Fully Automatic Recipe Management to ATEX Standards

For core sand preparation applications — one of the foundry industry's critical processes — VOLDE designs and builds turnkey facilities that enable a large number of powder raw materials to be managed automatically, safely, and according to the recipe. The system is designed modularly so that it can operate with a variable number of raw materials depending on the foundry process, product diversity, and production capacity.

| Fully Automatic Recipe Preparation

In the core sand recipe preparation and blending system;

• Quartz, chromite, and zircon sands
• Alumina-based additives
• Magnesium-based reactive powders
• Binders
• Hardeners and functional additives

these are loaded into multiple feeding stations arranged in two linear rows. This both makes the process compact and ensures it operates independently of the operator. Big bags are discharged safely and ergonomically using a monorail-type, remote-controlled electric hoist mounted on the steel construction.

| Each Feeding Unit Has Its Own Dosing and Weighing System

Raw materials are weighed independently on a station-by-station basis, ensuring high precision. The entire facility operates with fully automatic recipe management. In the system, which operates without requiring operator intervention, the mobile dosing cart automatically determines which raw material is to be taken from which station and in what quantity, according to the recipe.

• The cart automatically positions itself beneath the relevant station
• The big bag spout is closed with a leak-tight connection
• The weighed raw material is transferred in a controlled, dust-free manner
• The system moves on to the next station according to the recipe sequence

During this process, sands, binders, and additive powders with different grain structures and flow characteristics are collected in full, in the ratios defined in the recipe. Once all raw materials in the recipe have been collected, a check-weigh (final verification weighing) is carried out.

The collected blend is homogeneously mixed in the mixer within the production process, and the final product is packaged according to process requirements. This structure eliminates batch-to-batch quality differences, ensuring consistency in product performance.

| ATEX-Compliant Safe Process Design

Some raw materials used in core sand recipes may contain fine powders with reactive or flammable properties, based on alumina, magnesium, or similar materials. Such materials require special design due to the risk of an explosive dust atmosphere.

In this scope, the specific units that feed raw materials with flammability potential are designed and manufactured by VOLDE in compliance with ATEX standards, featuring;

• Fully enclosed construction
• Equipment selection compliant with ATEX zone classification
• Grounding against the risk of static electricity and sparks
• Leak-tight dosing and weighing structure

The central dust extraction system located throughout the facility is also engineered to ATEX standards, suitable for explosive dust environments. This system guarantees both operator safety and process continuity.