The production of castings mainly involves process
heating operations that consume large amounts of fossil fuels and electricity. Process
heating needs include metal melting, mold and core baking and curing, and heat treatment.
Process heating accounts for more than 75% of the industry's total energy use. Other
operations include mechanical cleaning and finishing steps, which rely mainly on electric
motors as does material transport. Sand reclamation units rely on thermal energy to clean
the individual grains within the sand mass so that the sand may be reused. [Bates 1997, DOE 1999] |
Onsite electricity cogeneration in the metalcasting
industry is negligible. The majority of foundries are small establishments; many larger
establishments are "captive" foundries within automotive manufacturing
facilities. |
|
|
Slightly more than half of metalcasting industry facilities
(SIC 3321 only) report using general technologies to increase efficiency |
 |
|
|
Return to home page for
Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey.
File Last Modified: 05/05/2000
- Contact:
- robert.adler@eia.doe.gov
- Robert Adler
- Survey Manager
- Phone: (202) 586-1134
- Fax: (202) 586-0018
- If you are having any technical problems with this site, please contact the EIA
Webmaster at
- wmaster@eia.doe.gov
|
