New custom-built steel foundry to bolster UK steel casting innovation

The new advanced steels casting facility consists of two Inductotherm air melting induction furnaces with a combined 2.8t melt capacity, able to produce cast parts with a finished weight of up to 1,300kg.

The £600,000 investment into the new foundry will allow the AMRC Castings group to conduct innovative research and product development projects in collaboration with its industrial partners for the benefit of industry sectors in which castings are, or could be used in the future.

The opening of the new facility is a significant event for the UK foundry sector, said AMRC Castings’ Ryan Longden: “Keeping the UK at the forefront of steel castings technology is the only way to ensure the capability survives. It’s our aim to support steel foundries at home in the UK and around the world and castings users wanting to push the boundaries of current castings processes.”

The new advanced steels casting facility is fully operational and being used to contribute to a collaborative project for the energy sector.

Mr Longden continued: “Using the new facility alongside our MEGAshell process allows us to put our technical expertise to full use and conduct pioneering research for the energy sector into producing cast steel components that are more cost and time effective to manufacture.”

The MEGAshell process is a ceramic shell moulding and casting process that provides improved dimensional accuracy and superior surface quality compared to traditional sand-moulded castings.

AMRC www.amrc.co.uk