I was sure that new sand additive was just a gimmick

Our foreman brought in this bag of 'SuperBond' additive last month, saying it would cut our core scrap rate. I laughed it off, thinking it was just another thing to waste money on. We've been using the same sand mix at the Toledo plant for 15 years. But after three shifts of testing it at a 2% mix, the cores coming out of the dryer were way stronger. I didn't have a single one crumble on the line yesterday, which never happens. The binder smell was even a bit lighter. I guess the old dog can learn a new trick. Has anyone else tried a new mix lately that actually worked?

3 comments

3 Comments

nguyen.morgan11d ago

My local hardware store switched to a new house brand of wood glue last year. The bottle looks cheaper but my projects hold better. Makes me wonder what other basic stuff has quietly gotten better.

the_fiona11d ago

You mentioned the binder smell being lighter, which is interesting. That additive probably isn't changing the smell itself, but a stronger core means you might be using less of the actual resin binder to get the job done. Less binder poured means less smell in the air. It's a good sign the stuff is working like they said.

drew_jones3111d ago

Wait, did they make you change the cleaning cycle for the core boxes? Stronger sand can sometimes stick worse in the tools if you don't adjust.