REPORT ON THE INDUSTRIAL VISIT TO HINDUJA FOUNDRIES LTD. SRIPERUMBUDUR.

Submitters Name

Gokuul V

Submitters Roll No. 2010110010

Course

Science Engineering

BE Materials and

Faculty Sethuraman

Dr. AV

Remarks

Introduction: Need of the industrial visit:

This industrial visit was needed to bridge the gap between the concepts of the course studied to their practical application in the industry.

Objectives of the visit:

The visit had an objective to see and understand the following processes: The type of patterns made and pattern making techniques and technologies employed. The Computer Aided Machining and Designing processes. The type of molding process adopted. The composition of sand and other chemicals used. The type of automation in the process. The process used to test the molding sand prepared. The automation in the molding process. The type of core making machines and processes. The melting furnaces used and their capacity. The type of pouring used in the foundry. The method of cooling adopted. Machining processes present in the foundry Fettling Inspection systems.

Visit details: When?

The visit took place on 27th August, 2011 from 2:00 pm to 4:52 pm.

Where?

The visit took place at Hinduja Foundries, Sipcot Industrial Estate, Sriperumbudur.

Safety precautions:

Everyone was given helmets and was asked to wear shoes for the purpose of safety. The instructions about
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how to walk inside the factory were given by the companys advisors.

The presentation:

Before the visit the HRM team of Hinduja Foundries gave the students a presentation over the facilities, their market value outlining the business trend and the use of the castings made by them in India and abroad. The presentation also outlined the various processes in the foundry. Some notable points in the presentation were: Hinduja Foundries Ltd. is the largest foundry business group in India having a value of about 12 billion US dollars and it was founded in 1961. The foundry group has plants at Ennore, Hyderabad and Sriperumbudur. The plant at Sriperumbudur was started in September, 2007. It is a Green Field Foundry with a span of about 75 Acres. The are the leaders in making engine blocks and cylinder heads for various car and HCV majors in India like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Ashok Leyland etc. 30% of the engines in India work on their produce. They make Grey Iron, Ductile Iron and Aluminium castings. Their annual produce is about 72,000 tonnes. Engine blocks and cylinder heads (57%), transmission housings, transmission cases, axle housings, wheel hubs and differential carriers are their major produce. The weight range per casting varies between 25-135 kgs. 98% of their produce is used for domestic purpose. The workforce of the foundry consists of 6% professional and engineers, 25% engineering
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diploma holders, 62% technicians and 7% other graduates.

Production Process Flow

 The foundry uses water jacket and oil channel

technologies for inspection. The following diagram shows the different test in the foundry.

Washing

Oil Channel

Leak test

Fixture

Rust Prevention

Endoscopy Test

Drying

Visits progress: Tool shop:

The machining shop in the industry has a large amount of facilities. There and 3- axes machining

machines, 5- axes machining machines with horizontal and vertical heavy machining centers.

3- Axes machines:
This machine with CNC operation is capable of machining to an accuracy of about 0.02 mm. The tool can be fitted in three axes x, y, z and machining is possible

5- Axes machine:

This machine is used for highly sophisticated and

complex cutting processes. In addition to the three co-ordinate axes the machine can also work in two more axes a and b by holding the tool in any bent position. It is used in the case of foundry tooling and aero squeeze castings.

Horizontal machining center: (HX-800i)

Simultaneous 4-Axis machining can be done. Accuracy: +/-0,001 mm / full stroke Repeatability: +/-0,0009 mm It has a 35 HP 12,000 RPM 2-step geared spindle. Intelligent Advance Control System Ballscrew Cooling standard Power Requirement 55 kVA The machine is capable of putting very accurate and fine holes in the castings. The cutting tool is of carbide material.

 The coolant used is NH-7010 with demineralised water. In addition to the cutting machines the tool room also has white light scanners, 3D Co-ordinate measuring machines and CAD/CAM labs for precise measurement. Auto CAD 2D is used for Surface modeling. CATIA Vpro is used for 3D modeling.
The white light scanners are used

check the final dimensions along with C MM have to give precise matching of dimensions.

Sand Plant:

The foundry uses a Green Sand molding process which is automated heavily to provide very good surface finish of the casting produced.

Preparation of the molding sand:

The molding sand is prepared using a continuous

mixer + 130 polygon screen hopper from KUNKEL WAGNER. The process is completely automated using computers. The sand plant consists of three lines named group 100, group 200 and group 400. Group 100 is used for getting the return sand and is heated to remove moisture. Group 200 is used for temperature reduction.

