News 2011 Ultraseal’s Greener Solutions To Porosity Global company Ultraseal is leading the world with its innovative solutions to the eternal problem of porosity in castings – so much so it has changed the face of the impregnation industry. “Manufacturers now regard impregnation as an essential quality enhancement,” said Gary Lloyd, Managing Director of Ultraseal. “It is a world away from its old image as a solution of last resort. “Far from hiding the fact that they impregnate parts, manufacturers are now perfectly open about it: they know it signifies a commitment to quality on their part to their customers.” Few companies can match Ultraseal’s reputation in the field of impregnation – a reputation that has won it an impressive list of global names in the automotive, foundry and manufacturing sectors. Ultraseal’s recyclable sealants Rexeal 100 and Ultraseal MX2 are the only recyclable sealants in widespread application that are approved and certified to US military standard US MIL-I-17653C (Class 1 and 3). Having beaten the world to introduce the first recyclable sealant, Ultraseal’s latest innovation is an impregnation system that is more environmentally-friendly than ever before. Ultraseal has taken recycling to a new level with the introduction of a fully closed-loop, effluent-free impregnation system that can run 24 hours a day without any production line down time to refill and reheat process tanks. As well as a “Sealant Recycling System” connected to the cold wash module, this system incorporates Ultraseal’s latest development, a Water Recycling System, on the hot cure module. LUBROLENE REVOLUTIONISES DIE-CASTING The revolutionary Lubrolene range of water- free die release agents can now be applied with an electrostatic spray gun – a world first from the Aoki Science Institute of Japan. This new method of application gives improved coverage on complex parts, exact control of spray quantity, reduced spray and shot cycle times, and all at a reduced cost. Lubrolene oil-based, water-free lubricants already offer cost savings of up to 85 per cent on full production costs of operating a die-cast machine. Ultraseal has the exclusive European distribution rights for Lubrolene. See page 7. Leaders in Recycling Impregnation Technology
Transcript
News 2011
Ultraseal’s Greener Solutions To Porosity
Global company Ultraseal is leading the world with its innovative solutions to the eternal problem of porosity in castings – so much so it has changed the face of the impregnation industry.
“Manufacturers now regard impregnation as an essential quality enhancement,” said Gary Lloyd, Managing Director of Ultraseal. “It is a world away from its old image as a solution of last resort.
“Far from hiding the fact that they impregnate parts, manufacturers are now perfectly open about it: they know it signifies a commitment to quality on their part to their customers.”
Few companies can match Ultraseal’s reputation in the field of impregnation – a reputation that has won it an impressive list of global names in the automotive, foundry and manufacturing sectors.
Ultraseal’s recyclable sealants Rexeal 100 and Ultraseal MX2 are the only recyclable sealants in widespread application that are approved and certified to US military standard US MIL-I-17653C (Class 1 and 3).
Having beaten the world to introduce the first recyclable sealant, Ultraseal’s latest innovation is an impregnation system that is more environmentally-friendly than ever before.
Ultraseal has taken recycling to a new level with the introduction of a fully closed-loop, effluent-free impregnation system that can run 24 hours a day without any production line down time to refill and reheat process tanks. As well as a “Sealant Recycling System” connected to the cold wash module, this system incorporates Ultraseal’s latest development, a Water Recycling System, on the hot cure module.
LUBROLENE REVOLUTIONISES DIE-CASTINGThe revolutionary Lubrolene range of water-free die release agents can now be applied with an electrostatic spray gun – a world first from the Aoki Science Institute of Japan.
This new method of application gives improved coverage on complex parts, exact control of spray quantity, reduced spray and shot cycle times, and all at a reduced cost.
Lubrolene oil-based, water-free lubricants already offer cost savings of up to 85 per cent on full production costs of operating a die-cast machine.
Ultraseal has the exclusive European distribution rights for Lubrolene. See page 7.
Leaders in RecyclingImpregnation Technology
Ultraseal‘s Range Of Impregnation Equipment
2 Rexeal 100 – The New Generation of Recylable SealantRexeal 100 is a new generation of recyclable sealant that not only offers a greener solution to porosity in castings, but also offers a superior performance when compared to other sealants.
Notably, Rexeal 100 can operate at temperatures ranging from -105°F to 428°F (-76°C to 220°C), making it especially suitable for use on parts that are exposed to thermal cycling such as engine castings.
