Poitras Foundry orders SinterCast Ladle Tracker® technology

• Ladle Tracker installation for grey and ductile iron automotive foundry
• Improved process control, quality assurance, productivity and traceability
• First stand-alone installation of SinterCast Ladle Tracker® technology

[L’islet, Quebec and Stockholm, 30 August 2018] – Poitras Foundry, a grey and ductile iron automotive component foundry located in Quebec, Canada, has become the first foundry to order the stand-alone ladle tracking technology developed by the Swedish process control specialist SinterCast. The technology is based on the placement of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on each ladle and the installation of tag readers at key locations in the foundry. With four melting furnaces, four magnesium treatment tundish ladles, more than ten pouring ladles and two moulding lines, the installation includes twelve different tracking positions to ensure that every ladle has successfully passed each step of the production process. The Poitras installation has been specified to ensure that the magnesium treatment is successfully completed, that the ladle weight and temperature are within pre-set limits and that the pouring time is not exceeded. The installation includes automatic lock-out of the production if any step has not been successfully completed. The Ladle Tracker results will also provide traceability to identify why and where any ladle falls out of the process, allowing corrective actions to be implemented to improve productivity. The installation is planned for autumn 2018. 

“The SinterCast Ladle Tracker® technology complements our heritage of investment in innovative technologies and our focus on automation. Our assessment of the technology has identified unique opportunities to improve our process control, our traceability, and our overall efficiency” said Mr. Claude Massé, President and owner of Fonderie Poitras. “As our business has grown, our ladle traffic and our process flow have become more challenging. The installation of the Ladle Tracker technology enables us to automate the process, providing improved control for our foundry, and improved confidence for our customers.”

“The initial development of our Ladle Tracker technology was realised as an extension of our System 3000 process control platform for the production of Compacted Graphite Iron. The Poitras installation now represents our first stand-alone Ladle Tracker installation for grey and ductile iron foundries. It also represents our first order in Canada, marking 14 countries with SinterCast installations” said Dr. Steve Dawson, President & CEO of SinterCast. “We have received unanimously positive feedback from the industry regarding our Ladle Tracker and Cast Tracker technologies, reinforcing our position as a developer and provider of novel precision measurement technologies that improve process control and process efficiency in the metals industry.”

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Poitras Foundry is a Tier II supplier to the automotive industry.  Located in L’Islet, Quebec, Poitras specialises in the high-volume production of small grey and ductile iron drivetrain components to a wide range of international customers.  Poitras has developed its business on the principles of quality, innovation, strategic partnerships with suppliers, and continuous improvement through the investment in state-of-the-art equipment and control technologies.  Founded in 1920, Poitras has invested more than CDN 30 million since 2000.  For more information:  http://www.fonderiepoitras.com. 

SinterCast is the world’s leading supplier of process control technology for the reliable high volume production of Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI). With at least 75% higher tensile strength, 45% higher stiffness and approximately double the fatigue strength of conventional grey cast iron and aluminium, CGI allows engine designers to improve performance, fuel economy and durability while reducing engine size, weight, noise and emissions. The SinterCast technology, with 45 installations in 13 countries, is primarily used for the production of petrol and diesel engine cylinder blocks and exhaust components for passenger vehicles, medium-duty and heavy-duty cylinder blocks and heads for commercial vehicles, and industrial power engine components for marine, rail, off-road and stationary engine applications. SinterCast supports the series production of components ranging from 2.7 kg to 9 tonnes, all using the same proven process control technology.  As a specialist supplier of precision measurement and process control solutions to the metals industry, SinterCast also supplies a suite of tracking technologies, including the SinterCast Ladle Tracker®, Cast Tracker™ and Operator Tracker™, to improve process control, productivity and traceability in a variety of applications.  The SinterCast share is quoted on the Small Cap segment of the Nasdaq Stockholm stock exchange (SINT). For more information: www.sintercast.com

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