KSM Castings Group: Service life of permanent moulds extended thanks to ASCOJET 1701

The two ASCOJET 1701 dry ice blasting machines are used to remove mould release agents and metal residues. “Due to its robustness and performance, the ASCO test unit stood out from those of other manufacturers during the selection process. That is why the KSM Castings Group decided in early 2021 to make ASCO dry ice blasting technology the standard at the Hildesheim plant,” says Mr Joachim Wikinger, Die Casting Maintenance, at KSM in Hildesheim. Parts of the moulds are blasted several times a day, and a thorough cleaning of the moulds – which involves a complete blast – is carried out once or twice a week, or as required. At the KSM Castings Group, the moulds used to be blasted with sand, which had led to a reduced service life of the mould. That is why dry ice blasting is now used in all permanent mould foundries of the KSM Castings Group.

The ASCO dry ice blasting process is a gentle and non-abrasive cleaning method. Unlike conventional blasting methods using sand or glass beads, the cleaned surfaces are not damaged or altered. For example, the mating surfaces of moulds are not rounded off, thus preventing burr formation. Furthermore, the ASCO dry ice blasting process has the advantage that it can be carried out directly on the equipment. This eliminates the need for costly production downtime. Even hot moulds, such as ingot moulds, can be cleaned directly during the process without requiring significant cooling, meaning production can resume immediately after cleaning. The ASCO dry ice blasting process can therefore be easily applied on a regular basis and integrated into the daily workflow. In this way, the technology contributes to quality and process assurance with minimal effort.  

During cleaning with the ASCOJET 1701 dry ice blasting machine at KSM Castings Group in Hildesheim, Germany