Rexeal 100 combines all the successful recycling qualities of methacrylate-based Ultraseal MX2, the world’s first commercially available recycling sealant, with additional advantages. Rexeal 100:
• USMilSpecApproved• Thermalresistanceincreasedto220°C• EnhancedwashingcharacteristicsAs environmental legislation and regulations tighten around the world, more companies are appreciating that Ultraseal’s recyclable sealants can give them a competitive – and a green - edge.
Rexeal 100Conventional sealant impregnation is wasteful: up to 95% of the sealant is simply flushed away with the wash water. In contrast, Ultraseal’s Sealant Recycling System (SRS) separates Rexeal 100 or Ultraseal MX2 from the wash water and returns it to the autoclave for immediate re-use. Ultraseal’s processes consume less chemicals, less energy and produce less effluent.
Product Alternative competitors non-recycling sealant Rexeal 100
Temperature 40°C 100°C 180°C 200°C 220°C 180°C 200°C 220°C
Initial Seal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0.5 Hours 0 1 2 2 3 0 0 0
1 Hour 0 2 3 3 3 0 0 0
4 Hours 1 3 3 3 4 0 0 0
8 Hours 2 3 4 4 4 0 0 0
24 Hours 3 4 5 5 5 0 0 0
The results show that even when exposed to relatively low temperatures (40°C), the competitors’ sealant performance is found to suffer after only short periods of time. By comparison, Rexeal 100 retains a perfect ring seal even after 24 hours at 220°C.
Where 0 = pressure tight (leak free) and 5 = bad leakage The results in this table were generated from tests with a standard batch of competitors’ sealant and Rexeal 100.
Superior Performance of Rexeal vs. Competing ProductsWe consistently monitor our sealants’ performance against others on the market. This guarantees that the statements we make about the quality of our products and their performance are proven correct. The test results show how impregnated US MIL test rings performed when subjected to thermal tests, with any leakage being recorded and graded as shown in the chart.
SRS
Ultraseal produces a range of impregnation machinery for use with conventional and recyclable sealants. Our innovative front-loading impregnation machines are ideally suited to modern lean manufacturing methods.
They can be readily incorporated into a production line and do not require hoists or overhead gantries. For larger loads, Ultraseal produces a range of more traditional top-loading machines.
Listening to customers is part of our ethos and Ultraseal
takes pride in designing and producing equipment to a manufacturer’s specific requirements. Our largest single piece of plant was made for impregnating military magnesium transmission components and could take a payload of 1.2 cubic metres. The largest overall plant was for Volvo at Skövde, Sweden, which could take eight engine blocks simultaneously.
Ultraseal can also adapt existing impregnation equipment to run with recyclable sealant Rexeal 100.
Hot Cure CycleUltraseal’s latest development is its Water Recycling System for the hot cure stage of the impregnation process. This last piece of the recycling jigsaw allows the whole impregnation process to be practically effluent free.
Without this breakthrough, hot cure tanks have to be periodically drained and cleaned, a process that can take hours because of health and safety regulations, resulting in loss of valuable production time.
The Water Recycling System works by continuously pumping water from the hot cure tank to an energy-efficient distillation unit where the water is purified before being returned to the hot cure tank for re-use.
Only a tiny amount of concentrated waste is produced during the distillation process – less than one per cent of the volume of water in the tank. During distillation it is separated from the water and collected automatically for disposal.
The Water Recycling System offers several cost savings:
Moreover, the combination of a Water Recycling System on the hot cure module and a Sealant Recycling System on the cold wash module creates a totally closed loop, effluent free impregnation system – for the first time.
“Certain chemicals that are commonly discharged today will absolutely not be acceptable to discharge tomorrow. In the 1970s there was a saying “Dilution is the solution to pollution”. That concept is gone now.”
Bob Remler, VP Sales,
Ultraseal America, Inc
GREENER IMPREGNATION WITH ULTRASEAL’S RECYCLING SYSTEMSUltraseal is already having an impact on the environment – its customers recycle more than 1.25 million litres of sealant a year and the figure is rising.
They achieve this impressive result by using Ultraseal’s world-beating recyclable sealants in its innovative Sealant Recycling System (SRS) attached to the cold wash module.
The SRS takes the wash water from the cold wash module after impregnation and separates the sealant from the water, redirecting to the autoclave for immediate re-use. Up to 95 per cent of the sealant can be recovered.
This is in stark contrast to traditional impregnation systems, in which most of the sealant simply drains away with the wash water, and wash tanks are typically allowed to overflow continuously.
The SRS is designed for use with Ultraseal’s methacrylate-based recyclable sealants Rexeal 100 and Ultraseal MX2 which are both approved and certified to US Military specification US MIL-I-17563C (Class 1 and 3).
