One of Mexico’s leading producers of ferrous castings for the automotive market has made a large-scale commitment to simulation software. Cifunsa has selected Magma Foundry Technologies, Arlington Heights, IL, to supply the software and engineering services it needed as it ramped up operations at its new, 60,000-tons/year plant in Irapuato, Mexico.
The plant performs green-sand molding, with phenolic urethane cold-box cores and induction furnaces with auto pour technology. It has been operating with a Magma test license since March of this year.
Magma, the North American subsidiary of Germany’s Magma Giessereitechnologe, has been supplying simulation software and engineering services since 1988, and defining new methods and revealing new concepts in metalcasting. It’s also been offering new methods for optimizing castings and casting processes.
According to Magma, the management at Cifunsa recognized it needed simulation capabilities, to analyze new castings, set optimal production levels, and verify finished quality on its parts.
Isauro Rocha, a manufacturing engineer and process manager at Irapuato, says: "We are trying to bring in a lot of new work to this plant, especially ductile iron castings. MagmaSoft will help us to meet our goals and assure quality castings. We will use the MAGMAiron module to understand microstructure development, predict the best shakeout times, and obtain the right mechanical properties. With the addition of the MagmaDisa module we will be able to simulate our molding process and optimize production rates as well."