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Lost Foam: The Vulcan Advantage
Experience: Vulcan has more complete Lost Foam projects than
all other competitors. In addition, Vulcan has been involved, as a
partner, with these customers to design complete systems which
work for the process, not just as mechanical and electrical devices.
People: People are the key, and Vulcan has the people with the
expertise and the experience. Our staff includes some of the top
Lost Foam process experts in the world, from jobbing foundry
experience to automotive. These are experts in tooling, foam
making, casting, and metallurgy who have worked for many years
in Lost Foam operations.
Proprietary Designs: Vulcan’s mechanical designs for handling
systems, sand fill, compaction, coating tanks, glue machines,
screener/classifiers, coolers, etc., are unique for the Lost Foam
process. Most of these designs are available only from Vulcan due
to the collected data and experience.
Controls and Software: Control systems and software are all
designed by Vulcan’s in-house Electrical/Computer/Controls
Group, who also work with empirical data only available at Vulcan.
These same people travel to our project sites during installation,
start-up, and operation, bringing field experience to each new
design.
THE FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS
Manufacturing: Vulcan equipment and controls are built in our
own plant. This gives Vulcan control over construction techniques
and workmanship, as well as providing competitive pricing.
Testing: Experience has taught us that Lost Foam equipment
must be tested for correct performance before shipment. This is
imperative if reliable production parameters are to be met. Again,
Vulcan is the only company with the background data, experience,
and facilities to properly test Lost Foam systems in-house.
LOST FOAM CASTING SYSTEMS
Complete Package: Vulcan provides a true “one source” for a Lost Vulcan Engineering Co. is known worldwide for complete start to finish Lost Foam systems. We offer
Foam project. We have the expertise and the experience in all equipment and solutions for all phases of the Lost Foam process.
phrases, from tooling, to foam making, to casting, to finishing. We
design and build our own facilities coating systems, robots, drying
oven, casting systems, sand processing, degating and finishing
machinery, and much more.
Vulcan operates a separate facility for training in tooling, foam
making, casting, and all phases of the Lost Foam process. This,
combined with our exclusive technology packages, can include
actual work in a production foundry while developing process
parameters for your participating casting. As a result, Vulcan can
get you into production faster, and therefore save excessive start-
One Vulcan Drive, Helena, AL 35080 | +1 (205) 663-0732
up costs. sales@vulcangroup.com | www.vulcangroup.com
Lost Foam
Design, Cost, and Environmental Advantages
• No cores, core defects, core fins
• No core shift/float
• No parting line or fins
• No shift
• Dry unbonded sand
• No moisture or binder related defects
• Easily recycled sand
• Extremely low and clean solid waste
disposal
• Non-hazardous materials used
• Reduced grinding, blasting, finishing
• Extremely low external emissions
• Improved working environment (noise,
dust, fumes, heavy lifting)
• Lower insurance rates
• Close dimensional tolerances
• Excellent surface finish
• Decreased/eliminated machining
• More complex shapes
• Casting weight reduction
• Low draft / no draft / reverse draft
• Improved pressure-tight castings
• Reduced assembly
• Cast-In inserts
• Improved part performance
• Design freedom
• Extremely long tool life
• Long-term repeatable dimensions
• Just-in-time capabilities
• Simpler process control
• Lower labor costs
• Lower capital costs
• Reduced floor space requirements
• High productivity
• Reduced machining scrap
• Lower machining tool damage
• Lower energy consumption

A Process for All Metallurgies

Lost Foam has been successfully applied to alloys of aluminum, gray iron, ductile iron, brass, bronze, and steel. With or without slight
variations virtually any alloy can be produced using Lost Foam. Vulcan Engineering has licensing or associations for variations of the basic
Lost Foam process such as Replicast® CS, Castyral®, Polyform®, and others. Below are just a few examples casting advantages.

Cylinder Heads Other as-cast features can include:

• Combustion chambers
Cylinder heads, overhead cam, or push rod design
• High pressure oil lines Complete
utilize Lost Foam’s greater design flexibility to enable
a high degree of component integration to reduce
• Lifter lubrication slots
• Cam journal lube lines
Lost Foam
parts and assembly operations including the SHC Foundry
• Water outlet
journal pedestal and EGR passages.
• Oil return lines

General Steps in the Lost Foam Process

Engine Blocks
Engine blocks can be an outstanding example of
simultaneous product/process engineering, where
the as-cast capabilities of the Lost Foam process are
fully utilized. As-cast fluid distribution lines on blocks
and heads can eliminate gun drilling, and associated
equipment and tooling.
Valves
Several manufacturers have designed and are in
production of water main valves cast using the Lost
Foam process. Consistent with the process, here are
some of the illustrative features:
Bead Pre-Expansion: Purchased raw polymer
Some of these as-cast features can include:
beads are expanded using steam to achieve a
• High pressure oil lines to the main bearings and
controlled low density.
the cylinder head
• Oil filter plumbing Foam Molding: Beads are injected into an
• Water pump, thermostat, and water distribution aluminum tool and steamed to fuse them
passages together into a precision replica of the finished
• Oil return lines part.
• Accessory brackets
Gluing: For some complex parts which cannot
be made in one piece, multiple foam sections
may be glued together.
• Flanged end faces cast with no draft
• As-cast bolt holes
Cluster Assembly: Individual foam replicas
• As-cast reverse draft in the gasket seat
may be glued or bonded to a gating system to
• As-cast gate seat sealing surface form a tree or cluster.
• As-cast “O” ring groove
• Eliminated machining Coating: Foam replicas or clusters are coated
with a water-based refractory coating which
adds rigidity, acts as a barrier between molten
metal and sand, and control gas pressure.
Drying: Water in the coating is driven out to
provide a dry, rigid, permeable coating.
Cluster Insertion: The coated, dried cluster
is inserted into a special flask designed for
its response to vibration. Manual insertion is
shown, automatic or mechanized insertion can
be used.
Sand Fill: Dry, unbonded sand is rained in
at controlled rates while varying vibration is
applied in a special sequence. The sand fluidizers recycled.
and fills the external and internal areas of the
cluster.
Compaction: The same vibration, when properly
controlled, will compact the sand around the
cluster to near its maximum density, much
harder than any other sand molding process.
Metal Pouring: Molten metal displaces the
foam inside the coating forming a casting which
has the details, holes, passages, dimensions, and
surface finish characteristics of the foam replica.
Extraction: After cooling the castings may
be simply dumped out with the sand or
automatically extracted, as the internal passages
simply drain of the dry sand. The sand is easily
As-Cast Cluster: Showing high metal yield,
flask utilization, and productivity gain