Now Ultraseal has taken recycling to the next level with the development of a totally closed loop, effluent free impregnation system that incorporates both the SRS on the cold wash module and it latest innovation, effluent free technology on the hot cure cycle.
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Autoclave
Recovered Sealant
Sealant Laden Water
Sealant Return
Components
Ultraseal Full Closed Loop Impregnation System
Concentrated Waste <1%
ChemicalDosing
HotCureColdWashDrain
Water Treatment
System
With its unparalleled pedigree Ultraseal is recognised as a global supplier that is trusted around the world. The innovative chemistry that underpins its success is conducted at its headquarters in Coventry, UK, and it also has operations in China, India, Japan and the USA with a further 20 agents/distributors worldwide.
Customers are drawn from the automotive, water, gas, marine and electrical components sectors and include BMW, Delphi, Hyundai, Harley-Davidson, Sanden, Toyota, Valeo, VW, Volvo and WABCO.
“Companies setting up operations in India or the Far East can receive the same chemistry and the same processes as they get in their home markets, and that gives them great reassurance,” said Gary Lloyd, Managing Director, Ultraseal.
“Our growth on a global basis demonstrates our capability. The future is looking bright.”
Ultraseal has 25 years experience of trading in Japan but to assist with its market expansion, it has opened an office in Japan to serve the increasing demand for its innovative products in the Far East.The office in Osaka, the historic commercial capital of Japan, is run by General Manager Hiroki Kashiwa who has considerable knowledge and experience of Ultraseal’s products. In its first months of operation the Japan office has won an order from a Japanese company setting up an operation in Thailand and is in negotiations with another that is establishing a manufacturing facility in China.“Having our own dedicated office in Japan enables Ultraseal to support customers throughout the Far East, in particular Japanese manufacturers that are expanding into mainland China,” said Gary Lloyd, Managing Director, Ultraseal.
Ultraseal America, Inc has appointed a new Vice President, Sales to drive forward the company’s range of recyclable and conventional sealants.Bob Remler and his team, based at Ann Arbor, MI, in the heart of the US motor industry, will be promoting the advantages of Ultraseal’s recyclable sealants Rexeal 100 and Ultraseal MX2.These are both approved and certified to US Military specification US MIL-I-17563C (Class 1 and 3) and, with environmental considerations coming increasingly to the fore, are expected to become more popular in the USA.“Rexeal 100 is as green a technology as can be offered for impregnating castings,” said Bob. “Certain chemicals that are commonly discharged today will absolutely not be acceptable to discharge tomorrow.”
Ultraseal In The UKUltraseal’s headquarters in Coventry, UK, is the nerve centre of its global operations. All of Ultraseal’s research and development, both in chemistry and the design of impregnation machinery, is carried out in Coventry.
The company runs a laboratory, headed by Technical Director Dr. Mark Cross, which undertakes extensive analysis on behalf of Ultraseal’s customers.
From Coventry, Ultraseal offers a comprehensive and free of charge support service for its customers across the globe and Mark travels frequently abroad to offer technical advice to customers on their premises.
Ultraseal In China
China is an expanding market and Ultraseal has established a joint venture in Shanghai, close to many automotive manufacturers and suppliers.Equipment is manufactured locally in China under licence from Ultraseal and thereafter Ultraseal Shanghai Ltd promotes a full turnkey range of impregnation equipment and sealant for use in its domestic market.The company is a Centre of Excellence that also supplies the full range of Ultraseal sealants, including the ground-breaking recyclable sealant Rexeal 100 in addition to a subcontract facility where customers can send components for impregnation processing.“In China, environmental regulations are strict and Ultraseal recyclable sealants help overcome stringent regulations over water disposal,” said Gary Lloyd, Managing Director, Ultraseal.“In China Rexeal 100 is swiftly becoming the solution of choice for reliably and permanently solving the problem of porosity in castings.”
Ultraseal’s Top Team ExpandedUltraseal has strengthened its management team to bring the environmental benefits of its recyclable sealants and its range of impregnation equipment to a wider audience.
Stephen Hynes is its first Strategic Marketing Director and has global responsibility for promoting the brand to drive forward the company’s expansion.
Tim Butler is its new global Sales Director and also has responsibility for the Lubrolene range of water-free die-casting lubricants for which Ultraseal has exclusive European distribution rights.
