KURTZ and KORMAZ Joint Low Pressure Die Casting Project

This year the two strong partners Kurtz and Korkmaz Çelik completed successfully a joint low pressure die casting project with the Turkish supplier Altun Döküm Sanayi A.Ş. Altun Döküm was founded in 1977 by Ahmet and Mehmet Altun. Altun Döküm’s customers are widely spread around many different branches. Most of them are working in the energy sector, in automotive, in health or in cooling systems industry and aerospace. Altun Döküm is a typical jobbing foundry that means a very flexible foundry who is casting many kinds of alloys in gravity, high pressure, and of course low pressure. Yearly casting capacity is around 1,800 ton of aluminium. Besides casting and machining Altun Döküm has its own tool shop, casting simulation, laboratory, and heat treatment. How Altun Döküm was able to further increase product quality with low pressure casting is reported in an interview with Kenan Pulat, Assistant Production Manager at Altun Döküm.

Kurtz: How and when did you make first contact with Kurtz and Korkmaz Çelik? What challenge did Altun Döküm face at that time?

K. Pulat: We met at the GIFA fair in 2019. Some of my colleagues and I met at the Kurtz booth and talked to the Kurtz Automotive team. We got in-depth technology and machine information from the Kurtz and Korkmaz Çelik teams. We kept in lively contact and had discussions about our needs and ideas. Korkmaz Çelik took care of the communication in our mother tongue, supported us in technical topics, and accelerated the response process. Korkmaz advised us very well. Altun Döküm decided to invest and to move on with Kurtz.

Kurtz: What was the main criteria for Altun Döküm to decide working with Kurtz and trusting in their technologies? Did you face any challenges?

K. Pulat: We have been producing by low pressure die casting (LPDC) method for many years. Machines that we use are mostly outdated technology. New parts requests coming from our clients directed us to use newer technological systems. That is why we travelled to GIFA fair and searched LPDC systems. Kurtz foundry machines convinced us the most. Kurtz technologies are state of the art, have great references and are the most powerful on the market. We need a very flexible casting machine to produce our wide range of products, these were the key drivers we at Altun Döküm were looking for.

Kurtz: What was the main aspect when choosing the final equipment of the machine? Which castings are produced on the Kurtz foundry machine and which requirements had to be met?

K. Pulat: We connected with the Korkmaz Çelik team and explained them our present and future projects. Besides the parts in metal die, with and without sand cores, we also need to cast complete core packages in low pressure. We asked for a machine which can do both processes, metal die and sand core in one machine, which is not usual at all. Our projects have high quality requirements, lot sizes are mostly low. We are casting high weight products up to 700 kg and very light products up to 0.2 kg. According to our projects, the Kurtz team determined the machine’s requirements. 两个强大的合作伙伴库尔特（Kurtz）和Korkmaz Çelik与土耳其供应商Altun Döküm Sanayi公司成功完 成了联合低压压铸项目。Altun Döküm公司于1977年 由Ahmet和Mehmet创立。Altun Döküm公司的客户 广泛分布于很多领域。大部分客户属于能源、汽车、健 康或冷却系统行业和航空航天领域。Altun Döküm公 司是典型的小批量生产铸造厂，这意味着它的生产非常 灵活，可以生产重力、高压、低压等多种工艺的合金铸 件。年铸造产能约为1,800吨铝合金铸件。除铸造和加工 外，Altun Döküm还拥有自己的模具车间、铸造模拟、 实验室和热处理车间。在对Altun Döküm助理生产经理 Kenan Pulat的采访中，他介绍了Altun Döküm公司如 何通过低压铸造进一步提高产品质量。

Kurtz：在什么时间、什么情况下第一次接触到Kurtz 和Korkmaz Çelik的？Altun Döküm面临什么挑战呢？

K. Pulat：我们是在2019年的GIFA展会上认识的。我 和我的一些同事在Kurtz展位会面，并与Kurtz Automotive团队进行了交谈。我们从Kurtz和Korkmaz Çelik团 队获得了全面的技术和设备信息。我们保持着积极的联 系，并就我们的需求和想法进行了讨论。Korkmaz Çelik 负责帮助翻译，在技术上为我们提供支持，并加快了响 应过程。Korkmaz给予了很好的建议。Altun Döküm 决定投资并继续与Kurtz合作。

Kurtz：Altun Döküm决定与Kurtz合作并信任他们 的技术是基于什么？你遇到哪些挑战？

K. Pulat：多年来，我们一直采用低压铸造(LPDC) 工艺进行生产。我们使用的机器大多是过时的。来自客 户的新零件生产需求要求我们使用更新的技术，因此， 我们前往GIFA展并寻找LPDC技术。Kurtz的铸造机得到 我们的认可，它的技术是最先进的，有很多成功案例， 并且是市场上最强大的。我们需要一台非常灵活的铸造 机来生产多样化的产品，这些是Altun Döküm寻找的 关键驱动因素。

Kurtz：在选择最终的机器设备时，主要考虑的方 面是什么？Kurtz铸造机生产哪些铸件，必须满足哪 些要求？

K. Pulat：我们联系了Korkmaz Çelik团队并向他们 介绍了我们现在和未来的项目。除了金属模具中的零 件，有无砂芯，我们还需要用低压压铸铸造完整的砂 芯。我们要求可以在一台机器上同时完成金属模具和砂 芯这两种工艺，这根本不常见。我们的项目有很高的质 量要求，大多是小批量。我们铸造从0.2公斤到700公 斤的铸件。根据我们的项目要求，Kurtz团队确定了机 器的要求。

Kurtz: Which machine did you order?

