SinterCast AB reported that its commercial licensees’ output for compacted graphite iron hit the 150,000 metric tons/year pace during February, or 3 million "engine equivalents", a new milestone for process technology. Each "engine equivalent" represents 50 kg of CGI.
Recently SinterCast reported its technology was responsible for 2.5 million engine equivalents of CGI during 2018, or 125,000 metric tons. January SinterCast CGI series production reached an annual rate of 2.9 million engine equivalents, or 145,000 mt/year.
"The average production for the first two months of the year represents a growth of 16% compared to the full-year 2018 production, and a compounded annual growth rate of approximately 14% since 2010," according to SinterCast.
The February rise was boosted by the start of production for the Cummins 6.7-liter in-line diesel engine, and by continued expansion of CGI engine blocks and cylinder heads for commercial vehicles.
Compacted graphite iron (CGI) is a lightweight cast iron that offers greater tensile strength, stiffness, and fatigue strength than gray iron or aluminum. It is mainly used by diesel and gas engine manufacturers seeking to reduce weight, noise, and emissions for their designs.
SinterCast’s CGI process control system is centered on a sampling and testing technology that has been licensed by numerous foundries and research centers worldwide. With an upcoming installation for Scania group’s new, 90,0000-mtpy foundry in Sweden, SinterCast will install the fourth-generation of its technology, called System 4000.
“Together with the new installation orders received from Scania and from China Shipbuilding Industry Corp, in January, the record series production provides a strong start to our year, and puts us squarely on pace to meet our goal for double-digit growth again in 2019,” stated Dr. Steve Dawson, SinterCast president and CEO.
“From the start of our first cylinder block production in 1999, we needed 11 years to break the one million engine-equivalent barrier, and five years to crack the two million milestone,” Dawson continued. “Now, we have reached the three million landmark in less than four years, and our sights are set on four million.”