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Robotic Sand Milling

Twice as fast and with lower capital investment, is how Omega Sinto Foundry Machinery is promoting its new robotic sand mould production unit. As part of its Sinto Foundry Integration range, the system offers an alternative to both traditional moulding and printed sand moulding methods.

Omega’s robotic sand milling (RSM) package is ideal for prototypes and short runs and costs are 25 per cent of a 3D sand printer. A better option for a wide range of customers, the RSM system could become the preferred choice for those looking for flexible moulding solutions with automated control.

The RSM complete cell system is operated with the use of a 6-axis robot and includes a high performance spindle, proprietary PLC controls, auto tool change and inspection and can accommodate mould sizes up to 4m x 2m x 1m.

Benefits over traditional moulding methods

The RSM package shares a number of the same benefits as other patternless moulding methods when compared to traditional pattern-based moulding:

  • More flexibility/less limitations with geometry.
  • No requirement for tapered sides.
  • Can easily mill undercuts.
  • Quick to adapt to design changes.
  • No need for costly patterns or for their subsequent storage.
  • CAD/CAM based programming means modifications to mould design can be implemented immediately.
  • Moulds can be easily customised/ switched for different variations.

Benefits over printed sand moulds

The RSM package has a number of benefits that can make it a more cost effective and efficient process when compared to other patternless moulding systems such as 3D printing:

  • Works with any type of resin or sand system.
  • Milling cutters are able to work easily with all sand types.
  • Customers can use existing mixer and moulding arrangements to produce blank moulds.
  • On average a milled sand mould will cost a quarter of the price of a printed mould.
  • Approximately twice as fast for large moulds (geometry dependant, assuming five hours milling for a 2m x 2m x 1m mould and a printer working at 400L/hr).
  • The cost of an RSM cell is less than half the projected price of the upcoming 3DSP sand printer (Tinker Omega Sinto), which is already much less than other printers in the marketplace.

Additional benefits of the RSM System

Once the mould is located in the cell, the system can run automatically from start to finish. This fully automated operation enables the system to be left to run overnight, with a finished mould produced by the morning ready for casting.

There are two main sizes available:

  • RSM-22, which can mill a 2m x 2m x 1m mould.
  • RSM-42, which can mill a 4m x 2m x 1m mould.

The extra reach of the RSM-04 cell is gained from a 7th axis horizontal gantry and as a result of this, larger mould sizes can be produced with minimal additional expense.

Contact: Omega Sinto Foundry Machinery Ltd, Tel: +44 (0) 1733 232231, email: [email protected] web: www.ofml.net