K. Pulat: We decided for Kurtz low pressure machine, tailormade for our needs. This is the first Kurtz foundry machine for Altun Döküm. It is of type shuttle system, perfectly suited for changeable crucible furnace. We have to use many different kinds of alloys. Therefore a changeable furnace is a big advantage. We bought two 900 kg furnaces with different kind of alloys or for highly efficient casting, which means high quantity. One furnace can cast, and one furnace can be prepared with new material in parallel outside of the machine. We change the furnace with a crane. Kurtz convinced us with their cooling technology and the accuracy of the Kurtz low pressure control system. Based on that, we can cast structural parts, massive parts, and hollow parts. All we need to cast as a jobbing foundry. We are able to change dies fast and can store all the casting recipes on the machine. That means we are able to change from one product to another in a very short time.

Kurtz: How did the following project handling work out? Were you satisfied with the transport, installation, and other additional Kurtz services?

K. Pulat: There is an extremely professional manner at Kurtz starting from the specifying of machine’s requirements to the bid, layout plan, pre-acceptance procedure, shipping, installation, and training. Especially we would like to underline that we haven’t had any problems, even though we had the pandemic situation and a lot of restrictions due to it.

Kurtz: Some reference to internationality: Kurtz has a global service team. Service staff is sometimes travelling longer distances depending on the availability and project situation of the individual staff. Have you been satisfied with the Kurtz service team which in your case came from Kurtz Ost in Russia?

K. Pulat: The Russian team was planned and organized with the Altun Döküm team. The installation was completed on time and tests were conducted successfully. The worldwide Kurtz Ersa network is working very well. The teams are working hand in hand.

Kurtz: Are you satisfied with the Kurtz service for instance the machine service and the process support?

K. Pulat: Yes, we are completely satisfied. The Kurtz team solved all possible and unforeseen problems after and before the installation of our machine on the field. Remote service has been used and made problem solving possible in a very short time. Remote control was helpful for us because we wanted to have additional software features afterwards which could be handled via the remote control system.

Kurtz: Are there already any follow-up projects planned?

K. Pulat: Our first goal is increasing capacity of casting in terms of tonnage and improve our casting abilities. But Kurtz will surely be the first choice for our new projects.

Kurtz: Thank you very much for the interview and the insights and impressions you gave us about your cooperation with Kurtz Ersa, Mr. Pulat.

About the interviewee: Born in 1988, Kenan Pulat completed his bachelor’s degree in casting technologies at Gazi University in Ankara. Kenan is Assistant Production Manager at Altun Döküm Sanayi A.Ş. He is responsible for the cast part production. Since 2011, Kenan has been an integral part of Altun Döküm’s production and became an expert in the field of low pressure die casting. ■ Kurtz：你订购了哪台机器？

K. Pulat：我们决定使用量身定制的Kurtz低压压铸 机。这是Altun Döküm的第一台Kurtz铸造机。它是往 返系统，非常适合不同用途的坩埚。我们必须使用许多 不同种类的合金。因此，可更换的炉子是一个很大的优 势。我们购买了两台900公斤的熔炉，适用于不同种类 的合金或高效铸造，这意味着可以实现大量生产。一个 炉子用于浇注，一个炉子可平行备新料。我们用起重机 更换熔炉。Kurtz凭借其冷却技术和低压控制系统的准 确性说服了我们。在此基础上，我们可以生产铸造结构 件、大部件和空心件。所有我们可以作为一个灵活的小 批量生产厂。我们能够快速更换模具，并且可以将所有 铸件程序存储在机器上。这意味着我们能够在很短的时 间内从生产一种产品更改为另一种产品。

Kurtz：后续的生产进行的怎样？您对运输、安装和 其他Kurtz服务是否满意？

K. Pulat：从指定机器要求到投标、布局规划、预验 收程序、运输、安装和培训，Kurtz表现的非常专业。 特别是，我们要强调的是，尽管由于疫情大流行的很多 限制，我们没有遇到任何问题。

Kurtz：国际化方面的参考，Kurtz有一个全球服务 团队。售后服务人员有时会根据个人时间和项目情况进 行国际旅行。您对来自俄罗斯Kurtz Ost的Kurtz服务团 队满意吗？

K. Pulat：俄罗斯团队是由Altun Döküm团队策划和 组织的。安装按时完成，测试顺利进行。全球Kurtz Ersa 网络运行良好，团队正在携手合作。

Kurtz：您对Kurtz的服务，比如机器效果和工艺支 持是否满意？

K. Pulat：是的，我们完全满意。Kurtz团队在现场 安装我们的机器时，解决了安装前和之后所有可能的和 不可预见的问题。我们采用了远程服务，这样可以在很 短的时间内解决问题。远程控制对我们很有帮助，因为 我们希望之后有额外的软件功能，可以通过远程控制系 统进行处理。

Kurtz：是否已经计划了任何后续项目？

K. Pulat：我们的首要目标是增加吨位，并提高我们 的铸造生产能力。但Kurtz肯定会成为我们新项目的首 选合作伙伴。

Kurtz：Pulat先生，非常感谢您接受采访，分享您对 与Kurtz Ersa合作的想法和评价。 关于受访者：Kenan Pulat1988年出生，在安卡 拉Gazi大学获得铸造技术学士学位。Kenan是Altun Döküm Sanayi公司的助理生产经理，负责铸件的生产。 自2011年以来，Kenan一直是Altun Döküm公司生产中 不可或缺的一员，并已成为低压铸造领域的专家。 ■