Quality control | Zanardi Fonderie

Quality control on raw and machined castings according to client specifications

Modern instrumentation and skills to offer clients controlled and certified products

Guaranteeing clients the constant quality of products is of primary importance.
Right from the start of the design of castings in spheroidal graphite iron (GJS), austempered ductile iron (ADI) and isothermal ductile iron (IDI), the staff at Zanardi Fonderie analyses all the product requirements submitted by the client, and once all the most critical aspects have been identified, defines all the quality controls necessary to certify the products, whether raw or machined.

Every day, we work in respect of the agreed parameters, from the inner and outer health of the product to dimensional inspections of both raw and machined surfaces.

Quality control in the production line and laboratory

The Zanardi Fonderie metallurgical lab is equipped to guarantee accurate measurements of the material and rapidly transmit the necessary information to the production departments.

Below is some information regarding the main quality inspection activities carried out during the production process:

  • Chemical analysis, , with ARL spectrometers and C/S Leco Analyzers;
  • Inspection of metallurgical microstructure with an optical microscope;
  • Static mechanical testing with Dartec machine equipped with strain gauge; the impact resistance is measured with a Zwick/Roell 450 J Charpy Pendulum at a variable temperature between 20 °C and -40 °C;
  • Thermal analysis testing with ITACA system;
  • Inspection of moulding sand quality with ITACA system;
  • Hardness test, with Brinell Vickers and Rockwell durometers.

Quality control of material for certification purposes

For all cast parts in spheroidal graphite iron (GJS), austempered ductile iron (ADI) and isothermal ductile iron (IDI) produced by Zanardi Fonderie, complete certification of the material is provided according to agreements stipulated with the client. We are in fact equipped to carry out in-house mechanical tests, micrographic analysis, hardness tests and resilience tests up to -40 °C.

To guarantee constant control of our production quality, we use modern process control and thermal analysis software such as ITACAX™. We work with production specifications that are rigorously respected, monitoring the chemical analysis and spheroidization of the cast iron according to very specific and strict quality control plans.

On each batch, if provided for by the testing plan agreed upon with the client, we carry out statistical checks indicative of the entire series to guarantee its compliance with the client’s requirements.

Final testing of raw and machined cast iron castings by Zanardi Fonderie

Zanardi Fonderie has designated areas exclusively for the testing of manufactured cast iron castings, both raw and machined. This additional testing phase reinforces the value of the material’s certification issued by the laboratory, allowing us to provide the client with a complete assessment, both in terms of the internal health of the cast part (through X-rays and ultrasounds), external health (using a magnetoscope) and dimensions of both raw and machined components.

Dimensional inspections

Dimensional inspections on cast parts are carried out using the following instruments:

On raw castings:

 

  • COORD 3 HERA ELIOS 15-10-9 (Retrofit e Upgrade Hexagon Metrology)
  • ROMER ABSOLUTE ARM 7 AXES 8330-7 + LASER SCANNING SYSTEM
  • CARESTREAM HPX-1 Plus

On machined cast parts:

 

  • LEITZ PMM 864 precision CMM machine and gear checker
  • Hexagon Global S 09.20.08
  • Hexagon Global S.E. SHOP FLOOR 09.20.08
  • Hexagon Global S.E. SHOP FLOOR 09.12.08

In addition to the existing equipment for dimensional inspections on machined cast parts in our metrology labs, the machines recently installed in our machine shop (OKUMA B550 and OKUMA U4000 5-axis twin-spindle lathes) are both equipped with an in-line dimensional inspection workstation.

Quality inspections

For quality inspections on the material, Zanardi Fonderie staff performs:

 

  • X-ray tests to check for the presence of any internal defects
  • Magnaflux to check the surface quality
  • Ultrasonic testing to check the internal quality
Internal integrity checks

Certificates

An overview of the industrial certification issued by Zanardi Fonderie

Our research activities at the service of clients to improve the quality of products

Zanardi Fonderie has an innate vocation for learning and innovation, manifested in its daily research activities constituting a central element of the company’s activities..

Specifically, our collaboration with universities, research institutes and clients allows us to offer a service par excellence for:

 

  • Fatigue and fracture strength studies/strong>
  • Surface resistance studies and material testing
  • Austempered materials machining studies
  • Failure analysis studies

By investing in people’s skills and personal growth, in addition to modern and hi-tech instrumentation, we have laid the essential foundations in order to present ourselves to clients as a single point of contact for the design, production and certification of castings in spheroidal graphite iron (GJS), austempered ductile iron (ADI) and isothermal ductile iron (IDI).

An overview of Zanardi Fonderie equipment for quality control and material testing

For material testing, we use the following equipment:

 

  • Zwick/Roell rotary bending fatigue testing machine
  • MTS flat, axial, tooth root fatigue testing machine
  • “Pin-abrasion” wear testing machine
  • SEM EVO MA 10 ZEISS scanning electron microscope

Project POR FESR 2014-2020 – Veneto Region

Infos

INternationalisation of Veneto FOundry by networked Strategies

Financial contribution granted
75.700 €

Agile

AGILE manufacturing for competitiveness and product innovation

Financial contribution granted
1.702.983,50 €

PDF – AGILE

GAP

High performance cast irons and aluminium alloys

Financial contribution granted
1.471.548,86 €

Premani

PREDICTIVE MANUFACTURING: design, development and implementation of Digital Manufacturing solutions for the prediction of quality and intelligent maintenance

Financial contribution granted
2.999.858,64 €

Project POR FESR 2014-2020 – Veneto Region

Every financial contribution is intended for project and not for partner Zanardi Fonderie S.p.A.

Infos

INternationalisation of Veneto FOundry by networked Strategies

Financial contribution granted
75.700 €

Agile

AGILE manufacturing for competitiveness and product innovation

Financial contribution granted
1.702.983,50 €

PDF – AGILE

GAP

High performance cast irons and aluminium alloys

Financial contribution granted
1.471.548,86 €

Premani

PREDICTIVE MANUFACTURING: design, development and implementation of Digital Manufacturing solutions for the prediction of quality and intelligent maintenance

Financial contribution granted
2.999.858,64 €

Every financial contribution is intended for project and not for partner Zanardi Fonderie S.p.A.

ROP ERDF projects Action 3.4.1. INFOS+

Infos+

INternationalisation of Veneto FOundry by networked Strategies

Financial contribution granted
199.173 €

Every financial contribution is intended for project and not for partner Zanardi Fonderie S.p.A.

Development and Cohesion Plan – Veneto

PSC

Efficiency of hydraulic power unit of molding plant

For most of its use, the hydraulic power unit feeds the moulding machines which, at a pressure of approx. 90 bar, press the foundry green sand into a flask to obtain the negative mould of the casting, which will be casted. In addition, the control unit is responsible for powering the other actuators that move the flasks along the entire foundry casting production and cooling line.

The project involved the complete replacement of the power unit, including pumps, motors, oil storage tank, manifold, including the connections and electrical and electronic components to ensure its better functioning. This greatly improved the distribution throughout the plant. New variable displacement pumps were installed, powered by motors that compulsorily comply with recent technical regulations on energy consumption and are regulated by PLC software.

From the analysis of the data collected, the specific consumption, i.e. the energy required to produce one bracket, decreased from 2.763 kWh/bracket to 1.531 kWh/bracket, thus leading to a reduction in primary energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

Eligible expenditure Euro 320,000

Granted contribution Euro 96,000