditions, which is critical to a successful casting process.

The PLC automatically modifies the degassing cycle based on humidity and metal temperature readings to ensure consistent metal density and cleanliness. It also includes a nitrogen or argon gas forming system.

"This technology has proven once again that it is a strong solution for most low-pressure casters," says Saul Gracia Villacampa, Pyrotek’s Foundry Division Manager for Western Europe.

In a test at a premier wheel caster in Western Europe, the degassing unit maintained a consistent metal density during the degassing cycle. The graph below depicts different process variables monitored during the degassing cycle. The metal density (yellow line) remained consistent even while the temperature (red line) varied considerably throughout the cycles.

Metal density (yellow line); temperature (red line)

Optional features include:

Anti-splash shield
Extra flux tank
Transport ladle positioning stand
Wi-Fi module

For more information or to begin a trial, contact your local Pyrotek team, or visit pyrotek.com/contact to submit a request.

Pyrotek Completes New Dubai Manufacturing Plant

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 14:50:58 -0700

Artist rendering of new Dubai manufacturing plant

Pyrotek Inc. has completed construction of a new manufacturing facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to serve and supply the rapidly growing aluminium smelting operations of the region.

The first phase of construction provided 66,000 square feet (6,185 square meters) of floor space. There is enough land at the site, located within the Jebel Ali Free Zone in western Dubai, to allow for an eventual doubling of the plant footprint.

“This plant will grow our footprint in the heart of one of the major global aluminium smelting regions,” says Nigel Clear, Pyrotek’s General Manager in the region.

The new Pyrotek plant will focus on manufacturing several major product lines and provide faster delivery of specific customized products in the region.

“It’s all about improving our service and shortening delivery times—prototyping and then supplying custom products fast,” Clear says.

The plant has 6,185 square meters of floor space, with room to grow.

The site is ideal because of the ease of doing business in the Jebel Ali Free Zone and the convenience of the Jebel Ali Port.

“It is a very central logistics hub for the Middle East,” Clear says. “Many of the vessels and much of the container traffic coming into the Middle East moves through the Jebel Ali Port.”

The plant will have an in-house design and engineering department. That engineering team will be built up and developed with specific training over time.

Pyrotek has been in Dubai for 20 years, and also currently operates a sales and warehousing facility in the Jebel Ali Free Zone that serves the UAE, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and northern Africa. Along with providing products to companies in the aluminium industry, the existing facility supplies glass, steel, and noise control industry customers.

Additionally, in the region, Pyrotek operates plants in Askar and Hidd, in Bahrain; and Al Jubail in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Demand Grows for Pyrotek’s Advanced Filtering Technology

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:54:00 -0700

Customer savings are reaching tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars every six months.

So far in 2020, Pyrotek has added a half-dozen new foundry customers to its growing global list of users relying on its patented Rigid Glasweve? filter technology for low-pressure casting. These customers, who?include wheel and knuckle casters, have joined a dozen others from last year, all of whom have been drawn to the new product's ability to save them money.

Much of these customer savings come from reduced scrap, with some customers seeing reduction rates reaching 2 percent compared with their use of wire mesh filters. Other savings come from in-house remelting of sprue returns, increased productivity because of greater casting process stability, and longer sprue bushing service life. Overall, the savings are reaching tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars every six months.

Rigid Glasweve filter technology for low-pressure casting replaces traditional wire mesh and tin plate steel filters, and provides additional benefits. Rigid Glasweve allows foundries to re-melt their sprue returns in-house without iron contamination or off-gassing. In some cases, they also increase the service life of the sprue bushing, resulting in reduced casting downtime and increased productivity.

Sprue returns for internal re-melt.

Some specific examples of savings:

A low-pressure casting foundry in the USA that produces steering knuckles for major auto manufacturers was able to save more than USD$1 million a year in scrap costs by using Rigid Glasweve filters.
In Europe, Pyrotek helped a global wheel caster find they can save more than USD$500,000 annually by using Rigid Glasweve filters, in cost savings achieved by re-melting their sprue returns internally and productivity increase with top bushing life more than doubled.
With multiple major wheel casters globally, Rigid Glasweve has proven to reduce overall scrap rates by 1-2 percent, which means significant dollar savings because of the high volumes produced annually.

Low-pressure casters around the world, including the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and across the EU—including Germany, France, Poland, and the Czech Republic—have already adopted the technology.

Additionally, customers are seeing improved casting quality through use of the filters.

“Consistent filter quality and fit are critical to our customers’ casting quality,” says Spencer Bishop, Pyrotek Global Product Manager. “Our precise manufacturing techniques ensure their high standards are met.”

Pyrotek uses some of the latest in robotics technology for manufacturing to deliver consistent, precise results to its customers.

Finally, transitioning to the filters has been easy, and doesn’t require process adjustments or equipment modifications.

For more information and to start a trial, contact Pyrotek Global Product Manager Spencer Bishop at spebis@pyrotek.com.

Pyrotek Graphite Shafts and Rotors Add Value

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:47:00 -0700

Standard vs Starburst? rotors

Aluminium degassing systems require durable consumables to help prevent downtime and add value in metal treatment processes in foundries. Pyrotek manufactures and supplies a variety of components for degassing systems, including shafts and rotors.

Pyrotek graphite products for metal degassing are made from ZX-grade graphite, made using an in-house developed process for graphite that gives it twice the oxidation resistance of standard graphite. During the aluminium purifying process, graphite parts from many other suppliers can oxidize too fast and wear out. This leads to frequent replacement of parts, which also means more production downtime and increased labor costs.

Pyrotek shafts and rotors are available in several sizes, shapes, and designs. Pyrotek graphite shafts can be paired with many different rotor types and products. All of these products help improve hydrogen removal and result in minimized turbulence and oxide generation.

Pyrotek’s graphite degassing products not only include shafts and rotors, but also include gaskets, shaft seals, splash guards, and more. For example, Pyrotek shaft seals are thin, round products made of either graphoil or ceramic fiber paper (coated with graphite) and used as sealants between shafts and degassing units.

“We nearly have an engineer in every customer location around the world providing experienced on-site service,” Pyrotek Product Manager Mahmud Elkhoja says. “Along with that expertise, we offer a wide enough range of products and materials to enable us to deliver complete solutions for optimum customer performance and efficiency.”

For more information, contact Mahmud Elkhoja, mahelk@pyrotek.com.

Meet Julie Tapp: Environmental Sustainability

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:35:00 -0700

Julie Tapp, Pyrotek's USA Quality and Safety Environmental Engineer

How did you start at Pyrotek?

I think I was technically hired as an employee around May of 2016, but I’d been working for Pyrotek as a contractor since 2014 to help permit the Aurora (Ohio, USA) facility as it was being built. Officially, I developed and now coordinate Pyrotek’s environmental management system across US sites, guiding regulatory interpretation, implementation, and promoting a sustainable culture.

What do your days look like?

I’m not sure there’s such a thing as an average workday in?this position. I always strive to give people context for?
things I’m asking of them, so there’s a lot of reading and research. Sometimes I’m coordinating vendors or gathering data, others I’m reading new regulations or writing policies. Or designing training programs. Or negotiating permits. Or running site audits. No two days are the same.

What was career background before joining Pyrotek?

Before working for Pyrotek, I worked for Pyrotek. (I came back on a contract at one point before the contract that turned into employment.) And before that I worked for Metaullics, which was bought out by Pyrotek. It’s kind of a theme.

That said, I’ve worked a few other places, most notably with nuclear hazardous waste for the U.S. Energy Corp. and in the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency storm water division. Knowledge of the regulations is obviously important, but intangible skills from those positions—things like empathizing with regulators and understanding the pressures and constraints they’re operating under—are some of my most useful tools.

You visit many of Pyrotek’s facilities in the USA. What has inspired you from what you’ve seen from the managers of these facilities as they work to ensure sustainability in their operations?

Over the past few years, I’ve been continually inspired by the support I receive when I visit each site. Plant managers are going out of their way to listen and engage, to participate in audits and trainings, and to ask questions. I’m seeing more and more people addressing their challenges sustainably and proactively considering long-term effects of their decisions. Each has different challenges. Reusing byproducts. Solvent recycling. Water reclamation. Hazardous waste reduction or elimination. Nothing makes me happier than showing up on a manufacturing site and seeing a new initiative in action.

Is being a “green” company and operating sustainably part of Pyrotek’s culture?

Sustainability is one of Pyrotek’s core values. We’re committed to ethical corporate citizenship to protect people, the environment, the communities where we operate, and the customers we serve.

From equipment rebuilding to metal filtration, multiple Pyrotek product lines offer our customers solutions to encourage sustainable pro-ecological economic development. It’s not just what we do. It’s who we are.?

