Sarginsons becomes UK's first foundry to adopt inorganic 3D sand core printing with £800,000 investment

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Sarginsons Industries has commissioned an inorganic 3D sand core printing system at its Coventry foundry, making it the first foundry in the UK to adopt this process. The equipment represents an investment of £800,000 ($1.09 million) and can print approximately 54 liters of sand cores per hour.

According to Sarginsons, the process can reduce lead times for aluminum castings from six to eight weeks down to as little as 24 hours. Shorter production cycles also enable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to develop structurally complex lightweight components without compromising manufacturability.

Gavin Shipley, Technical Director at Sarginsons Industries, said that being the first foundry in the UK with this capability demonstrates the company's commitment to investing in technologies that deliver tangible benefits to customers, the industry, and the environment.

Traditional organic binders release gases during the casting process, which can become trapped in the metal, reducing casting quality and mechanical properties. Inorganic binder systems virtually eliminate such gases while also removing the emissions associated with conventional binders.

Shipley stated that this investment enables the company to produce increasingly complex castings at a much faster pace than industry norms, improving both quality and reducing the environmental impact of the manufacturing process. Together, these advantages help manufacturers meet the growing demand for lighter, higher-performance components without sacrificing sustainability.

Sarginsons also leads the government-backed PIVOT project, valued at £5.8 million ($7.9 million). The company is currently drafting plans for a £30 million ($40.8 million) "Future Foundry" casting industrialization center. Shipley noted that such technologies will play an increasingly important role in the future of aluminum casting.