Ultraseal India
Ultraseal India is celebrating 25 years of helping to reliably and permanently solve the eternal problem of porosity in castings.From its factory in Pune, India, it distributes impregnation sealants and manufactures the associated impregnation equipment.The company was founded in 1986 by Devindra Nath, one of the pioneers of low pressure die-casting in India who is a trustee and former Chairman of the Aluminium Casters’ Association of India (ALUCAST).Set up in collaboration with UK-based Ultraseal International, Ultraseal India now employs 75 people and is the market leader in India. Customers include Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra, and Sunbeam Auto.This milestone was marked with a day of festivities for all of Ultraseal India’s employees and their families at which founder Mr Nath, who still guides the company, presented awards to long-serving members of staff.“It was a wonderful, memorable day and Ultraseal India has exciting times ahead of it,” said Gary Lloyd, Managing Director, Ultraseal. “Big brand manufacturers are increasingly looking to place their production facilities in India.“The Indian economy, the 12th largest in the world, is booming and already nearly every foundry in the country is doubling production.”
Ultraseal International Produces The Only U.S. Military Approved Recyclable Sealants In Widespread ApplicationRexeal 100 approved for US MIL-I-17563C (Class 1 and 3)
Rexeal 100 and MX2 are officially approved for US military specification MIL-I-17563C (Class 1 and 3) and are the only recyclable sealants being used widely in industrial and automotive applications. This US Mil standard is widely accepted throughout the world as the global benchmark for impregnation sealant performance.
Rexeal 100 is the flagship product of Ultraseal, the UK-based company with a global presence that introduced the world’s first recyclable sealant, Ultraseal MX2.
Both sealants are designed as solutions to the eternal problem of porosity in castings and both are approved for MIL-I-17563C (Class 1 and 3). Rexeal 100 is a refinement of Ultraseal MX2 and operates across a wider temperature range: -76°C (-105°F) to +220°C (428°F).
Gary Lloyd, Managing Director of Ultraseal, said: “Ultraseal has always been at the forefront of impregnation technology that reliably and permanently solves porosity in castings.
“We are delighted that both Rexeal 100 and Ultraseal MX2 are approved and certified to the US MIL-I-17563C (Class 1 and 3), demonstrating to our customers that our products are robust and reliable.
“This standard is widely accepted throughout the world and Ultraseal produces the only U.S. military approved recyclable sealants used in widespread industrial and automotive applications. In fact, no other European manufacturer has this approval for recycling impregnation sealants.
“Moreover, by recycling both the sealant and water, our recyclable systems are kinder to the environment and less expensive than conventional processes in which 95% of the chemical and water is simply washed away.”
The truly recyclable nature of the process was on show at the 12th International Foundry Trade Fair GIFA 2011.
Importance of Approvals
Ultraseal is proud to have been awarded a large number of International Approvals that reflect the global acceptance and application of its products and which give current and future customers the confidence to specify Ultraseal products in their impregnation applications.
Examples of Ultraseal’s wide range of International Approvals include:
Electroseal 35 is a sealant specifically formulated for use in electrical leads and connectors, especially those used in the automotive industry, that need protection against ingress of moisture and contaminants.
Flexible in the cured state, it is also hydrophobic, has a low di-electric constant, and a low cure temperature to protect against possible thermal damage. It is also resilient to shock and vibration when in use.
Sinterseal 100
Sinterseal offers manufacturing savings to companies producing parts with powdered metal finishes. Specifically formulated for this particular use, Sinterseal greatly reduces the wear and tear on machine tools, leading to reduced production running costs.
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7Lubrolene Water-Free Die Cast Lubricants Produce Higher Quality Castings at Greatly Reduced Costs Ultraseal is joining forces with the Aoki Science Institute to promote one of the most exciting developments in the die-casting industry – the range of Lubrolene water-free die lubricants.
Lubrolene is set to transform the efficiency of the die-casting industry with its range of oil-based lubricants that offer dramatic cost savings when compared with conventional water-based die lubricants.
Impressive savings of up to 85 per cent on the costs of operating die cast machines can typically be achieved if Lubrolene lubricants are used instead of water-based die releases.
Lubrolene’s new generation of oil-
based lubricants significantly extend die life as they can be applied at temperatures ranging as high as 420°C, compared with a maximum of 250°C for water-based lubricants.
The faster spray times and reduced air-blow substantially decrease cycle times. There is far less thermal shock on the die, leading to longer die life, reduced maintenance costs and better quality castings.
Water-based lubricants give rise to continual heating and cooling cycles that produce considerable thermal shock on the die that eventually leads to cracking. The water can often also cause porosity in the casting leading to quality problems.