What would Pyrotek’s customers want to know about how we operate sustainably in our manufacturing operations? How does what we do benefit them?

People who are detail-oriented are detail-oriented. We don’t just examine our process stacks; we also look at the 20-gallon parts washer fluid. We don’t just test our effluent stream; we also evaluate what type of cleaner we put in the floor sweeper. When it comes to sustainability, the devil is always in the details, so each US site has a designated environmental representative who I spend time coordinating with to ensure we’re finding and addressing those details.

How does that translate to our customer? That same level of precision is the goal for every part we design, manufacture, and ship.

There is always room to improve and be more sustainable. Are you able to explain some of the new efforts and strategies Pyrotek is undertaking to be more sustainable?

I’ve incorporated sustainability into ongoing evaluations to ensure US sites are assessing those aforementioned details. Those can include (but are not limited to) utility and carbon information, raw material usage efficiencies, sustainable resource use, environmental impacts from Pyrotek product uses, and waste reduction initiatives.

What are some of your long-term goals at Pyrotek? How will you work with plant managers and others to reach those goals?

We live with the consequences of our actions. My long-term goals include continuing to improve our internal sustainability, proactively adapting to an ever-changing regulatory landscape, and partnering with our customers to build compliance solutions that help them address their environmental concerns. I work to help our sites continue to be good neighbors and protect their communities.

Meet Jeremy Schrooten: Clean Graphitization

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:34:00 -0700

Jeremy Schrooten, Technical Director

You’re the Technical Director of the Spokane Research and Development Center. You’re thinking about lithium-ion batteries every day and trying to improve battery materials and technology. What’s your goal? What drives you every day when you go into the lab?

Every day my goal is to try and improve our graphite.?There are so many variables and interactions between the processes and performance that we have no shortage of tests we want to perform or optimization opportunities.?The ultimate goal is pretty straightforward: become a world leader in battery anode materials.

How will advanced battery materials and technology improve the life of the average person in the future? What do you see ahead for us?

Who doesn’t want a phone that lasts longer??Or an electric vehicle with longer range??Or instant recharging? These user experiences are determined by battery materials.?As we make better materials, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can make better batteries.

What is Pyrotek’s role in delivering greater sustainability and advanced technology from batteries — both for our customers and the end users?

It has become common to think of electrification as a greening of technology.?Electric cars don’t make pollution. There is some controversy because the electricity does need to come from somewhere, batteries just store it.?But most analysts agree that electricity generation is generally more efficient and less polluting than the average consumer burning fossil fuels to run their cars.

Most people don’t think about how the battery was made and how much pollution the manufacturing causes.? Pretty much all the world’s battery-grade graphite comes from China where environmental controls are much less stringent than in Western countries. Graphite, for example, is usually processed through a furnace called an Acheson furnace.?This is an incredibly dirty technology. By comparison, Pyrotek’s graphitization technology produces less than two percent of the emissions of an Acheson furnace.?That’s >98% cleaner!? And we’re starting to see our sustainability philosophy is getting OEMs attention. Battery companies do not want to be associated with high pollution, so they are turning to Pyrotek.

Pyrotek makes lithium-ion battery-grade graphite on a commercial scale in North America. Would you explain how we do this using hydropower with near zero emissions?

The specific process is a trade secret, so I can’t share the details.?But the process uses an incredible amount of electricity.?By taking advantage of the low-cost hydroelectricity, we produce graphite that is cost-effective against Chinese producers without the pollution.?

What about our responsible sourcing of materials and environmental standards? What are Pyrotek’s commitments there?

Our commitment is to operate sustainably and profitably without harming our environment. This also extends to our suppliers. We only source raw materials from US or European suppliers as they are held to very high standards.

What does the future hold for Pyrotek when it comes to anode materials for lithium-ion battery applications? Where do you see the company in five or 10 years?

We’re building our capacity and developing new materials.?We intend to be the premier anode supplier with a variety of material options to fit a customer’s need.

Smart Foundry 4.0 and Your Operation

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:30:02 -0700

Aluminium foundries around the world have always sought every competitive advantage. Today, that comes in the form of adopting industry 4.0 processes that result in better quality end-products, enhanced safety for plant workers, reduced production costs, and greater energy efficiency.

One smart foundry 4.0 solution is having a smart control center added to your foundry. See how it can help move aluminium through your foundry and give you a competitive advantage (PYROTEK INFOGRAPHIC BELOW.)

Reasons to Adopt Smart Foundry 4.0

Electrical energy savings
Faster, better, in-plant data sharing
Reduced downtime
Minimized scrap
More productive workforce
Eliminating human error
Safety chain connections

Strength Designed Into Pyrotek Filling Funnels

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:30:00 -0700

Pyrotek’s cast iron filling funnels are built with exterior reinforcement ribs, which are positioned for maximum resistance against cracking and thermal stress, delivering the service life and safety that are critical to foundries. These filling funnels are secured atop certain dosing furnaces used in high-pressure die casting, and can also be implemented in most holding-furnace applications.
They are manufactured with the right attachments, too, giving furnace operators the ability to use their existing lids. To ensure long life and maximum performance, Pyrotek also provides high-quality customer service with local support and process expertise.

Pyrotek Remains Global Leader In Fused Flux

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:28:00 -0700

Michael Mastor, Global Product Manager

As one of the original and forefront producers of fused fluxes for aluminium metal treatment, Pyrotek is a leading foundry partner for fused treatment salts.

“We’re the founder of the term ‘refining agent,’ and we lead the industry in innovation and production of aluminium treatment fluxes,” says Michael Mastor, Global Product Manager.

The low melting temperature, carefully controlled chemistry, and uniform grain distribution make Pyrotek’s Fusal a product with impressive and repeatable performance. Pyrotek Fusal is produced using the most advanced manufacturing techniques in the industry, and the raw materials used are carefully scrutinized for impurities down to parts-per-million levels.

“Hundreds of global customers can attest to the quality and consistency of Pyrotek fused treatment salts, which are used in all corners of the planet,” Mastor says.

Pyrotek's Rahul Pawar, Maintenance Engineer; Michael Mastor, Global Product Manager; Vijay Hargude, Production Manager; and Dinkar Bankar, Quality Manager, at Pyrotek's flux production facility in Pune, India.

While Fusal is primarily used in foundries, Promag fused flux is well known and used in casthouses globally.

Particularly efficient for inclusion removal, Pyrotek fused treatment?salts were originally?engineered for alkali removal. Their non-toxic chemistry can lead to the reduction, or even discontinuation, of chlorine gas injection in foundry metal-treatment processes.?Fusal’s?chemistry enables it to consistently lower concentrations of unwanted alkali metals?including sodium, lithium, and calcium,?while?leaving desired alloy chemistries and additives unaffected.

In studies, injection of Pyrotek fused salts can dramatically reduce inclusion counts in molten metal systems by as much as 90 percent. As the injected salt floats as liquid droplets, it cleans non-metallic inclusions and reacts chemically to remove and float alkali impurities.

“Inclusions and unwanted salt chemistries are simply skimmed from the denser aluminium bath, leaving a cleaned and refined metal,” he says.

In foundries, the rotary injection of salts is particularly popular. Its low melting point makes Fusal ideally suited for injection, reducing instances of clogging that is more common for powdered fluxes with higher melting points.

For more information, contact Michael Mastor, micmas@pyrotek.com.

Underheated Furnace Technology Increases Foundry Efficiency

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:21:00 -0700

Pyrotek's Michael Machado and Tomá? Mazálek working with a furnace operator at PUNCH Powerglide foundry in Strasbourg, France.

With hundreds of installations in both low-pressure and high-pressure applications, Pyrotek's underheated holding furnaces help foundries around the world meet the market and customer demands for higher quality metal. It’s a technology Pyrotek advanced; understanding the need for higher metal quality to make lighter and thinner castings for aerospace, automotive, and other industries where strong, light-weight parts are critical. We also recognize the never-ending pursuit of reduced operational costs.

“We understand the current state and the future of aluminium casting and the requirements for lighter and thinner castings, resulting in the need for high metal quality,” says Dusty Ousley, Pyrotek’s US Foundry Division Sales Manager. “We also know the demands to reduce operational costs.”

Standard underheated furnaces, with submerged heating elements, deliver valuable benefits such as a 25–30 percent reduction in energy consumption compared with top-heated designs.

Top-mounted heat elements create higher atmospheric temperatures in the holding chamber, resulting in oxide generation. A thick oxide layer insulates the top of the bath, not allowing the heat to transfer to the metal properly. This increases the temperature of the heating elements and decreases furnace energy efficiency. Additionally, the resulting oxide growth will damage the furnace body and heating elements.

