In the foundry and metal working industry, globalisation has meant new and larger markets, accelerated production cycles, increased demands on product quality and standardisation, and, of course, keen competition among foundries. In order to stay competitive in this scenario, this paper suggests automation as an intelligent and cost-effective solution to timeconsuming and arduous manual routines in the foundry. Following the introduction of the central automatic functions in the core production area, along the moulding line and in after-treatment, the paper verifies the level of regularity and process control achieved by using an automatic data collection and exchange system. The paper documents how automation affords an efficient production cycle, consistent product quality and significant improvements in labour functions and the working environment within the foundry.
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