Automation, Dust Collection, and Fume Extraction for Foundries

FROM EMISSION HOTSPOTS TO OPTIMIZED EXTRACTION

Every key process step in the foundry generates emissions that must be controlled. Foundry platform automation reduces variability during peak-emission phases, helping extraction and filtration perform more predictably.

1. MELTING & HOLDING

   Charging, melting, deslagging, tapping and holding at cupola, induction, EAF, rotary and channel-type furnaces generate hot, dust-laden and often acidic exhaust gases. Automation of slag removal and metallurgical dosing can shorten open-furnace time and stabilise peak-emission phases.

2. POURING

   Ladle treatment and pouring into moulds release fumes and fine particulate around pouring stations and casting lines. Recipe-based ladle additives and traceability can reduce variability and support repeatable operations.

3. COOLING & SHAKE-OUT

   During cooling on conveyors or in drums and at shake-out grids, moulds break down and release large quantities of dust and sand into the air.

4. SAND HANDLING & RECLAMATION

   Screens, conveyors, bucket elevators, silos, bunkers, mixers, coolers and thermal reclamation units in both bentonite-bonded and resin-bonded sand loops generate dust, fines and metallic oxides.

5. FETTLING & FINISHING

   Shot-blast machines, walk-in blasting cabins, fettling booths, manipulators and grinding stations produce high dust loads and direct operator exposure.

MikroPul maps these hotspots in your plant to design a coherent extraction strategy instead of isolated point solutions.

An optimised MikroPul concept follows a clear path – starting with automation where peak emissions and variability occur, then capturing emissions at the source to safe clean-gas and dust discharge. For each foundry, we combine these five building blocks:

1. AUTOMATION & PROCESS CONTROL

   Automated slag removal and recipe-based dosing reduce manual intervention and variability during peak-emission phases, shortening open-furnace time, improving operator safety, and stabilising conditions for downstream extraction and filtration.

2. SOURCE CAPTURE

   Custom hoods and enclosures at furnaces, pouring, cooling & shake-out, sand plant equipment, and finishing capture dust and fumes at the point of release. Capture zones and airflow paths are engineered to your layout, crane movements, and maintenance access. With foundry platform automation, capture and airflow can be synchronised with process phases to stabilise performance during emission peaks.

3. GAS COOLING

   Where hot furnace gases occur, gas-cooling stages bring temperatures into a safe range for filtration and protect filter media and steelwork. Cooling capacity and layout are defined by furnace type, gas temperature, and operating pattern.

4. FILTRATION

   High-efficiency dust collectors are selected and sized for dust load, temperature and gas chemistry to reliably meet the required emission limits. Filter configuration, cleaning method and media quality are matched to your process.

5. SAFE DISCHARGE & DUST HANDLING

   Cleaned gas is discharged to the stack in compliance with local regulations, while separated dust is conveyed to bins or silos for safe disposal or recycling. Discharge and handling concepts are designed for reliable operation and ease of service.

Each system is tailored to the specific process, layout and operating conditions of your foundry, including automation and control interfaces where required.

SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR MOST CRITICAL PROCESS STEPS

Once emission hotspots and system architecture are defined, MikroPul engineers integrated concepts for each foundry section, combining source capture, gas cooling (where required), filtration, and dust handling. Melt deck automation is incorporated at the furnace level to reduce manual intervention and process variability during the most emission-intensive phases.

Automate peak-emission phases. Control extraction to the moulding line. Keep dust out of the mould cavity, reducing defects, scrap and rework.

INDUCTION FURNACES

Automation

• Automated slag removal (Octoslag): fully automatic slag cleaning with almost complete elimination of manual work; remote operation from a safe, air-conditioned cabin; faster slag removal with reduced heat loss due to shorter open-furnace time; synchronisation possible with furnace lid opening; simplified extraction ducts and more compact installation.
• Automated charging and alloy dosing (Automated Alloying Station): precise dosing of scrap and ferro-alloys using charge recipes (fixed or dynamically calculated based on actual charged weight), with automatic or supervised control of crane/charging cars; optional historical data logging for traceability.
• Automated ladle additives (AAS Ladle Additives): automatic prescription based on metallurgical parameters (e.g., yield and chemical interactions), supporting repeatability and traceability through historical data recording.

