Resand Ltd., the developer of a foundry sand regeneration and recycling process, announced a new service agreement with Grunewald GmbH & Co. KG, an aluminum foundry producing engine and machinery components. The five-year agreement takes effect in January.
Sand regeneration will be performed by Resand onsite at the Bocholt foundry under its “sand-as-a-service” model.
While the Resand process has been adopted by foundries in Finland, Germany, and Sweden, and an additive manufacturing operation in Italy, the company recently raised €5 million (est. $5.9 million) in new capital. It indicated it is targeting the U.S. and Mexico as markets for expanding its SaaS coverage.
The two-stage process starts with a heat-treatment cycle to remove binder residues from molding sand, followed by a mechanical drum sequence that separates any other impurities. The company reports the process can clean 1,000 kg of sand per hour, material that provides 95% of the mold strength of virgin sand.
Resand describes the treatment unit as “a modular system that is quick and customer-friendly for the foundry to install and commission, with a delivery time of only 4–5 months.”
Grunewald produces molds by standard methods and 3D sand printing, and both types of sand will be processed by the regeneration method.
"Resand's sand-regeneration solution perfectly aligns with our commitment to sustainable and efficient manufacturing processes,” stated managing director Ulrich Grunewald. “It enables us to significantly increase our production capacity while reducing our energy consumption and maintenance costs associated with sand regeneration. The increased capacity and cost savings from Resand’s Sand As A Service will enable us to maintain our high precision standards in aluminum casting."
The regenerated sand can be used again for core and mold making, reducing the Grunewald’s reliance on virgin sand.
Resand claims that its regenerated sand can reduce a foundry’s sand-purchasing and disposal costs by 10-20% annually, without any major capital expenses. And they further note that their process reduces CO2 emissions from sand use and transport by up to 80%.
”Our collaboration with Grunewald validates the effectiveness of our double drum technology and SAAS model. It is a testament to our ability to deliver significant economic and environmental benefits to our clients. A win-win-win for the customer, the environment, and Resand,” stated CEO Mikko Immonen.