Pyrotek underheated furnace in use at PUNCH Powerglide.

“The underheated design offers greater metal cleanliness due to reduced oxide generation,” Ousley says. With a heat source fully immersed oxide production is minimized in the holding chamber.

Another advantage of Pyrotek’s underheated holding furnace is it takes up less space, which leads to energy savings.

“When horizontal underheating is used, a smaller overall footprint can be used,” Ousley says. “This allows for reduced floor space and aluminium surface area, resulting in less exposure to open air and less oxidation of the surface.”

A smaller exposed surface area results in more homogenous metal temperature throughout the entire bath.

“Overall, this results in energy savings,” he says.

Underheated furnaces also ensure versatility for use in gravity, low-pressure, and high-pressure applications.

Pyrotek underheated furnace at GIFA 2019.

Technology Advantages

Reduced maintenance and lower operational costs
High-quality alloy
More accurate regulation of alloy
Efficient conductive heat and promotion of convection currents
Filtration and degassing capability
Minimal aluminium-oxide buildup on furnace walls
A 6? to 8?year service life

Specific Pyrotek Benefits

Further energy savings
Experienced engineering and maintenance teams positioned globally
Turnkey delivery possible, including casting machine with partner companies
Heater elements with extended service life
High-quality thermocouples
Smaller footprint on plant floor
Safe working environment

INFOGRAPHIC: The drawings below depict different views and information regarding underheated furnace technology.

Sherbrooke — 40 years of Innovation

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 13:47:00 -0800

This year, the Sherbrooke Research & Development Center, in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, is celebrating 40 years of continuous innovation in the field of materials research. As part of that, two Pyrotek employees were recently honored for their specific contributions and decades of dedication going back to the very beginning of the center.

Luc Desrosiers, the Assistant Director of R&D Projects, and Pierre Grimard, a Research Technician.

Luc Desrosiers, the Assistant Director of R&D Projects, and Pierre Grimard, a Research Technician, were there when the center was just being established. They have contributed to many of its accomplishments since then, says Alain Simard, the Director of R&D in Sherbrooke.

"It is a pleasure to honor their exceptional dedication and to be able to count on their immense knowledge of the center," Simard says.

Today, the center specializes in R&D of products and technologies for Pyrotek's aluminium, foundry, glass, steel, and hearth divisions. It is equipped to test chemical and physical properties of materials supplied by Pyrotek.

In 1979, the center was founded as a spin-off from the University of Sherbrooke. It was known as CERAM and was owned and operated by the government of the province of Quebec. The center became independent under the name CERMINCO in 1993, when Pyrotek was a client and had representation on the board of directors. It was in 2004 that the Sherbrooke R&D Center entered the Pyrotek family, when the company acquired 100 percent of the shares.

Pyrotek Precision Machining Delivers as Team

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 16:37:00 -0800

Tulsa facility part of Pyrotek Advanced Glass Solutions business unit

Today Pyrotek Precision Machining, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, is better serving its container glass manufacturing customers around the world because of its highly trained and experienced machine operators, quality control processes, and use of advanced technology.

The team precisely manufactures parts for I.S. (individual section) machines such as hangers, inserts, link pins and plates—and every part is thoroughly tested and inspected to exact specifications before it leaves the facility. Pyrotek’s rigorous quality control testing, which includes a new coordinate-measuring machine (CMM), ensures each part provides extended service life in the very demanding conditions of container glass plants.

“We're making parts you can take out of the box, put into a machine, and not have to worry about for a long time,” says Chris Bentley, operations manager at Pyrotek Precision Machining, An Advanced Glass Solutions Technology Center. “The secret for us isn’t a secret. We’re a team that works well together—everyone has the same drive and everyone is involved and invested.”

Every machinist there knows the best parts-production practices and understands what those parts do for customers. This ensures they better understand the quality required by the customer, says Bentley. He has 16 years of experience in both manual and (computer numerical control) CNC machining. With this experience, he has managed other plants with great results, implementing lean manufacturing, Six Sigma techniques, and ISO certifications.

“The customer is going to know that we take pride in what we do,” he says. Every part that goes out the door with Pyrotek’s name on it leaves with a quality inspection tag on it signed, guaranteeing 100 percent certification.

Along with IS parts, Pyrotek Precision Machining manufactures capital equipment such as servo stacker systems and cross-conveyors for container glass plants.

The Pyrotek Precision Machining team in Tulsa is made up of more than 20 experts in machining, engineering, strategic sales support, and research and development. They create the parts that Pyrotek’s sales teams—including industry sales veterans and product experts like Mario Balandran and Doug Stanley—are proud to show their customers around the world.

“We are dedicated to fulfilling the customers’ needs, completely, and on-time at a great cost with a quality product,” says Rustin Daniels, Pyrotek’s strategic sales support specialist in Tulsa. “And we make sure our salespeople are in the customers’ plants, working side-by-side, solving problems and learning about our customers’ processes in-depth.”

Some of Pyrotek Precision Machining’s top parts for the glass industry include:

? Triple Gob Equalizing Inserts
? Cooling Wind Distribution Plates
? Plate Inserts
? Standard Triple Gob Inserts
? Link Pins and Insert Mounting Studs
? Standard Industry Hangers

The plant has a lot of versatility because of its technology and the experience and training of the team. It has machined parts for multiple other industries and will continue to do so for customers in industries like oil and gas, automotive, aerospace, agriculture and many others.

The facility machines materials such as steel, aluminum, brass, bronze and plastics.

“Working for a wide range of industries makes your machinists stronger and more innovative, which only helps our core IS machine parts customers,” Bentley says. Pyrotek Precision Machining is fortunate to be able to recruit its team members from the city of Tulsa’s already well-trained industrial workforce.

“We have several employees with 20-plus years here in this facility—that is a lot of knowledge stacked up together,” says Dan Bridgewater, product development manager. “We also have a lot of young and talented machinists.”

Bridgewater has been working at the plant for 27 years.

“This place is like home to me,” he says.

The plant has the right people in place to make sure that parts get out the door and are delivered on-time, with great quality.

Ron Cearley, the warehouse manager, has been working at the plant as long as Dan Bridgewater. He’s seen a lot of changes in the past several months. And customers are noticing, he says. They’re trying the new products and coming back for more.

“The plant has come a long way in the past year,” Cearley says. “We’ve changed our focus to more quality control and on-time delivery. We’re doing a lot of new things and we’ve got a good future ahead of us.”

Larry Page, the facility’s engineering manager, says they are working every day to improve part and equipment designs to ensure peak performance and the longest possible service life. Pyrotek Precision Machining has a strong research and development staff for designing and testing new products.

“We’re rapidly developing products for all the newer style IS machines,” says Page, who has worked in design and engineering in the glass industry for 42 years. “We’re constantly researching new processes and materials to advance our products. We use the latest design software to improve our lead times and be more responsive to customers.”

Pyrotek Precision Machining is constantly improving the quality of its parts by investing in technology like the CMM. It's also regularly training employees to take the most precise and performance-critical part measurements, checking parts consistently during production runs, and hiring designated quality control staff.

Because of its in-house design and engineering expertise, Pyrotek Precision Machining holds patents for multiple parts, including its equalizing inserts, push-bar mechanism, quick change roll surface, and multiple others.

“We have great designers here,” says Bentley, the operations manager. “We’re constantly being innovative. We’re showing customers that there is a newer and better way to do it and we’re on top of that.”

Pyrotek Builds New Dubai Manufacturing Plant

Sat, 28 Sep 2019 10:30:00 -0700

Facility to Serve and Supply Regional Aluminium Smelting Operations

New Dubai plant to open in early 2020.

Pyrotek Inc. is scheduled to complete construction in November of a new manufacturing facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to serve and supply the rapidly growing aluminium smelting operations of the region.

The first phase of construction will provide 66,000 square feet (6,185 square metres) of floor space. There is enough land at the site, located within the Jebel Ali Free Zone in western Dubai, to allow for an eventual doubling of the plant footprint. The construction contractor is Pax-Kent International LLC, based in Dubai. They also designed the facility.

Pyrotek is scheduled to occupy the facility in January 2020.

“This plant will grow our footprint in the heart of one of the major global aluminium smelting regions,” says Nigel Clear, Pyrotek’s General Manager in the region. “It’s also very close to EGA (Emirates Global Aluminium). Combined, EGA is the biggest aluminium producer in the Persian Gulf.”

EGA operates aluminium smelters in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It also has an alumina refinery in Abu Dhabi.

The new Pyrotek plant will focus on manufacturing several major product lines and provide faster delivery of specific customized products in the region.

