Aluminum Casting Defect Solutions & Total Quality Control
“Better Melt, Better Casting.”
Solving the Unsolvable. Aluminum Casting Defect Solutions & Melt Quality Improvement Clinic using Thermal Analysis
Melt Quality Analysis & Diagnosis
Thermal Analysis transcends the limits of Flow Simulation. What is the decisive cause that simulations fail to assume?
Countermeasures for aluminum casting defects caused by ingots or molten metal are KANAE's greatest specialty. Oxides in the melt can be "good" or "bad." Our thermal analysis technology has even proven the existence of "defects caused by overly clean melts," a phenomenon previously little known.
A real production floor is not a sterile condition like a controlled laboratory. That is why we provide technology tailored to the "Reality of the Shop Floor," where impurities and fluctuations exist, rather than theories based on ideal environments. Because the shop floor holds truths more complex than theory.
[Defects that can be unraveled by Thermal Analysis]
Hard Spots, Inclusions
Shrinkage, Micro-porosity, Combined porosity
Misruns, Cold shuts (Two-fold / Oxide films)
Corner shrinkage/cracking, Leakage
Decline in mechanical properties (Tensile strength, Proof stress, Elongation, Hardness)
T6 heat treatment failure (Ineffective heat treatment)
In addition to these many defect causes, the correlation with Hydrogen Gas is also now within our scope of analysis.
Material Analysis & Process Optimization Support
Why do casting defects persist even with flow simulation? Because a crucial factor is not being taken into account.
Analytical power that understands ingots worldwide We have analyzed aluminum alloy ingots from Japan, China, the Middle East, Europe, and around the world. Every country—and every manufacturer—has its own "habits." In factories where oxide and silicon management is lax, material properties can fluctuate drastically just by changing the season or production lot.
Good products can be made even with "Cheap Materials" Thermal analysis of the ingot reveals exactly what melt treatment is needed to produce high-quality castings. Even when using low-cost ingots or 100% return scrap to reduce purchasing costs, thermal analysis allows you to select the best option and apply the correct treatment.
Training to anchor technology in your organization If requested, we can conduct on-site surveys and lecture on optimal melt treatments and countermeasures based on analysis results. Regular follow-up training is also available to ensure the technology takes root on the shop floor.
First, please request an ingot analysis. If possible, please send return scrap (returns) and the flux you are currently using along with the ingots. This will allow us to create a highly precise diagnostic report based on the actual conditions of your production.
Thermal Analysis System
The same professional-grade equipment we use for technical consulting is available for your company. The greatest benefit of this system is the "Visualization" (Quantification) of aluminum molten metal quality.
Instead of relying on intuition or experience, the Production Engineering Department sets a "Passing Score" (Quality Standard), and the shop floor adheres to it. This establishes a workflow where Production Engineering and the Casting Shop can communicate using common numerical data, leading directly to stabilized quality and a significant reduction in defect rates.
High-Precision Sampling Cup for Thermal Analysis
Accurate measurement starts with a precisely calculated "Sampling Cup." KANAE’s cups are optimized specifically for the thermal analysis of aluminum melt, featuring perfected sand grain size, weight, and heat dissipation structure, along with a built-in high-precision thermocouple.
This level of measurement accuracy—achieved through dedicated design—cannot be replicated by cups meant for cast iron or other generic imitations.
Super Rapid Vacuum Solidification System
Standard vacuum solidification devices are meant to trap gas inside for evaluation. However, conventional devices have a slow vacuum speed, allowing gas to escape from the surface before the metal solidifies. This is exactly like trying to measure the carbonation level of "flat soda".
In many foundries, operators intentionally slow down the vacuum process to prevent bubbles from bursting or the metal from splashing. This puts the cart before the horse. Splashing is proof that excessive gas remains in the melt. If you slow down the process to let the gas escape, the analysis may show the gas level is "within limits," but the actual casting will still have gas defects. This creates a dangerous contradiction.
KANAE’s system uses "Rapid Vacuum" technology that leaves no time for gas to escape, allowing you to evaluate the "True Gas Content" without any deception.
Straight Grass Tube Fluidity Tester
This device evaluates the fluidity (flow length) of aluminum melt and how it is affected by various casting conditions (such as temperature), oxides, and additives. Its most distinct feature is the use of Pyrex™ (heat-resistant glass straight tubes) for the measurement section.
Unlike the traditional "Spiral Test" (Spiral Mold), where comparing standard samples against other conditions is difficult, this device makes sample observation and length measurement extremely easy. It significantly reduces testing workload and enables more accurate comparative evaluations.
Flux Feeder (Automated Flux Injection System)
Performing manual flux treatment consistently and correctly is no easy task. It requires stirring the entire molten metal from the bottom of the furnace for at least 10 minutes. This process often leads to quality variations depending on the operator. It is also grueling physical labor—especially in the summer heat—and carries the risk of injury.
By introducing this Flux Feeder, even first-year staff or those with less physical strength can achieve veteran-level processing quality. We have also resolved common issues found in conventional feeders, such as "clogging" and "uneven discharge." KANAE’s "Truly Usable Feeder" reduces workload, helps prevent staff turnover, accelerates the training of new rookies, and realizes work standardization and quality stability.
Advanced Flux for Modern Casting
The aluminum casting landscape is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Factors such as "lower holding temperatures" for energy conservation, the shift toward "Gigacasting," and variations in ingot properties based on origin are changing the rules of the game.
Lower holding temperatures (Energy saving / Carbon neutrality)
Increased mold temperatures and altered cooling cycles
Complex designs and the rise of Gigacasting
Variations in ingot quality due to country of origin, manufacturer, or lot differences
Traditional methods and conventional wisdom are no longer sufficient to handle these changes. KANAE has completely redesigned our flux formulations to meet these challenges. Through rigorous thermal analysis and repeated on-site field trials, we provide flux solutions optimized specifically for the "Modern Casting Environment."
Grain Refiners & Modifiers (Si Modification / Mg Protection)
High-Grade Refiners and Modifiers with Minimized Impurities
We provide Aluminum Grain Refiners (Al-Ti-B) and various Modifiers (B/Sr/Be, etc.). KANAE strictly selects only high-quality products with minimal impurities that demonstrate reliable effectiveness against shrinkage porosity and pressure leakage.
By eliminating the risk of defects caused by the additives (master alloys) themselves, we ensure precise microstructure control exactly as intended. These are professional-grade additives for foundries seriously committed to reducing casting defects.