Kreuzwertheim/Düsseldorf | In mid-June, GIFA, the international foundry trade show, was held for the 15th time in the Düsseldorf exhibition halls. There were many new things to discover for the foundry industry. At the Kurtz Casting Solutions booth, there were forward-looking answers to the trend towards casting and 3D printing of large parts.
From June 12 to 16, once again – as every four years – the GIFA and thus the most important event of the foundry industry took place in Düsseldorf. For some time now, the term GIGA casting has been of particular interest to OEMs – this refers to castings which, due to their dimensions, open up a new size segment. As a foundry machine manufacturer focusing on low-pressure casting, Kurtz Casting Solutions has been offering machines with a larger clamping surface combined with powerful yet low-noise hydraulics since 2017. But a lot has happened at Kurtz since then – and this was proudly presented at this year´s trade fair. The motto “THINK BIG” perfectly matched the appearance of Kurtz Casting Solutions, which presented the latest solutions for the production of large components.
THINK BIG – High Quality in Low Pressure
Particularly impressive was the exhibited low pressure die casting machine type AL22-18FSC, which ensures high dimensional accuracy and surface quality of the produced parts. This was a machine with a large clamping area, large clear width between the columns, a mold weight of up to 18 t and a multiple riser system. Clamping forces of 38 t act in it with an opening force of 56 t. Thanks to its compact design and reduced overall height, it can be easily installed in existing halls.
THINK BIG – High Quality in 3D Printing
Another highlight was the build platform of our metallic multi-head 3D printer Flying Ray, which traveled to Düsseldorf representing our large-scale facility with two large components – a motorcycle swing arm and a planet carrier. Metallic 3D printing opens up many opportunities for the foundry industry, especially for prototype and low-volume production. With Kurtz Ersa´s multi-head 3D printer, even large metal components can be produced in a single printing process. This saves time, resources and increases production efficiency.
THINK BIG – High Quality in Digitization and Servitization
Another important component of the trade fair presentation was the Kurtz Ersa CONNECT software solution. This ensures high plant availability and fewer unplanned machine downtimes, which leads to more efficient utilization of the entire machine fleet. Kurtz Ersa CONNECT also enables more efficient maintenance and repair of the machines, which in turn increases the service speed and thus contributes to customer satisfaction.
GIFA 2023 was a complete success for Kurtz Casting Solutions and the Kurtz Ersa Additive Manufacturing division. The interest in our high-quality solutions was huge and our team received many inquiries. The success of the trade show appearance shows that Kurtz Casting Solutions is an important player in the foundry industry and will continue to come up with more innovative solutions in the future. Lothar Hartmann, General Manager Casting Solutions, summed up: “Our booth staff was really looking forward to GIFA. Networking and personal exchange were the focus of our efforts. The open booth design with lots of seating provided the optimal basis for intensive discussions. It was good to be able to be ‘very close’ to our customers and partners again.” Following the trade fair, we dealt with a number of inquiries and created individual solutions for our customers.
