Metal Information Center

Another dosing furnace for Metal Castings

May 22, 2006 – 11:19 am

The UK’s largest manufacturer of aluminium high pressure diecastings took delivery of its twentieth Westomat dosing furnace this summer. Worcester-based Metal Castings ordered the 1200kg-capacity furnace for a new diecasting cell dedicated to producing hinge panels for the doors of the L322 Range Rover, which was launched last year and is built in nearby Solihull. The company already produces interior lock panels for the doors in another cell.

All the parts are shipped to Tier One supplier Dura Automotive, where complete door assemblies are put together.

With an overall length of 1.4 metres and weighing just 2kg, the hinge panels will be the largest, and one of the lightest of the automotive parts produced at Worcester - a good illustration of the onward march of aluminium as a vehicle light-weighting material.

The new dosing furnace was ordered from Striko UK, which has a key responsibility for molten metal supply at Worcester.

The process route that culminates at the Westomats begins with two Striko melters - a tilting reverbatory furnace and a stationary bulk melter/holder.

Both deliver metal through filter vessels of Striko UK’s own design, which remove dross in readiness for rotary degassing.