 Group 400 for further processing. The operation is of batch type. The cycle time is 90-120 seconds for mixing of other chemicals. The hopper has a capacity of about 100 tonnes. The usable batch at a time has 6.3 tonnes. My comp is the software console for monitoring the sand preparation process. The working principle of the continuous mixer-cooler allows an automatic dosage of additives as powder or in form of a suspension during the cooling process. The homogenized return sand having a moisture content of approx. 2.5 % is stored in a hopper plant where the swelling of the thermally different bentonite and of the fresh bentonite takes place. An electronically controlled sand discharge gate provided with an electric actuating drive stabilizing the sand flow and ensuring a uniform sand volume inside the sand cooler. Optimum conditioning of the return sand by: An intensive blending of the contents of several poured moulds. Effective cooling of the return sand to a temperature appropriate for the mixing and molding process. A uniform moistening to keep a defined value with a tolerance of 0.2 %. The molded and cooled sand is now taken through the conveyor to the lump breaker. The sand is now sieved and fine sand is then sent for testing. The testing of the sand is done by screen filters and sand testing machines for its green compression strength, green shear strength, shatter index, permeability and malleability. The tested and certified sand is then sent for molding.

Molding practice:
The molding process is a high pressure molding process. The assembly line used is KUNKEL WAGNER High Pressure Molding Line DFM Turntable Molding Machine

The operating pressure is of 120 atm and squeeze pressure is about 260 atm. Controlled and adjustable airflow intensity to ensure an optimum pre-compaction close to the pattern contour and at critical points. Active squeezing by a multi-piston squeeze head transferred to the compaction and lowering station, with separately adjustable squeeze force and squeeze time for the individual pressure circuits. The molding sand is first filled in the cope and drag boxes. It is then sent into the molding machine to mold it with high pressure. The cope and drag boxes are then separated using a turntable. The separated drag and cope boxes are then sent through two different lines. The necessary adjustment for providing cores and balance points etc. are done during the process.
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 All the molding processes are computer controlled. After the shape is got in the sand then the two boxes are tightly secured by using automated machines and are ready for pouring.

Core- making:
Cores are made by both hot box and cold box processes.

Hot Box process:

In the hot box process the cores are made by first cleaning the machine with pressurized air. Then the machine from LORAMENDI is used to carry out the process of heating the sand and making the exact shape.

Cold Box process:

The cold box process is carried out using the core shooter method. Per hopper quantity is about 120kg. To the sand 0.8% resin and 0.75% hardener is added but the composition is subject to variation according to customer requirements. Amine gas is used to cure the molds. For every two cycles the resins are refilled.

Robotic molding line:

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 The special robotic line for molding of complex cores and also for their cleaning. An accuracy of about 0.01mm can be achieved using this machine. The cores thus prepared are then coated with paints to improve surface finish and sent for molding.

Melting and pouring:

The foundry has two types furnace for primary melting and other for maintaining composition.

Primary melting:
The primary melting of the metal is done in a modern cupola of 3 ton/1hour capacity. There are two of those cupolas present. The cupolas are gas fired to provide a smokeless environment. The metal is melted to about 12501310C in the cupola and is then conveyed to the induction furnace. Hot gases present are sucked by pressure. Coke balls are used to fill the furnace with the metal.

Secondary melting and maintaining composition:

This process is carried on using a Channel type press pour furnace.

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 This is a medium frequency induction furnace with a operating frequency of 200 Hz. The capacity is 14.5 tonnes but usable capacity is of 10 tonnes. The power required is 320 kW. There is a signal board for indicating the composition of different materials. Thus the composition is maintained. The charges used by the foundry are 50% steels, 40% returns and 10% other alloys. Inoculants of type I and type II are used for faster nucleation and uniformity.

Pouring:
The pouring is done by press pour method. The metal is collected in an 8 ton capacity ladle and is poured into the automated pouring unit. The pouring unit uses pressure pouring principle to avoid the defects of manual pouring. The power required is 500 kW. 10 tonnes per hour can be poured. The casting is then sent for cooling.

Cooling:
Air cooling is practiced to give better surface finish. The cooling time is minimum of 2 hours and may vary with size of casting.

Knock out:

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 The knock out is carried out using high pressure and magnetic machines and sent for fettling.

Fettling:
The casting is then shot ballasted and then sent for final finishing and inspection. It is then packed and shipped to the customer.

Highlights of the foundry:

Controlled charging systems. Induction melting furnaces. 10 ton press pour with joystick control. KW HPML impact squeeze machine. Automated sand plants and controls. Manipulated pick up. Robots for precise core making.

Conclusion:
Thus this foundry is heavily mechanized to avoid any type of errors and thus it maintains the quality of the requirement. This makes Hinduja Group the best foundry group in India. The objectives of the industrial visit were met and a clear understanding of various concepts was seen.

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