EXCURSION TO A FOUNDRY

The Leipziger foundry Keßler produces steel and grey cast iron parts already from lot sizes of one piece and also produces the moulds used for this purpose itself. The alloys are specially composed and mixed according to customer requirements, as is the case in most foundries. The company also has its own testing laboratory where both the alloys and the finished parts are tested for the desired properties. In contrast to casting in oil sand, here the sand casting moulds are produced in a chemically hardening sand-resin mixture. This mixture breaks down again due to the temperature development during casting and the cast can therefore be easily removed from the mould. Depending on their complexity, the casting moulds consist of many parts and also core pieces. For special geometries, such as an aircraft engine, the cores are produced in 3D printing in a neighbouring foundry. Besides these special orders, parts for hydroelectric power plants and pumps are the daily business of the foundry.