Zeulenroda-Triebes, Germany - The Metal Foundry Brückner, headquartered in East Thuringia, approached Kurtz Casting Solutions with a special request. Brückner, which has decades of experience in gravity casting, needed more precise filling and maximum quality, following a customer inquiry. Kurtz Ersa supplied Brückner with the right solution via a tiltable casting machine.
New customer relations between Kurz Ersa and foundries often begin with special customer requests.
In this instance, the Metal Foundry Bruckner received a query for five different cast parts weighing between 3-5kg in the summer of 2023.
As their new client considered an annual order volume of at least 2,000 pieces each, the previous manufacturing process using sand casting was called into question. The firm contemplated the prospect of manufacturing with a permanent mold.
Permanent mold casting is ideal for producing large quantities economically.
Since the casting pieces are produced in an outstanding, reproducible quality, this type of manufacturing is particularly suitable for parts that must meet highest standards of dimensional accuracy. This made Kurtz’s casting solutions a great match for Brückner's new customer, who’s cast parts had high quality requirements for drive technology in boat building.
Brückner lands the deal
Metal foundry Brückner excels in its short delivery times, flexibility and high-quality.
The cast parts by Brückner are mainly manufactured for pump technology, electrical engineering, furniture industry and railroad technology.
Continuous investments have allowed Brückner to defy current crises. The firm will therefore maintain its production site in Germany.
In October 2023, Metal Foundry Brückner secured an order for the first three cast parts for boat building after several preliminary discussions and showcasing their references. Initial simulations at Brückner highlighted challenges with the feeding behavior, particularly the formation of shrinkage cavities in areas where they were not permitted. These cavities occur when the molten aluminum shrinks as it cools and solidifies. The tilt casting process, however, offers significantly better quality than traditional gravity casting. To ensure the highest quality, Brückner suggested producing three of the five parts using tilt casting.
Multiple meetings were needed to persuade the customer of the benefits of tilt casting. During these discussions, the advantages of the process were thoroughly explained. The key benefit is the controlled filling enabled by the machine’s tilting motion. This allows for a moderate filling speed, reducing foaming. The process requires less gate and feeder weight, which decreases aluminum usage and leads to substantial cost savings. Additionally, tilt casting makes it easier to produce higher unit weights with more complexity and thinner walls. Improved venting in tilt casting also results in fewer air inclusions.
Tilt Casting successfully completes Simulation Test
Once the client was convinced of the tilt casting process, an external toolmaker provided valuable insights into the optimal gating technology through simulations. The toolmaker confirmed that tilt casting was the ideal method for the three selected cast parts. In November 2023, Metal Foundry Brückner began searching for a tilt casting machine that could be quickly made available. Until 2023, Brückner had exclusively used the gravity casting process. Expanding their foundry to include tilt casting had been under consideration for some time, but until then, they hadn’t received any orders requiring this process, which would justify such an investment.
A reliable tilt casting system with a monitored and controlled casting process not only boosts efficiency and part quality but also opens up new market opportunities through an expanded machine park.
Kurtz Ersa Enlisted
In December 2023, the moment arrived. Brückner reached out to Kurtz Ersa, outlining their needs and specifying the exact casting requirements of their customer. This led to an in-depth discussion about the requirements for the tilt casting machine, with an emphasis on the need for rapid production.
A precise outcome: On December 22, 2023—the last working day before the Christmas break—Brückner received confirmation from their new customer that the cast parts would be produced using the tilt casting process. Consequently, Kurtz Ersa was awarded the order for this machine on the same day. The project kicked off at full speed in the new year.
After numerous meetings between Brückner, their toolmaker, and Kurtz Ersa, the optimal casting design was determined. Meanwhile, production of the machine was underway at Kurtz Ersa's main plant in Wiebelbach. By mid-June 2024, the new tilt casting machine was ready for delivery to the Metal Foundry Brückner in Zeulenroda-Triebes. The machine was installed, anchored to the floor, and set into operation. Following the successful casting of the first samples in July, series production began without any issues.
The Kurtz Casting Solutions team would like to express its gratitude for the excellent collaboration and the trusting relationship throughout the project. We look forward to a long-term partnership and many more successful projects together.
Glück auf!
About the Metal Foundry Brückner
The Metal Foundry Brückner was founded in 1967 in Zeulenroda-Triebes in East Thuringia Germany. The firm, which was located in the former GDR, was launched by the master toolmaker Heinz Brückner. Brückner managed the company for 51 years. The Metal Foundry Brückner is currently managed by Ina Schmidt, second generation of the family, who took over in 2018. Schmid had already been working in foundry for over 20 years.
Today, Schmidt runs the firm together with her husband Thomas, who is in charge of the foundry. Their two sons also contribute to the continued existence of the family business. Dominic Schmidt is a master craftsman in precision mechanics, while Dustin Schmidt has a bachelor's degree in foundry technology.
The headquarters still produce high-quality aluminum castings in the same location using a permanent mold casting process.
The Metal Foundry Brückner specializes in aluminum gravity casting via subsequent machining. The foundry has its own fettling shop, a machining department, and a heat treatment system. Brückner provides its national and international customers with an extensive wealth of experience in traditional craftsmanship as well as with the latest machine technology.Source: Tenova
