Review: GIFA 2015

Increasing demand for the Lost Foam Procedure

A significantly higher number of inquiries from expert visitors related to the introduction of the Lost Foam procedure – that is the all-dominant impression from the Lost Foam Council e.V. (LFC) booth at this year’s international foundry trade fair GIFA in Duesseldorf, Germany (June 16-20).

“In comparison to the last GIFA four years ago, a lot more people were familiar with the casting procedure. What surprised us the most – in a positive sense - was the depth of detail of the visitors’ questions”, says Dipl.-Ing. Reinhard Woltmann, chairman of the LFC. Also the LFC member companies present at the GIFA shared this impression.

Mainly foundries – amongst them many from Asia – showed their interest to introduce the casting procedure. Especially in the automotive sector, Lost Foam becomes more and more interesting for the designers, for example to satisfy the increased demand for complex lightweight constructions. Regarding the areas of application, the production of prototypes, small series as well as large series were of interest for the visitors. Especially regarding large series, the discussions focused on the increased function integration and the possibility of weight reductions combined with improved working conditions and environmental protection in comparison to other casting procedures.

Detailed discussions about entry opportunities

Amongst other things, the LFC presented at its booth new components that can be produced in Lost Foam. The majority of the visitors at the booth were from the sectors automotive, general mechanical engineering and raw material production or from supplier foundries or training and research institutes. “The interest in the Lost Foam procedure is increasing significantly. We had a lot of detailed discussions about entry possibilities and the concrete investment needs – i.e. about questions related to equipment technology, media supply and material procurement”, says Woltmann. 

“The GIFA is an important indicator of the current situation and future trends of our industry. We are therefore all the more happy that more and more companies consider the Lost Foam casting procedure as a supplement to their production opportunities or already use it. As an association we will continue to accompany them on their way,” underlines Dipl.-Ing. Franz-Josef Woestmann, managing director of the LFC.

About the Lost Foam Council e.V. (registered association):

The Lost Foam Council e.V. (LFC) was founded in 2003. The aim of the registered association is to foster the scientific and technological development of the Lost Foam casting procedure. The members of the LFC are enterprises and institutions involved in any part of the process. The LFC brings together experts, fosters a fruitful networking and regularly offers training and further education courses. The central LFC office is located at the premises of the Frauenhofer IFAM institute in Muenster.