How IRON CASTINGS are made? - Factories in Poland

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In this episode, we explore the fascinating world of cast iron casting. Cast iron, a vital iron-carbon alloy, is essential to modern industries, from construction to automotive. Its strength, corrosion resistance, and ease of casting make it indispensable. We visit the Konec Foundry, operating for 130 years, to see how cast iron products like fittings, manholes, and pipes are made.

Our journey starts in the furnace control room, where computer-managed batch materials—iron scrap, pig iron, coke, fluxes, and additives—are loaded into a trolley. The trolley then dumps these into the furnace. Konec Foundry uses two shaft furnaces, which achieve temperatures over 1,500°C by burning coke. The molten cast iron is transferred to a ladle via a trolley with a turntable for distribution to casting lines.

Konec operates three automatic molding lines, including two boxless lines for vertical molds and one box line for horizontal molds. These lines produce castings ranging from 0.5kg to 150kg. In vertical molding, model plates are pressed with high-pressure mass to create packets, which are then filled with molten iron at 1,400°C. Horizontal molding uses special boxes for heavier castings, which are backfilled with molding compound and compacted before pouring.

Once the molds are filled, they cool down and are shaken to release the castings. The recycled molding mass is processed and returned to production. Castings are then cooled in a tunnel and smoothed in a shot-blasting machine. Machining is done for certain products, such as manholes and street gullies, using a two-spindle milling machine. Finally, castings are painted and dried before packing. Discover how Konec Foundry turns raw iron into essential industrial products!

[This material was created as part of a paid collaboration]