“It’s all about improving our service and shortening delivery times—prototyping and then supplying custom products fast,” Clear says.

The site is ideal because of the ease of doing business in the Jebel Ali Free Zone and the convenience of the Jebel Ali Port.

“It is a very central logistics hub for the Middle East,” Clear says. “Many of the vessels and much of the container traffic coming into the Middle East moves through the Jebel Ali Port.”

New plant to start with 6,185 square metres of floor space, with room to grow at the site.

The plant will have an in-house design and engineering department. That engineering team will be built up and developed with specific training over time.

Pyrotek has been in Dubai for 20 years, and currently operates a sales and warehousing facility in the Jebel Ali Free Zone that serves the UAE, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and northern Africa. Along with providing products to companies in the aluminium industry, the existing facility supplies glass, steel, and noise control industry customers.

Additionally, in the region, Pyrotek operates plants in Askar and Hidd, in Bahrain; and Al Jubail?in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

About Pyrotek
We've supplied innovation to the aluminium industry since 1956. We design and produce everything from large capital equipment to small consumable parts—all to help our customers operate more efficiently, produce better quality products and save money. Throughout the world, in more than 35 countries, we've strategically placed more than 80 locations to best serve our customers. Our advanced solutions in aluminium cover processes in the smelter, casthouse and foundry.
pyrotek.com

Find Pyrotek at Major South American Foundry Show

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 16:33:00 -0700

Pyrotek Rigid Glasweve? filters for low-pressure casting applications and sand and permanent mould casting applications. Underheated furnace.

FENAF 2019 – the Latin American Foundry Fair in S?o Paulo, Brazil, starts 17 September, and Pyrotek will be there exhibiting with approximately 200 booth visitors expected. Foundry representatives are expected from throughout Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Perú, and Chile.

“The aim is to talk with foundry managers and process engineers about our furnace relining services, underheated furnace projects and the gains Rigid Glasweve filters will render to their processes,” says Alvaro Aranguibel, New Product Introduction Manager in South America for Pyrotek.

Pyrotek product experts will also be discussing thermocouple protection tube assemblies and associated recovery services, and the high performance and service life of Pyrotek’s consumable products, Aranguibel says.

Featured Pyrotek products at the show:

? Graphite shafts and rotors for degassing
? Overflow Transfer System (OTS) pumps
? Coatings
? Reinforced Fibreglass Material (RFM?) ladles and troughs
? Riser tubes
? Underheated Furnaces
? Rigid Glasweve? filters

Find us at Stand A14-A16-A18 at the PRO MAGNO Centro de Eventos in S?o Paulo. We will be exhibiting 17-20 September.

For more information contact us at customerservice-bra@pyrotek.com, or visit www.98kb.net.

Pyrotek.com Page Devoted to Degassing Consumables

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 12:27:00 -0700

There are many different consumable parts that aluminium casthouses around the world use in their metal treatment processes. Pyrotek.com now has a page devoted to in-line and in-furnace degassing consumables that can help plant operators explore in-depth what Pyrotek can provide to help facilities operate more efficiently as they purify their aluminium.

There is content there about each product—shafts, rotors, troughs and more—as well as some variations.

“We nearly have an engineer in every customer location around the world providing experienced on-site service,” Pyrotek Product Manager Mahmud Elkhoja says. “Along with that expertise, we offer a wide enough range of products and materials to enable us to deliver complete solutions for optimum customer performance and efficiency.”

During the aluminium purifying process, graphite parts from many other suppliers can oxidize too fast and wear out. This leads to frequent replacement of parts, which also means more production downtime and increased labor costs. Through testing, Pyrotek’s treated graphite parts have been proven to last longer.

“By having Pyrotek’s better consumable products, these customers don’t have to change parts as frequently,” Elkhoja says. “That saves them time and money.”

Pyrotek Graphite In-line Shaft

Similarly, Pyrotek’s refractory parts, such as baffles and launders, are made of Pyrotek’s long-lasting materials such as Ceramite?. Combined with Pyrotek coatings, these high-strength parts will stay in service even longer.

Visit the product page to find out much more about Pyrotek’s solutions:

? Search “degassing consumables” from any page on Pyrotek.com and find “In-line and In-furnace Degassing Consumables” among the Website Results.

? Visit: www.98kb.net/DegassingConsumables

Pyrotek’s Converted Equalizing Axial Cooled Hanger Boosts Pack-to-Melt Ratio

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 11:26:43 -0700

Converted Equalizing Axial Cooled Hanger

Pyrotek’s patented converted equalizing axial cooled hanger is being utilized by container glass plants around the world to reduce maintenance downtime and optimize pack-to-melt (PTM) production ratios.

William Meza, Pyrotek’s Glass Applications Engineer for Mexico, explains that with conventional hangers there isn’t full, even movement of all the cavities or moulds. The equalizing hangers, as the name suggests, evenly distribute the closing force among all the cavities. Additionally, the design of the equalizing hanger allows machine operators to change the mould hanger inserts without removing the full hanger assembly, thus greatly reducing labor and downtime.

“You can easily remove a couple of bolts, pull out the worn inserts and replace them without taking down the 100-kilogram (220-pound) hanger,” Meza says. “The process of changing inserts can be reduced from 40 minutes to 10 minutes. Saving thirty minutes of downtime represents a lot of money in bottle manufacturing.”

Pyrotek can also level the hanger in approximately 20 minutes compared to the typical 4 to 8 hours.

The hanger has a cooling plate that has been modified from standard plates in that it divides into four sections. The modification was made because only the front section of the cooling plate suffers wear and damage. This allows machine operators to simply replace the center cooling plates instead of the entire cooling plate. The ability to just replace the worn pieces and to make the changes to the cooling plates without taking out the full hanger reduces maintenance costs.

“Also, there is an added benefit in maintenance safety,” Meza says. “Reducing downtime, while at the same time reducing bottle defects, combine for a higher PTM ratio and an improved customer bottom line.”

The patented hanger technology has proven to plant managers that they can nearly eliminate seams on containers, says Doug Stanley, Pyrotek’s Global Manager for Container Technology.

“Plants adopting the use of these equalizing hangers have seen them provide a quick return on investment,” Stanley says. “We have recently seen a complete 10-section conversion where that investment was paid off in six months. As for that customer’s pack-to-melt numbers, they were putting up to 2 percent more bottles in the box after the conversion to Pyrotek’s equalizing hangers.”

Pyrotek also supplies the shafts, links, pins, and levers—all the components that make the movement of the hanger possible.

Glass container plants are constantly seeking ways to boost production and stay competitive in their industry by keeping their machines operating, generating less scrap from defects, and enhancing the quality of their finished products to meet the requirements of their final customers.

“Container glass plants want the right customer service experience,” Meza says. “Plant operators rely on quick answers and solutions to their questions. They need to count on a long-term supplier partner like Pyrotek, who understands their business and speaks their language and shares their passion for the products.”

Members of Pyrotek’s global glass team are engineers, former glass plant managers, industry researchers, equipment and process experts, and others who have worked for industry leading companies. Pyrotek’s global glass team has considerable knowledge around customer challenges and how Pyrotek’s resources can help.

“Pyrotek offers solutions to customer needs that have direct bottom-line impact versus just selling a product,” he says.

Pyrotek adjusts its approach and product solutions to the variety of different issues container glass operators face, as their challenges are influenced by a wide set of variables unique to each customer and the products they are producing.

Pyrotek Contributing to Large Rail Car Project in Indonesia

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 14:03:00 -0800

Light Rail Transit interior

Pyrotek is supplying noise barrier and vibration control materials to a major government-owned company in Indonesia that is manufacturing railway rolling stock for a large public transportation project in the country.

The customer, PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA), based in Madiun, East Java, Indonesia, is a new customer that made its first purchase order with Pyrotek late last year. Pyrotek collaborated with INKA's engineering team to design train flooring for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project.

The LRT carriages INKA is making will be operated in Jakarta, Indonesia, and surrounding areas. The total number of carriages to be produced for this project is 186, and they must be delivered to the government by April.

"The railroad manufacturing industry is a new market for Pyrotek Indonesia," says Jakarta-based Pyrotek sales engineer Syarifudin Hariyadi. "By being able to sell products to them we can now reference that when selling products to other customers. They are the largest in the business and one of the big companies in Indonesia."

Among the products Pyrotek is selling for the project:

168 sheets of Wavebar noise barrier?
7200 kilograms (15,900 pounds) of Decidamp SP500

The products were supplied by Pyrotek's factory in Sydney, Australia. The total value of the order for the Wavebar, Decidamp and other products is USD$175,000.?

