On October 1, Kimura Foundry Company Ltd., a ferrous cast metal foundry located in Japan, entered into a technology supply agreement with the Swedish process control specialist SinterCast for Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) product development, prototyping and niche volume production. Under terms of the agreement, SinterCast will install a Mini-System 3000 at the Kimura Foundry located in Shizouka, Japan. The Mini-System 3000, which is planned to be shipped during November and commissioned before year-end, will enable Kimura Foundry to independently produce high quality CGI components for its global customer base.
“Adding CGI casting capability with the SinterCast process will position Kimura as a leading global casting supplier for new product development. Together with our Full Mold Process and 3D sand printing capabilities, global OEMs and partner foundries can leverage Kimura’s engineering and casting capabilities for short lead-time prototype castings, providing design engineers with the ability to rapidly develop new engine programmes or other component applications” said Mr. Kazutoshi Kimura, President of Kimura Foundry Company, Ltd. “We look forward to the CGI installation, which will provide an opportunity for us to play a key role in the global growth of CGI.”
“The Kimura order reaffirms the trend toward CGI for demanding casting applications. Kimura will now be able to offer complete CGI casting solutions for automotive, commercial vehicle, and industrial power OEMs for prototyping and niche volume production” said Dr Steve Dawson, President & CEO of SinterCast. “The Kimura installation marks our fourth installation in Japan and our twentieth installation in Asia. We are pleased that our longstanding support of CGI development in Asia, combined with our commitment to local commercial and technical support, has led to Kimura’s decision to adopt our technology.” ■