We recently designed and implemented a state-of-the-art, automated billet casting shop for a major client, empowering their extrusion operations with unmatched efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
Project Overview & Client Challenge
This project was built around supporting the client's five extrusion presses, which handle diameters from 7 to 14 inches and produce profiles ranging from small architectural trims to large sections up to 19 inches wide. Their integrated production line also includes finishing processes like anodizing, polishing, painting, CNC machining, and assembly.
A key driver for this new casting facility was sustainability and supply chain optimization. The client's large factory site allowed for the co-location of the new casting shop, which was critical to their goal of minimizing scrap transport. Previously, the annual transportation of internal scrap and the return of bills required up to 3,000 truck journeys. Bringing the casting process in-house drastically reduced their carbon footprint and eliminated the risks associated with this extensive road transport.
Safety was another paramount concern. The design prioritized the safety of personnel and operators through a high degree of automation, especially in areas handling molten metal.
Fig. 1 The casting area includes two melting and holding furnaces for feeding the casting line, which is managed by a control room.
Our Integrated, Automated Solution
We provided a complete, turnkey melting and casting solution. Beyond core equipment like two melting furnaces, a degassing and filtration system, and the casting machine, the package included:
Fig 2.The casting table is running on the production line.
A complete water management system for the entire shop.
A dual-spool abrasive rod feeder.
An automatic emergency trough clean-out machine.
Fully automated casting pit safety covers.
Key Equipment & Technological Highlights
Fig. 3 The furnace is equipped with a permanent magnet stirrer to improve the efficiency of the melting process.
High-Capacity, Efficient Melting Furnaces
The heart of the shop features two 110,000 lb capacity melting/holding furnaces. They are equipped with:
Ultra-low NOx, regenerative burner systems for energy savings.
MagStir™ Permanent Magnetic Stirrers (Fig. 3), ensuring melt homogeneity and temperature uniformity while consuming minimal power (~10 kW/h) and requiring almost no maintenance.
Patented Metal Purification
Fig. 4The charging machine evenly distributes the waste material into the furnace.
Metal purity is guaranteed by a patented LARS® molten metal degassing and purification system, coupled with a Ceramic Foam Filter (CFF) system. This ensures the molten metal delivered to the billet table has extremely low hydrogen content and is free from inclusions.
Automated Charging and Dross Management
An automated charger distributes up to 33,000 lbs of scrap evenly across the furnace bath in under 90 seconds (Fig. 4).
An intelligent automated dross machine (Fig. 5), integrated with AI cameras, performs precise, repeatable skimming. It removes dross while retaining valuable aluminum, reduces refractory damage, and enhances operator safety.
Fig. 5 The degreasing process is fully automated and requires no human intervention.
Integrated Casting & Control System
Billets are cast on a dual-station DC casting machine integrated with peripheral pit equipment, featuring three stations for 10", 12", and 14" billets (Fig. 2).
A central Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system seamlessly integrates all processes. It enforces casting recipes for consistent, high-quality billet production and provides real-time monitoring for managers. Quality is further verified through chemical checks, hydrogen validation, and ultrasonic testing for cracks.
Post-Casting Automated Handling & Sawing
Fig. 6 An automated processing and sawing system handles aluminum bars after casting and transports them to a homogenizing furnace.
To eliminate the need for forklifts in the casting area—a key safety goal—we installed a fully automated handling system (Fig. 6).
Billets are lifted from the pit, lowered onto a transfer table, and undergo ultrasonic inspection.
An automated saw trims the ends, with scrap managed by a conveyor for recycling.
Each billet is automatically stamped with an alloy code and cast number.
Two gantry stacker systems then build loads for the homogenization furnaces, using spacers to separate layers. Rejected billets are automatically diverted.
Streamlined Homogenization Process
The layout enables a highly efficient homogenization workflow. While one stack is being processed inside the furnace, the next stack is prepared on an adjacent station. This allows the next cycle to begin almost immediately after the previous one concludes. After homogenization, the same gantry system de-stacks the cooled billets for bundling and transport to the extrusion press warehouse.
Results & Benefits Delivered
This customized casting shop has transformed our client's operations by:
Enhancing Safety: Extensive automation minimizes human interaction with molten metal and heavy loads.
Boosting Sustainability: Eliminating 3,000 annual truck shipments significantly reduces their environmental impact.
Ensuring Quality: Advanced purification and integrated process control guarantee superior billet quality.
Optimizing Efficiency: Automated logistics and a streamlined homogenization process create a continuous, high-throughput workflow.