"Because this is the first time INKA has used Pyrotek products, we guided them and supervised the design and installation of our products," Hariyadi says.

The carriages will be made of aluminium, so a vibration damper is needed to reduce the movement of sound from the structures to the passenger rooms.

Decidamp will be sprayed under the carriage floors and on the inner walls of the rooms. Wavebar and a specialized noise barrier will be installed in the floors. Work began in November.

"So far, INKA has been quite satisfied with the quality of our products and the services and technical advice we have given them," Hariyadi says. "We hope that this collaboration will continue and be sustainable for their upcoming projects."

INKA already is in the process of ordering additional Decidamp SP500 for this project.

Pyrotek Profile: Massimiliano Doria

Thu, 31 Jan 2019 12:04:00 -0800

Pyrotek Profile:
Massimiliano Doria

Title
Regional Melt Circulation and Recovery (MCR) Sales Manager

What territory do you cover?
Italy, Greece, Balkans, Turkey, Central and South Africa

Educational Background
I have a master’s degree in aerospace engineering at the Politecnico of Milano

How many years have you worked in the non-ferrous metals industry?
I started with Pyrotek right after graduating university and have been with the company for 12 years. I have followed many installations all over the world in many different aluminium and zinc industries. These experiences have given me a full 360-degree view of the market and a great understanding of customers’ main needs.

What is a common question your customers ask?
Usually the main questions customers ask is how to increase their recovery rate from remelting scrap, how to reduce dross, and getting improving metal quality. Customers are willing to enhance many aspects of their process and our MCR division has different solutions to match customer expectations.

What process benefits do Pyrotek pumps offer aluminium and zinc customers?
Pyrotek pumps are reliable and give a long-lasting performance that reduces maintenance shut-down time. Our circulation pumps are able to improve furnace melting rate and save energy. I always tell customers that our pumps are like the spoon in their coffee cup. If you put sugar into the coffee it will melt, but if you stir it with the spoon, it will melt faster and better.

How has the industry changed?
The industry is always aiming to reduce costs and recycle more efficiently. The margin between scraps and secondary metal prices is getting thinner every day, so our customers always need better performance to reduce waste, improve quality, and optimize their production. Pyrotek helps them by offering engineered solutions and products that can result in strategic benefits and make the difference.

January 2019 Commodity Insight Newsletter is Released

Tue, 22 Jan 2019 08:57:00 -0800

Pyrotek has released a Commodity Insight newsletter highlighting various cost factors affecting manufacturing, from alumina to glass yarn to foam.

View the newsletter here.?

Pyrotek Offers Coatings for Aluminium Operations

Thu, 10 Jan 2019 13:48:00 -0800

Aluminium and foundry operations globally use high-temperature coatings available through Pyrotek to stop molten aluminium from sticking to contact surfaces where it is melted, transferred, and cast.

These coatings, often made of boron nitride (BN), also extend the life of both ceramic and metal substrates in aluminium operations, improve ingot and sow release from moulds, enhance surface appearance, and can reduce labour and downtime costs from frequent recoatings.

“Boron nitride is chemically nonwetting to molten aluminium, prevents erosion to substrates it’s applied to, and will last multiple casts on sow moulds and ingot moulds,” Pyrotek Global Product Manager George Stavnes says. “As molten metal is poured, it can have serious wear and erosive effects on metal substrates. A properly applied coating will deflect that erosive effect and increase the life of a mould.”

“Boron nitride is chemically nonwetting to molten aluminium, prevents erosion to substrates it’s applied to, and will last multiple casts on sow moulds and ingot moulds.” ~ Pyrotek Global Product Manager George Stavnes

Pyrotek offers BN coatings by ZYP Coatings Inc., of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. BN is chemically inert in contact with molten aluminium, zinc, and other nonferrous metals. Pyrotek also has its own internally manufactured line of coatings, as well as dry parting agents.

Pyrotek has more than 30 core coating products, with a variety suited for the aluminium industry. They can be applied to anything in contact with molten aluminium. In addition to nonwetting, BN Hardcoat and BN Lubricoat ZV are highly adhesive to prepared surfaces and exhibit excellent erosion resistance in high-wear areas.

Pyrotek recommends appropriate surface preparation, removing loose organics or slag, to get the maximum service life from a coating. Contact a Pyrotek application engineer to find the best coating for a specific process. Pyrotek technical specialists provide onsite support for any product.

Pyrotek Underheated Furnaces Improve Metal Quality and Operational Efficiency

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 15:54:00 -0800

Dual-chamber design

Pyrotek manufactures underheated holding furnaces for low-pressure (LP) casting to help aluminium foundries around the world meet the market and customer demands for higher quality metal.

“We understand the current state and the future of aluminium casting and the requirements for lighter and thinner castings, resulting in the need for high metal quality,” says Dusty Ousley, Pyrotek’s low-pressure/holding furnace business development manager. “We also know the demands to reduce operational costs.”

Energy Efficient

Pyrotek’s underheated LP furnaces position the heating elements close to the floor. This way the heating source is completely submerged in molten aluminium, allowing for both efficient conductive heat and the promotion of convection currents. This combination results in a more uniform temperature, varying no more than 5°C (41°F). In contrast, a top-heated furnace can have a thermal gradient as much as 22°C (72°F). The underheated technology has proven to be 25–30 percent more energy efficient than top-radiant furnaces.

Metal Quality

Top-mounted heat elements create higher atmospheric temperatures in the holding chamber, resulting in oxide generation. A thick oxide layer insulates the top of the bath, not allowing the heat to transfer to the metal properly, thus increasing the temperature of the heating element and decreasing furnace energy efficiency. Additionally, the resulting oxide growth will damage the furnace body and heating elements.

“The underheated design offers greater metal cleanliness due to reduced oxide generation,” Ousley says.

With a heat source fully immersed oxide production is minimized in the holding chamber.

Another advantage of Pyrotek’s underheated holding furnace is it takes up less space, which leads to energy savings.

A small exposed surface area results in more homogenous metal temperature throughout the entire bath.

“Overall, this results in energy savings,” he says.

Dual-Chamber Design

A divider wall and stopper rod isolate the holding chamber from the pressure chamber.

The underheated LP furnace utilizes a divider wall and stopper rod to isolate the holding chamber from the pressure chamber. This allows dross generation from charging to be isolated to the holding chamber.

The quiet metal transfer between chambers leaves very clean metal in the pressure chamber.

Molten aluminium can be delivered anytime during a casting cycle. Skimming and light cleaning of the holding chamber can also be done anytime, and there is no need to shut down the casting machine. This results in more casting machine uptime.

The stopper rod opens and closes after each cycle to replenish and maintain a consistent metal level in the pressure chamber. The consistent metal level creates a more uniform temperature and allows for the use of a shorter stalk/riser tube. This allows the metal to be drawn from cleaner metal in the upper to middle part of the bath. It also results in reduced consumable cost.

Pyrotek Publishes January 2019 Aluminium Insight Newsletter

Mon, 07 Jan 2019 09:49:00 -0800

Pyrotek has published the January 2019 edition of the Aluminium?Insight newsletter. Aluminium Insight offers industry stories and Pyrotek features, from the smelter to the foundry.

Pyrotek Features:

Pump service life record reached at Profilglass
Pyrotek underheated low-pressure furnaces improve metal quality and operational and energy efficiency?
Pyrotek Profile: Peter Jetten
Pyrotek offers coatings for aluminium operations

Other Highlights:

Century Aluminum to expand Sebree facility
Novelis invests USD$175 million to increase production and capabilities in Brasil
EGA to supply used pot lining to Arkan for manufacturing cement
Granges is investing SEK 400 million
(USD$44 million) in facility expansions

Read Aluminium Insight now.

Pyrotek Zinc Recovery System Vs. Old Ball-Mill Process

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 12:00:50 -0800

While most primary zinc smelters continue to use the old and less-efficient ball-mill process to treat their casthouse dross, some around the world have switched to Pyrotek’s zinc-recovery system. They have discovered that the change reduced energy consumption and improved zinc recovery rates, allowing them to remain strong with increasing global competition.

Pyrotek zinc-recovery system

Ball-mill processing, or grinding and sieving, can degrade air quality because of the particulate matter produced. Along with the environmental impact, ball-mill processing requires substantial energy consumption.

A significant volume of metallic zinc remains in fine particle dross and needs to be continually processed in the roaster, driving up energy consumption and ultimately leading to lost zinc sales. Large stockpiles of raw dross can often be stored at plant sites, further impacting the environment at the site.

With the acquisition of an MZR-2000 zinc-recovery unit, with a capacity of 2000 kilograms (4400 pounds), plants could decommission their dross mills. This alone removes a significant environmental hazard in the process. These zinc-recovery systems can keep up with a site’s dross generation, eliminating the stockpiling of dross and any related cleanup issues.

