Division 01 — Metallurgical / Ferrous / Moulding Materials
High-Performance Moulding Materials
Binders, setting agents, and sand treatment additives for ferrous casting moulds and cores — engineered to deliver the green strength, hot strength, and controlled shakeout collapsibility that dimensional accuracy in grey iron, ductile iron, and steel castings demands.
The mould is the primary tool of the foundry. Its strength and dimensional stability under the pressure and heat of a metal pour determine whether a casting meets its dimensional specification or requires costly correction. CFC Egypt's high-performance moulding materials — EGYBINDER sand binder and EGYSET setting agent — are formulated for the chemical and thermal demands of ferrous no-bake and core-making operations. EGYBINDER provides the bonding strength that holds sand grains in position from stripping through to shakeout. EGYSET controls the rate of cure, allowing foundries to dial in strip times that match their production cycle, from single-piece job work to mechanised core-making lines. Together, they give complete control over mould quality — strength during casting, reliable breakdown at shakeout, and sand that reclaims cleanly for reuse.
01
What It Covers
High-performance moulding materials address the full chemical bond cycle of a no-bake mould or core: from mixing and mould-making through pouring and solidification to shakeout and sand reclamation.
01
Sand Binders — EGYBINDER
EGYBINDER is the primary bonding component mixed with foundry sand to build the mould or core body. It develops green strength for safe handling of the mould before the pour, adequate hot strength to resist deformation under the weight of the metal, and a controlled breakdown profile at elevated temperature that allows clean shakeout without excessive force. Binder addition rate is matched to the sand type, core geometry, and the metal being cast.
02
Setting Agents — EGYSET
EGYSET is the hardener or catalyst component that triggers and controls the cure reaction of the binder system. By adjusting the EGYSET addition rate, foundries can calibrate strip time to match their moulding or core-making cycle — faster set for high-volume production, slower set for large or complex moulds that require more time to compact and finish before stripping. EGYSET also influences the final strength profile and the shakeout behaviour of the cured mould.
03
Binder System Selection
The right binder system depends on the metal, mould size, production volume, and available sand reclamation. For grey and ductile iron, binder systems must provide adequate hot strength up to approximately 1200 °C and then collapse reliably to allow shakeout. For steel, higher hot strength is required to withstand pouring temperatures above 1550 °C. Our technical team supports system selection, addition rate optimisation, and troubleshooting of common binder-related defects including gas porosity, veining, and dimensional scatter.
04
Sand Reclamation Compatibility
Chemically bonded sand can be reclaimed thermally or mechanically after shakeout and returned to the moulding cycle. The binder system used directly affects the quality of reclaimed sand — binder residues that are not fully burned off during casting reduce the effective clay or chemical bond of new additions. CFC Egypt's moulding materials are formulated for compatibility with standard thermal and attrition reclamation systems used in ferrous foundries.
02
Where It's Used
Chemically bonded moulding materials are used in ferrous foundries wherever castings require dimensional precision and surface quality beyond what green-sand moulding can deliver, or where core complexity demands chemical bonding.
Steel Foundries (No-Bake)
All sand-cast steel production uses no-bake chemically bonded sand — green sand cannot withstand steel pouring temperatures. Steel foundries producing pump casings, valve bodies, structural castings, and wear parts require binder systems that maintain mould integrity at pouring temperatures above 1550 °C and that develop sufficient residual strength to hold the casting in position during the extended solidification cycle of heavy steel sections.
Heavy Ductile Iron Castings
Large section ductile iron castings — counterweights, gear housings, hydraulic valve bodies, and agricultural machinery components — are typically produced in no-bake or shell moulds. The high section weights and long solidification times require binder systems with sustained hot strength, and the complex cored cavities in these castings require dimensionally accurate cores that do not shift or collapse during filling.
Complex Cored Grey Iron Castings
Engine blocks, cylinder heads, gearbox housings, and pump casings incorporate intricate internal cored passages — water jackets, oil galleries, and valve ports — that require chemically bonded cores with precise dimensions, adequate strength during the pour, and reliable shakeout to cleanly remove core sand from internal cavities after casting. Binder addition rate, cure profile, and the relationship between EGYBINDER and EGYSET determine whether cores strip cleanly, survive the pour, and shake out completely.
Jobbing & Batch Foundries
Jobbing foundries producing a wide range of casting types and sizes in small batches rely on flexible binder systems that can be adjusted quickly for different metals, section weights, and mould sizes. No-bake binder systems allow rapid changeover between jobs without the plant investment of mechanised green-sand lines. CFC Egypt's moulding materials support this flexibility with adjustable set times through EGYSET addition rate modification.