Strengthening Our Commitment to Environmental Stewardship

Setting the Standard for Efficient, Eco‑Conscious Manufacturing

As expectations for efficiency, material control, and sustainability continue to rise across the foundry industry, we have taken deliberate steps to strengthen our role as responsible stewards of both resources and performance. Through a strategic $1.75 million investment, we have implemented targeted improvements that enhance throughput, tighten material consistency, and significantly reduce waste—while continuing to deliver high‑quality sand printing products to our foundry partners.

These upgrades expand our ability to receive bulk silica sand by rail, reclaim up to 90% of sand waste, and ensure consistent, repeatable performance across all printed cores and molds.

Railcar Sand Extraction: Improving Throughput and Material Integrity

Our original railcar unloading method relied on a pneumatic transfer system, using a large blower and vacuum to move sand from the railcar into storage silos. While effective, this approach required approximately 15 hours to unload a full 200,000 lbs. of silica sand and introduced unnecessary handling stress on the material.

To better align with increasing production demands, we transitioned to a belt conveyor extraction system. Using two conveyors to feed directly into the silo’s top inlet, unloading time has been reduced to just 2.5 hours. Beyond the dramatic gain in throughput, conveyor transfer preserves sand integrity by minimizing abrasion during handling.

This improvement ensures faster material availability, supports tighter production schedules, and reduces the necessary use of my neighbor’s owned rail spur.

Sand Screening and GFN Control: Ensuring Consistency at Every Stage

Controlling sand quality remains central to consistent printing performance. To maintain strict Grain Fineness Number (GFN) control, all incoming sand is processed through a large vibratory screener designed to remove both oversized and undersized particles. This ensures a uniform grain distribution that aligns precisely with our established GFN specifications.

Quality verification is conducted three times daily using a Simpson Laboratory Sifter, allowing us to continuously monitor and document consistency. Maintaining a stable GFN across all printing material directly supports optimal sand grain strength, surface finish, and repeatability sand printing.

Once screened and verified, sand is immediately staged and ready for use in our printing systems without additional handling or delay.

Thermal Sand Reclaiming: Turning Waste into a Reusable Resource

Before installing our thermal sand reclaiming system, approximately 65% of loose sand from printing operations was sent to landfill. The remaining 35% could be blended with virgin sand for subsequent job box orders. Recognizing both the environmental and cost implications, we made the decision to invest in a thermal reclaimer to drastically reduce material waste and cost to dispose of this material.

Through extensive trials and process refinement, we developed a reliable thermal reclaiming system capable of returning used sand media to a near‑virgin state. Sand and ceramic containing residual binder and activator is processed through two separate trommels and heated to approximately 1200°F, allowing the chemical to burn off while preserving grain structure and maintaining GFN integrity. Continuous rotation ensures uniform heat exposure and consistent results.

To verify performance, reclaimed sand is inspected using a newly acquired Keyence microscope, allowing us to confirm that grain morphology remains intact. This verification step provides confidence that reclaimed sand meets the same performance standards as virgin material before reintroduction into production.

The result is a closed‑loop approach that minimizes landfill disposal, reduces silica sand and ceramic purchasing requirements, and maintains the material quality expectations demanded by the foundry industry.

Delivering Value Through Smart Investment

These targeted improvements have strengthened our control over silica and ceramic sand logistics, reduced freight costs, increased production responsiveness, and tightened consistency across all sand printing operations. Most importantly, they demonstrate our commitment to minimizing environmental impact while delivering dependable, high‑quality products to our foundry partners.

By investing in efficiency, material stewardship, and process reliability, we continue to support both sustainable manufacturing practices and long‑term value for the foundry industry.