The average zinc recovery rate for an MZR-2000 is approximately 60 percent. By contrast, the grinding and screening of the ball-mill process delivers approximately 35 percent recovery. A lower recovery rate means more material is sent back through the roaster.

If Pyrotek’s zinc-recovery system can increase a casthouse’s plant capacity by only 1 percent, it could result in millions of dollars in increased sales output when prices reach more than USD$3000 per tonne on the London Metal Exchange.

Pyrotek also offers zinc-recovery systems with capacities of 750 kilograms (1650 pounds) and 1500 kilograms (3300 pounds). Pyrotek’s global network of application engineers can work with plants on-site to find the right system for processing needs.

Pyrotek Engineers Serve Broad Spectrum of Customers

Wed, 12 Dec 2018 17:01:00 -0800

Pyrotek's Cortland, New York, USA, production facility houses one of the company's global engineering centres.

When?Pyrotek supplies capital equipment, consumable parts and advanced materials, it also often provides engineering expertise. For decades, Pyrotek has been delving deep into aluminium operation processes, helping operations achieve the maximum return on their investments.

Through Pyrotek’s 60-plus years of service in the aluminium industry, its engineering teams have accumulated considerable experience in high-temperature manufacturing environments.?

Pyrotek’s engineering teams located around the world—in North America, Europe, China and Australia—each have broad technical experience and training. The teams include electrical and mechanical engineers and designers. Some teams have specialists in automotive engineering, machining, tooling, advanced materials, refractories and more.

As manufacturers have had to reduce the number of in-house technical staff members they employ, they have grown increasingly more reliant on Pyrotek and other vendors for engineering and technical expertise.

The team in Mexico, like others at Pyrotek, routinely provides on-site measurements to ensure correct design of customer process layouts.

Each engineering group offers a wide variety of services. The teams, made up of roughly a dozen staff members each, are located around the world so they can be near customers.

“We’re rapidly growing our experience in market segments like foundry furnaces and degassing units, as well as others,” Ne?as says.

“I believe the future of the aluminium casting process is full automation,” Tomassi says. “This will require our team to continually look for ways to partner with customers and come up with new cutting-edge designs to support this industry shift.”

Pyrotek has helped many customers lower their overall product costs by reducing energy consumption, minimizing melt loss, reducing downtime and optimizing their new or existing thermal systems.

“Our teams are ready to support customers with thermal problems, so they can focus on what they’re experts at—processing and casting aluminium,” Tomassi says.

Pyrotek engineering groups serve the needs of customers globally, whether they are buying Pyrotek’s manufactured products or not. In addition to the aluminium industry, Pyrotek’s engineering services can serve customers in other industries, such as mining and minerals, or anywhere manufacturers use high-temperature processes.?The engineering teams are looking to take on new challenges, and are working to increase their experience.

“We have recently supplied 3-D printed plastic auto-pour ladles to test robot paths, and also models to fabricate moulds for casting metals by the lost-wax method,” Rodriguez says. “We are currently setting up a tooling department. In the future, we can machine wooden and plastic models for foundry customer prototypes.”

Pyrotek engineering centres and sales teams work with aluminium operations to determine the best solutions to meet their needs.

Pyrotek Thermally Formed Combo Bags Offer Improved Metal Distribution and Flow Control

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 00:00:00 -0800

Pyrotek TF combo bags produce very little smoke, fumes, and flame.

Pyrotek’s thermally formed (TF) combo bags deliver improved molten metal temperature distribution and optimal flow control for aluminium vertical direct chill (VDC) slab/rolling ingot casting.

Since Pyrotek introduced them in 2005, TF combo bags have outperformed standard sewn bags. Along with managing thermal gradients, TF combo bags reduce oxide generation, and collect oxide patches and small pieces of refractory in the metal. They can improve bottom block filling, and they can reduce butt curl and scalping compared with sewn bags.

TF combo bags improve working conditions, producing very little smoke, fumes, or flame when in contact with molten aluminium. For plant workers, they also easily slide into place onto existing mounting systems.

They are called “thermally formed” because they are permanently shaped by a hot die. This eliminates loose threads,?which are common with sewn bags and can lead to inclusions. They maintain their rigidity at molten aluminium temperatures for up to?90 minutes, ensuring predictable and uniform molten metal flow and distribution in the mould.

They can be customized for specific applications in a variety of dimensions and fibreglass fabric styles and are treated with a Pyrotek coating.

Their design includes a bag, end patches, outer shell, and an optional spout sock or drain holes. Typically, open weave filter fabric is used to make the spout sock and bag, while a strong patch cloth is used to make the outer shell and end patches. But those component and fabric options can be modified as needed for different customer applications.

Water and computational analysis modeling by Pyrotek has demonstrated flow pattern differences that explain why TF combo bags outperform regular sewn combo bags. The modeling has shown TF combo bags produce a lateral flow under the metal surface, resulting in reductions in thermal gradient, turbulence, and oxide generation.

TF combo bags disperse molten aluminium outward and evenly toward the mould walls, delivering high temperature metal where it is needed in the mould to improve the microstructure of the casting.

Pyrotek TF combo bags are in use throughout the aluminium industry. Pyrotek supplies them as original equipment on leading casting technology.

Pyrotek Tests Pumps for Global Customers at Ohio Facility

Tue, 04 Dec 2018 10:54:48 -0800

Pyrotek's plant in Ohio, USA, conducts water-modeling tests of pumps for customers worldwide.

Pyrotek’s facility in Aurora, Ohio, USA, designs and manufactures centrifugal pumps for molten metal applications to ensure foundries, recyclers, and producers of aluminium, zinc, and lead acquire the right equipment for their individual processes.

Jon Tipton, Engineering Manager at the Aurora facility, says they have 840 square metres (9000 square feet) of dedicated floor space that features a 30,000-litre (8000-gallon) water tank for running water models of pumps and Pyrotek’s LOTUSS vortex technology.

“We can model pretty much any scenario for a custom application to see if our products are compatible for that application,” Tipton says.

Pyrotek’s technical team travels to customer plants to learn their processes so they can determine the best pump for each situation. Along with regular testing for foundries, they also complete testing for primary aluminium, zinc, and lead producers.

“If it’s outside of our normal specification range for pumps we can design one to specifically fit a customer’s application, and then test it in our facility before we send it out into the field,” Tipton says.

Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, Pyrotek can test a product’s design before water modelling.

“We have two methods of experimentation to verify the designs,” Tipton says.

Pyrotek has done a variety of testing at the facility the past three years, including:

LOTUSS vortex design
Flow characteristics through pumps
Velocity and particle tracking in furnaces

“All of this is done before it hits molten metal and reaches the customer, which is a big advantage,” Tipton says.

The vortex testing benefits large recycling operations and foundries wanting to recycle scrap and chips. Pyrotek’s LOTUSS system efficiently submerges scrap to reduce oxidization and dross.

Pyrotek has a team of six design engineers at the facility who work with each customer’s specifications.

“There is a dedicated customer service team that can help customers all the way from sales inquiry to the final installation of the product,” Tipton says

Pyrotek Introduces Improved Vertical-flow Mechanism for Container Glass Production

Thu, 15 Nov 2018 14:59:00 -0800

Prevent downtime during mould cooling within the container glass production process with Pyrotek's improved vertical-flow mechanism. Its?piston-style design can also help reduce hot defects. Learn more by viewing our newly published flyer here.

New Brochure on Vertical Direct Chill Slab Casting Available

Fri, 02 Nov 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Pyrotek has published a new brochure highlighting its offerings for vertical direct chill (VDC) slab casting. Products featured include skim dams, thermal insulation, thermally formed combo bags, coatings, and more. View the brochure here.

Glass International Publishes Article on Pyrotek Take-out Inserts

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 11:49:00 -0700

Find out how Pyrotek take-out inserts helped boost a container plant's pack rate in an article by David Cole in the September issue of Glass International. View the article here.

Cast Iron Thermocouple Protection Tube Case Study Released

Fri, 26 Oct 2018 14:07:00 -0700

Pyrotek has released a new case study on its cast iron thermocouple protection tubes. The company's?proprietary manufacturing method increases tube dimensional consistency, wall thickness, and life.

View the case study here.

Pump Service Life Record at Profilglass

Fri, 12 Oct 2018 09:34:58 -0700

Massimiliano Doria and Sahbi Zeramdini at Profilglass.

Profilglass S.p.A, an Italian aluminium market leader founded in 1982, has achieved record service life using Pyrotek's circulation pumps for its melting furnace. The company produces profiles, tubes, and flat-rolled products for construction, vehicle manufacturing, electronics, and other sectors. It has a long-term partnership with Pyrotek who provides core aluminium products.