Air Pollution Control

• Phase-optimized jet hood capture across all furnace operating phases
• Improved capture efficiency through aerodynamic flow distribution
• Integrated SEC Smart Exhaust Control provides automated, demand-based airflow control (dampers + fan VFD)
• Lower energy use with stable extraction performance
• Compact filter systems matched to furnace size, dust load and temperature.

ELECTRIC ARC FURNACES

• Electric arc furnaces generate high fume peaks and therefore require a combination of primary and secondary extraction stages.
• Direct extraction of primary furnace exhaust gases via the EAF 4th lid hole cover or furnace hood.
• Additional capture of secondary emissions through roof extraction in the furnace hall.
• Cooling of hot exhaust gases in KS/KU air-to-air coolers where required.
• High-efficiency filtration in FS flat-bag or pulse-jet filters designed for continuous industrial operation.

STORAGE AND CHANNEL-TYPE FURNACES

• Extraction at the channel and forehearth using lowerable, swiveling hoods for easy access to the channel area.
• Flow-optimized ductwork to ensure stable transport of hot gases.
• Filter systems designed for long operating periods with constant loads.

SOLUTIONS FOR POURING & MOLDING LINES

Moulding and pouring lines form the core of casting production and are highly sensitive to airborne dust and fume. Fine particulate matter (silica, coke, sand, graphite, etc.) can settle on mould surfaces or enter molten metal, causing inclusions, pinholes, surface roughness and blowholes; controlled extraction around moulding and pouring helps keep these particles away from the mould cavity and significantly lowers inclusion-related rejection rates. Where recipe-based dosing and ladle additive automation are applied, metallurgical repeatability and traceability can be strengthened, supporting stable operations downstream at the moulding and pouring line.

• Solutions for flask or flaskless molding and casting lines.
• Extraction at pouring, cooling sections, cooling drums and shake-out drums.
• Capture concepts matched to casting rate, mold size and layout.

SAND RECLAMATION AND PREPARATION

In resin-bonded sand reclamation, effective extraction is required at multiple transfer points and in the thermal process itself to maintain consistent sand grain size and composition, remove excess fines (silica dust, binder residues) and thereby improve mold permeability and the dimensional accuracy of castings.

In green-sand preparation plants, numerous handling and processing steps generate dust that must be controlled so that fines and metallic oxides are removed from return sand, stabilizing sand properties, mold strength and permeability and contributing to more stable metal chemistry with fewer sand- or charge- related casting defects.

SAND RECLAMATION FOR RESIN-BONDED SAND

• Extraction at shake-out grids, silos, sand coolers and separators.
• Capture and filtration of dust and organic compounds during thermal reclamation.
• Hall extraction as required, optionally with heat recovery from exhaust air.

Sand preparation with bentonite-bonded sand

• Extraction at screens, conveyors, bucket elevators and crushers.
• Dust collection at magnetic separators, silos, used-sand bunkers and sand coolers.
• Targeted capture at mixers and shake-out grids to maintain sand quality.

FETTLING & FINISHING OPERATIONS

During shot blasting, fettling and grinding, high dust loads and direct operator exposure require robust extraction solutions. Clean air in blasting and fettling areas improves visibility and working conditions, supporting consistent surface quality and reducing manual rework. Reduced dust exposure helps protect personnel and equipment, contributes to compliance with workplace exposure limits and productivity in finishing departments.

• Extraction for shot-blast plants and walk-in blasting cabins.
• Dust control for fettling booths, manipulators and grinding machines.
• Optional general hall extraction concepts to further reduce ambient dust levels in finishing areas.

Total Cost of Ownership — A Smarter Investment Over The Plant Lifetime

• Operational Expenditures (OpEx)

  Energy Efficiency

  Reverse-air cleaning uses efficient reverse air cleaning instead of compressed air. Together with low-pressure-drop flat bags and optimised airflow, this reduces fan power demand and kWh per filtered m³. Where required, gas-cooling and heat-recovery stages further improve overall energy efficiency of the foundry air system.

Maintenance Savings

Gentle, PLC-controlled off-line cleaning protects the filter media, keeps differential pressure stable and extends bag life – lowering change-out effort and unplanned service.

• Uptime value

  Systems are designed for hot, abrasive foundry dusts and high dust loads along the entire process. Reliable source capture and stable cleaning performance minimise dust-related interruptions, support consistent casting and sand quality, and help maintain high availability of melting, molding and finishing lines.

Future-Proofing Your Operation with Lifecycle Support