Using Lubrolene water-free lubricants
offer significant environmental benefits: typically, around 1/1000 of the total spray quantity is utilised in the Lubrolene process versus water based. Far less lubricant is required
and far less waste produced.
Not only are costs for waste water treatment reduced, but also the working environment in the foundry is improved, as the effluent and noise associated with large spray volumes of water-based lubricants is not created.
A revolutionary new step in die casting has been taken with Lubrolene’s WFR-EC oil based series which is suitable for electrostatic spray application, a world first and a step change in technology.
The electrostatic spray essentially has
a wrap-around effect, similar to that produced by an electrostatic paint gun, which allows:
Japan-based Aoki Science Institute won the Best Technical Paper award at the last GIFA in 2007 for work on Lubrolene WFR-3R, and is presenting a paper at GIFA 2011 on the development of the electrostatic spray systems.
The company has also developed a fourth generation of water-free lubricants, the Lubrolene NPL series, thatisespeciallysuitedtosqueezecastingandmagnesiumorzinccasting, and thin walled structural parts, which need better metal flow.
Crucially, the entire Lubrolene range of water-free lubricants differs dramatically from previous oil-based lubricants in an extremely important respect – they are far safer to use. They are environmentally friendly and non-flammable.
Ultraseal has the exclusive European distribution rights for Lubrolene and co-exhibited with the Aoki Science Institute at GIFA 2011.
Early crack formation on die when using water based lubricants
Benefits of Electrostatic Spray
With ordinary air spray gun...Need to spray from manydifferent angles to adhere properly
With Electrostatic spray gun...With electrostatic, can adhereto a wide area from a singlespray direction
Typical cost savingsCost comparison based upon an 800 ton die cast machine
Releasing agent
Operation
Die maintenance cost
New die cost
Water-basedrelease agent WFR
2%
2%2%
10%
1%
11%
34%
53%
Investment
SAVING85%
Product
Applicationtemperature
Lubricity
Oil filmstrength
Adhesiveness
Castingsurface
Paintability
Oil depositbuild-up
Features Standard grade
Non-Siliconetype
Hightemperature use
WFR-0WFR-5APWFR-5EC
WFR-3RWFR-3EC
420oCDie temperature
Perfo
rman
ce
380oC 250oC
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Ultraseal International is a world-beating company that has established a global reputation for solving the problems of porosity in metal castings, electronic and powdered metal components.
It has an impeccable pedigree, having dedicated the past 40 years to producing the most significant advances in impregnation technology with its recyclable sealants and impregnation equipment.
The excellence of Ultraseal’s novel sealants and impregnation equipment has won it an unrivalled global customer base including some of the world’s most recognisable brands.
These include BMW, Delphi, Hyundai, Harley-Davidson, Sanden, Toyota, Valeo, VW, Volvo and WABCO. It attracts customers across the automotive, water, gas, marine and electrical components sectors as well as the foundry and die cast industry.
Ultraseal is now a global enterprise, with operations in the USA, China, India and Japan and its headquarters firmly established in the UK. All of its ground-breaking research and development is carried out at its Coventry base.
One of its most significant breakthroughs was the world’s first recyclable sealant, Ultraseal MX2, which, when used with Ultraseal’s Sealant Recycling System, offered dramatic environmental benefits. Under conventional systems, up to 95 per cent of sealant was simply washed away with waste water: Ultraseal MX2 could be recycled from the waste water and used again and again.
Moreover, Ultraseal MX2 performed better: it offered greater application, flexibility and sealabilty.
Ultraseal’s chemists did not stop there, after listening carefully to customers’ requirements; they produced Rexeal 100, a high-performing recyclable sealant that can operate from -76°C to 220°C, a wider temperature range than its predecessor.
Sealants for specific markets were produced: Sinterseal 100 for powdered metal parts and Electroseal 35 for the electrical connector industry.
Ultraseal has consistently led the market with inventions: from the world’s first front-loading impregnation equipment to the world’s first totally closed loop, effluent free impregnation system
Each new innovation has helped to make the impregnation process leaner, greener and more cost-effective.
Ultraseal’s continuous search for more environmentally-friendly solutions to porosity in castings is enabling manufacturers worldwide to reduce their impact on the environment.
As well as manufacturing a range of impregnation equipment for both conventional and recyclable sealants, Ultraseal can modify existing machinery to work with its Sealant Recycling System and recyclable sealants.
The company also has an unrivalled reputation for the design and manufacture of bespoke impregnation systems to meet its customers’ requirements.