In early 2012, Pyrotek installed a J-50 SD 6-inch LTS circulation pump with a 40-inch LOTUSS scrap submergence system. This Pyrotek technology was paired with a Fergal S.r.l. twin-chamber, 80-tonne capacity tilting furnace.

"From the beginning, we achieved successful results with perfect temperature homogenization and an improvement of their melting rate and recovery," says Pyrotek sales engineer Massimiliano Doria. "Profilglass is always committed to excellence, and everyday their people do their best to get the most from our products."

Performance Summary

A J-50 pump has 3 posts and 1 base
The parts operate 24 hours per day, 7 days a week
Three years of service equals 1095 days or 26,280 hours
The J-50 pump circulates 12 tonnes of metal per minute
18 million tonnes pumped in 3 years

"Eighteen million tonnes of molten aluminium pumped from the same pump is a stunning number, which was reached because of a strong partnership and close cooperation," Doria says.

Some of the keys to reaching the record included pump-well cleaning, optimizing the revolutions per minute, using proven charging procedures, perfecting pump rebuild procedures, and working with Pyrotek's melt, circulation, and recovery team.

"As usual, behind the stunning results, there is a special person," Doria says.

Sahbi Zeramdini, who is responsible for the Profilglass melting furnace and pump maintenance, provided consistent and thorough maintenance. He was able to achieve 3-year pump service lifetimes twice, utilizing just two pumps on the melting furnace from 2012 to 2018.

"I personally installed and followed the installations and I was amazed at Sahbi's help and skills," Doria says.

Profilglass opted for a second installation as the initial pump continued to perform at a high level. The two pumps are identical, and the second is being managed by Raffaele Curzi of Profilglass.

"He is taking perfect care of the pump and they're again achieving high performance," Doria says.

Pyrotek Ramps Up Production of Acoustic Products in USA

Tue, 09 Oct 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Members of Pyrotek's acoustic team in the USA

Pyrotek is adding equipment and ramping up production of acoustic and thermal products at its Cortland, New York, USA, facility to increase its capability to serve its North American customers within the marine, rail, construction, and other?industries.

“Pyrotek’s noise control team is excited to welcome this new capacity to serve our regional customers. The facility in Cortland will complement our global manufacturing footprint and provide Pyrotek’s unique value add services for the rail, marine, and industrial customers in the Americas,” says Kevin Bacon, manager of Pyrotek’s USA acoustic and thermal sales team.

Pyrotek’s acoustic and thermal group offers engineered solutions for the marine, transport, construction, industrial, and other industries worldwide. Products include vibration damping and isolation, sound absorbers, noise barriers, and condensation control. With over 30 years of experience, Pyrotek also offers customization and in-house research and development.

At Cortland, the following capabilities have been added:

Coatings manufacturing equipment for Pyrotek’s Decidamp and Decicoat lines, which have noise damping and anti-condensation properties
Pathfinder machine for cutting technical textiles to specification
Lamination equipment for producing Pyrotek’s foil-faced products
Engineering services

Additional equipment is expected to be added in the future.

For information on Pyrotek’s solutions for controlling noise, visit pyroteknc.com.

Pyrotek Receives Innovation Medal

Mon, 08 Oct 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Pyrotek received a medal for its metal casting system in the innovative casting technologies category?at the Aluminium & Nonfermet Expo in Poland. For information on the MCS, visit Pyrotek.com.

Pyrotek's Rafal Piech and Massi Doria accepted the award.

Pyrotek Introduces Low-flow Control Metal Delivery Overflow Transfer Pump

Fri, 05 Oct 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Dual-chamber overflow transfer system

Pyrotek recently developed a dual-chamber overflow transfer system (DC OTS) that can deliver consistent, smooth low flows of molten aluminium from a furnace to downstream processes.

“This is a pump that can transfer metal gently, smoothly, at very low flows, which is unique to mechanical pumps,” says Rob Grodeck, a mechanical designer for Pyrotek.

It has flow capabilities of 4–450 kilograms per minute, and replaces standard transfer pumps, tapping ports, and tilting furnaces. Its efficient and safe transfer reduces tap-out metal turbulence and minimizes oxide formation. It gently moves metal from the bottom of a transfer bowl to the top.

“You get the same quality pour each time,” Grodeck says. “Manually, an operator could pour fast or slow, but with this system the flow will be the same amount.”

The DC OTS, which has an electric motor, is easy to install. There are multiple bowl lengths available. Pyrotek engineers will set up automated controls for flow and metal level, using technologies such as lasers and floats. There are a variety of low-flow aluminium applications, including ingot casting of sow moulds. It can also be used in foundries that make larger castings.

“Every application is going to have to be considered individually to see how we tie into the existing furnace, and other engineering details like that,” says David Schlicht, a business manager for Pyrotek.

Plants already using the technology have seen the added safety this new technology provides. For example, it removes the need to have plant workers pulling a tap plug to start the flow down the trough system. Along with safety, the DC OTS reduces labour costs, with the pump handling more functions automatically compared with other mechanical pumps, he says.

Dual-chamber OTS in operation

Pyrotek Publishes Aluminium Insight October 2018

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 16:25:00 -0700

Pyrotek has published the October 2018 edition of the Aluminium Insight newsletter. Aluminium Insight offers industry stories and Pyrotek features, from the smelter to the foundry.?

Pyrotek Features:

Pyrotek introduces low-flow control overflow transfer pump
Pyrotek Profile: Marcin Smorawiński
Pyrotek launches Insight Blog on Pyrotek.com
Pyrotek to exhibit and present at ALUMINIUM 2018 and Die Casting Congress, exhibiting at FUNDIEXPO 2018

Other Highlights:

Kaiser acquires additive metal manufacturer
Constellium expands operations an its facility in Dahenfeld, Germany
Novelis to aquire Aleris for USD$2.6 billion
Sohar Aluminium and Synergies Castings to construct USD$100 million plant

Read Aluminium Insight now.

Pyrotek to Exhibit and Present at ALUMINIUM 2018

Wed, 26 Sep 2018 15:51:00 -0700

Pyrotek's Jonathan Klesch, Global Product Manager

Pyrotek will present and exhibit at ALUMINIUM 2018 in Düsseldorf, Germany, 9–11 October.

Jonathan Klesch, Pyrotek’s Global Product Manager for aluminium, will present "Decreasing Thermal Gradients via Tabletop Refractory Design," on Tuesday, 9 October, at 11 a.m. Klesch will discuss how integrating thermal insulation into tabletop refractory with high thermal resistance and low thermal expansion reduces metal delivery temperature without compromising joint integrity. The paper also includes a summary of computational and field validation studies.

During the 3-day event, Pyrotek application engineers from around the world will be available to discuss product and process solutions for aluminium producers. Pyrotek will showcase a wide range of products in the booth, including combo bags, various coatings, troughs, and filters.

Visit Pyrotek in Hall 11, Stand E30.

Pyrotek Launches Rigid Glasweve Filters for Low-pressure Casting

Wed, 26 Sep 2018 15:43:00 -0700

Pyrotek Rigid Glasweve Filters

Pyrotek has developed a new filtering product for foundries called Rigid Glasweve?. This patent-pending rigidized fibreglass sprue filter helps low-pressure casting aluminium foundries save money by internally remelting their own sprue returns—without sacrificing metal quality.

As pressure causes molten aluminium to rise in the stalk tube, it passes through a filter in the sprue bushing to fill and solidify in a mould. Along with the resulting cast aluminium part, there is also excess solidified metal that contains the sprue filter.

Until now, foundries typically haven’t been able to remelt and recycle aluminium sprue returns, also called “carrots,” internally. That’s because foundries conventionally use steel sprue filters, which would cause iron contamination in the melting furnace. Due to this, foundries have had to pay external companies to process their sprue returns, which can each weigh 150–250 grams (0.3–0.5 pounds). If a foundry produces 2–3 million aluminium sprue returns per year, the annual cost to have them externally processed is about EUR€200,000–300,000 (USD$236,000–$354,000).

Using Rigid Glasweve filters results in the filters floating at the top of the melting furnace bath because the fibreglass is less dense than the metal. Workers simply skim them off as part of normal furnace cleaning.

Rigid Glasweve filters combine a heat-resistant fibreglass fabric and a patented mixture. A unique manufacturing process is used to produce the filters, and they are robust enough that they maintain their shape throughout the low-pressure casting cycle. Pyrotek makes the filters in multiple shapes and dimensions, and designs can be customized. They don’t generate toxic fumes or gases when used or create porosity in cast parts, unlike competitor filters made of fibreglass with phenolic coatings. Rigid Glasweve filters are rigid enough that they don’t move during casting, compared with other fibreglass filters on the market that are easily displaced by molten aluminium flow.

