Didion
DIDION® rotary sprue crusher/cleaner with Conveyor Dynamics vibratory feed conveyor.
DIDION® rotary sprue crusher/cleaner with Conveyor Dynamics vibratory feed conveyor.
DIDION® rotary sprue crusher/cleaner with Conveyor Dynamics vibratory feed conveyor.
DIDION® rotary sprue crusher/cleaner with Conveyor Dynamics vibratory feed conveyor.
DIDION® rotary sprue crusher/cleaner with Conveyor Dynamics vibratory feed conveyor.

A New Spin on Recovering Metallics

Jan. 1, 2018
Customized rotary sprue handling improves the quality of furnace charges, and makes casting cleaning processes cleaner and more efficient.

The new DIDION® Rotary Sprue Crusher/Cleaner has created new efficiencies for a lot foundries looking to crush their “gangly” sprue for easier handling and a better, denser charge for melting. In the same action, sand lumps are reduced to keep them out of the furnaces providing significant furnace energy savings.

This rotary drum system has been customized for aggressive action to condense the gates and runners, and it replaces the expensive, high-maintenance jaw crushing systems that do not separate the sand, rust, and debris. The equipment can reduce seven tote boxes of gangly ductile iron sprue down to three boxes, creating a 50%+ reduction; for gray iron, the reduction is up to a 75%.

The box at left contains the dirty, difficult-to-handle ductile iron sprue with sand lumps. At right, a box full of processed, clean, and condensed ductile returns, ready for remelting.

 

In addition to crushing, the machinery performs sand separation and metal cleaning, eliminating the need for shot blasting melt returns and thereby reducing shot blast maintenance and shot consumption. Foundries use this cleaning action as the pig iron, scrap, and returns are all processed in the DIDION system to ensure sand, rust, and dirt are removed for a clean charge. The cleaner melt stock boosts energy savings by significantly increasing melting efficiency. As a result, the foundry has less slag, less slag handling, and lower slag disposal costs.

Five tote boxes full of gangly ductile
sprue, reduced to three boxes.

 

Further advantages to the crusher/cleaner system include:
•  A machined base with precision laser alignment, which prolongs service life;
•  Reduced silica dust emissions due to containment in the drum for a cleaner and safer workplace;
•  A fully automatic feed of pig iron, scrap, and returns; and,
•  A patented, wear-resistant lining for long life and easy replacement.

This patented system has the lowest operating and maintenance cost of any comparable equipment set-up now available.

Learn more at www.didion.com