Pyrotek adds small metal inserts to Rigid Glasweve filters in foundries where magnetic handling or X-ray detection or both are utilized, helping improve quality control.

CFF Replacement

Pyrotek Rigid Glasweve Filters for CFF Replacement

Pyrotek is also offering Rigid Glasweve for the additional purpose of ceramic foam filter (CFF) replacement in permanent mould and sand casting.

In contrast to ceramic foam filters, Rigid Glasweve filters provide customers with a cost-effective solution that doesn’t reduce casting quality. Thus far, customers have seen benefits such as more consistent pouring times, easier recycling gating, and an improved mould fit to prevent metal bypass.

Pyrotek offers global resources and local support.

News

Pyrotek Installs Another Integrated Melting System (IMS) at Customer Site

Another Pyrotek customer has recently added a new Pyrotek Integrated Melting System (IMS), a milestone in the customer’s journey toward greater efficiency and sustainability in aluminium recycling.

What is the Pyrotek Integrate Melting System (IMS)?

A unique and key integrated feature of the IMS is the Jet Bed Dryer.

Advantages of the Compact Jet Bed Dryer

Pyrotek Rigid Glasweve? Filters Help Foundries Accelerate Toward Sustainability Goals

Pyrotek Rigid Glasweve? (RGW) filters are the chosen filtration and flow-control solution of modern, environmentally conscious foundries seeking to minimize their impact on the environment.

Something else to consider: waste dumped into landfills. Foundry operators find that filter waste is reduced by 85%-plus due to the smaller mass of each filter used in their process. This helps with reducing waste transport, cost of disposal, and the volume of material in landfills.

RGW Global Impact

Ceramic foam filters remain an excellent filtration and flow device. In recent years, Pyrotek CFF production teams have made strides to improve CFF's environmental impact. Part of that includes purchasing renewable energy and improving energy efficiency by 21%.

More information:

Rigid Glasweve Filters for Low-Pressure Casting

Rigid Glasweve Filters for Sand and Permanent Mould Casting

Pyrotek Shares New Casthouse Innovations at NorCast Conference

ARENDAL, Norway – More than 120 aluminium casthouse leaders at NorCast 2023 in Arendal learned Tuesday, June 6, about Pyrotek’s two new critical casthouse innovations, the Ring-Fit and Fracture-Guard Transition Plates.

Electromagnetic Priming of Aluminium Filtration Systems: Pyrotek EM-DF

Full priming of single and multiple CFFs.

Controlled priming via electromotive/Lorentz forces, dynamic metal velocity, and static metal head.

Standard filter box design with slightly deeper box and induction coils.

EM field applied only during the priming and draining stage.

Filtration operation on fully primed CFFs promotes:?consistent filtration efficiency, stable operation, and reliable performance.

YouTube video showing the EM-DF System

Does the above interest you? Interested in innovative new technology? Want to learn more about how Pyrotek could help provide your business with engineering solutions?

Come and visit us at the TMS 2023 Annual Meeting & Exhibition March 19–23, 2023 | San Diego Convention Center & Hilton San Diego Bayfront.

Robert Fritzsch will be presenting the technical aspects of our new EM-DF on 20/03/2023 at 14:05-14:30 in the Convention Center - C31.

Abstract from Electromagnetic Priming of Filtration Systems (Pyrotek EM-DF) paper:

Major Foundry in Spain Installs Pyrotek Degassing Units to Optimize Metal Treatment

MAPSA, the largest wheel caster in Spain, has just expanded its metal treatment technology with new Pyrotek aluminium degassing machines. Compared with other units on the market, Pyrotek's machines ensured repeatability in the metal density.

CASE STUDY: Steel Plant Reduces Energy Loss by Choosing ISOMAG Structural Insulation

Case Study: Pyrotek delivered an insulating solution that enabled a customer in Eastern Europe to reduce energy consumption related to their steel ladle by EUR€250,000 per year and delivered a return on their investment in less than three months.

USA Plant Recruitment Videos Earn Telly Award

Pyrotek Receives Contractor Award from Constellium Muscle Shoals

Ceramite Dual-Cast Crucibles Offer Maximum Life

At 2.5 tonnes of capacity for molten metal, a Pyrotek Ceramite? Dual-Cast Crucible transfer ladle is the largest in use today at any foundry in Western Europe. It’s currently performing successfully for a premium automotive foundry in Germany.

Baili Bowers - Pyrotek Engineering Internship Success Story

Congratulations to Baili Bowers for completing her internship with Pyrotek Columbia City. Baili has been diligently working part time for more than a year. She continues to be instrumental to the success of many projects, including new products and process improvements.

Blansko Earns Renewable Energy Certificate

As the European aluminium industry keeps pushing suppliers to be more "green," Pyrotek Blansko is already in a great position to meet targets as leaders there have made sure operations run sustainably using renewable energy sources.

Anovion Launches as a Leader in the North American Battery Materials Supply Chain Bringing Proven Anode Technologies and Over 140 Years of History in Synthetic Graphite Production

Acquisition of Pyrotek’s Battery Materials Division Now Positions Anovionwith the Largest Commercial Production Capacity for Key Anode Material in the USAwith Expansion Plans to Address the Rapidly Growing Market Needs

Pyrotek Delivers Experienced Furnace Cleaning Services

Regularly cleaning furnaces can significantly contribute to better metal quality.

Pyrotek Ceramite? Floor Tiles Withstand Extreme Environments, Ideal for High-Wear Areas

Eliminate?Concerns About Flooring

Pyrotek Transfer Line is Ideal Customized Solution for Foundry in Spain – And Right on Time in Urgent Situation During Holiday Production Shutdown

Summary

Pyrotek Highlights

Case Study

Success

Automotive Assembly Plant in Mexico Selects Pyrotek’s Rigid Glasweve? Filters as Standard Filter for Casting Cylinder Heads

The aluminium foundry at a major automotive operation in Mexico is now using?Rigid Glasweve? (RGW) filters as part of its cylinder head casting process, finding after a large-scale trial that RGW reduced scrap compared with the use of ceramic foam filters (CFF).

Rigid Glasweve? Filters for Permanent Mould, Sand-Casting Improvement

Remelt Gating Problem Free

Eliminate Snow, Reduce Scrap

Better Reliability and Repeatability

CASE STUDY: Cable Casting Operation Turns to Pyrotek Experts For Advanced Molten Copper Transfer Solution

First Step: Learn and Gather Information

Solution

CASE STUDY: Aluminium Plant Improves Potroom Crucible Lining Service Life by Five Times

A large aluminium producing plant in Turkey has found that choosing a Ceramite? refractory lining for its crucibles increased the service life of the linings by five times - and resulted in easier and reduced maintenance, along with increased efficiency and more production time.

Solution

Rigid Glasweve Replaces CFF as a Production Filter at Major Automotive Caster in Spain

Rigid Glasweve? (RGW) filters?have been chosen as the preferred filter for the sand casting process at a?major automotive parts caster?in Spain, Saint Jean Industries – Valladolid (SJI).

RGW generates the same quality castings as CFF, but at a lower cost per filter. It also delivers a number of meaningful process benefits.

SJI, which had been using CFF, made the switch primarily because of part-cost savings. Another factor was improved metal flow, which reduces the cost of operations for them by extending pump life.?All of this was provided while maintaining the quality of SJI’s castings.

www.98kb.net??

EnerSys and Pyrotek Team Up to Compete in AFWERX Energy Showcase

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Pyrotek’s Machined Graphite Parts for Float Glass

French Foundry Turns to Pyrotek for Critical Furnace Project Amid Health Crisis

MEET PYROTEK: Q & A with Ross McGregor, Milton Keynes, U.K.

Q & A?

MEET PYROTEK: Q & A with Gary Bywater, Milton Keynes, U.K.

Q & A

MEET PYROTEK: Q & A with Karlis Zivtins, Milton Keynes, U.K.

Q & A

The Pyrotek Flat Flame Burner – Precise, Efficient, Uniform Priming of CFFs and Filter Boxes

Technical Data

For more information, contact Ale? Bláha at alebla@Pyrotek.com.

Pyrotek Coatings Expert: Right Product and Application Will Protect Your Capital Investments and Improve Your Metal Quality Now

Acquisition of Pyrotek’s Battery Materials Division Now Positions Anovion
with the Largest Commercial Production Capacity for Key Anode Material in the USA
with Expansion Plans to Address the Rapidly Growing Market Needs