What the CASTFAST casting platform offers is a real innovation. In conversation with Rudi Riedel, CEO of the Mainz-based start-up, this quickly becomes clear and concrete.
"We want to make casting cool again"
"The idea for CASTFAST was born in a traditional iron foundry. When I joined Römheld & Moelle as Managing Director four years ago, it quickly became clear after many discussions with employees and trade unions that we had to open up new areas of business and make casting cool again. We became interested in 3D-printed sand molds, very quickly purchased a 3D sand printer from ExOne and pursued concepts and projects with young people, local students and from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam right from the start," said Rudi Riedel at the opening party of the newly spun-off start-up CASTFAST at the end of April, where invited guests from the foundry industry were able to take a look behind the scenes.
The 3D sand printing project at Römheld & Moelle quickly developed a life of its own. In addition to faster, pattern-free mould production, the team recognized enormous potential for process digitization - including automatic price calculation and online sales. The decision to spin off the company came when it became clear that CASTFAST as a platform could help all foundries, not just Römheld & Moelle. There was a spirit of optimism.
Riedel accompanied the young CASTFAST team in the start-up phase as CEO. Today, the team offers a complete package in the casting procurement process, in which CASTFAST exploits the possibilities of digitalization and puts them at the service of medium-sized foundries. CASTFAST doesn't just want to blow wind into the sails of foundries. The aim is also to get buyers excited about casting again and make the procurement of cast parts much easier.
In a market survey of potential casting buyers and foundries, it quickly became clear what is most annoying about the casting procurement process today:
Waiting long time for quotations, lack of pattern, lack of flexibility from suppliers, long delivery times, as well as difficulties in accommodating prototypes, individual parts and small batches.
CASTFAST now provides the answer with its services, which can be accessed directly via the website. Individual parts and small series as well as the series production of cast parts weighing between 10 and 2,800 kg are possible.
Potential customers enter their inquiry digitally, are shown an immediate price and estimated delivery date and receive a quick, competent and professional response from the CASTFAST team within 24 hours regarding feasibility, a calculated price and a supplier who can deliver the desired casting on the agreed date. Many materials are already available as standard for iron castings and the first orders for aluminum and steel castings have already been processed. New materials are gradually being added, so it is worth visiting CASTFAST.de more often.
As there are always inquiries coming in that the team cannot yet answer with current suppliers, we are working intensively on expanding the network. CASTFAST is therefore always open to discussions with interested foundries. Together the industry is stronger, is the motto.
In addition to cast parts, the website also offers the option of ordering 3D-printed sand molds, so that foundries can experience the benefits of 3D sand printing without having to make a major investment.
The fascination of the 3D sand printing process at CASTFAST is the combination of the traditional casting process with patern-free mold production and state-of-the-art digital support. Starting with the request for a component through to digital forwarding to a foundry that can process the order. CASTFAST already has a network of foundries and is currently able to produce the 3D sand printing molds itself. Foundries with their own 3D sand printers can easily be connected to the platform.
All of this creates a process chain that benefits the entire foundry industry:
No pattern - Superior quality - Digital process - Transparency
Casting molds from the 3D printer
The casting moulds from the 3D sand printer not only make polystyrene or wooden pattern superfluous, the optimized mould also reduces the subsequent processing effort and material requirements compared to full mould casting (material savings of up to 10% are possible). Compared to permanent pattern casting, 3D sand printing has a clear advantage in terms of speed and flexibility. This means that 3D sand printing can offer competitive prices for castings, with no extra charge for complexity, speed or variations from one casting to the next. For repeat parts, buyers are no longer restricted by where the pattern are in the warehouse.
Full design freedom
Whether topology or load optimizations, complicated undercuts and cores, free-form surfaces and bionic shapes; 3D sand printing creates the basis for complex parts with superior surface quality and dimensional accuracy. Designers do not have to worry about demolding, mold parting, bad side.
Flexible casting procurement
Need to quickly insert a small series before the large series while the pattern are being built? Bridge a delivery bottleneck? Order a rarely required casting only when it is actually needed? Cast prototypes in the right material straight away and implement subsequent further development without major additional expense? Customize products such as machines according to customer requirements (e.g. casting a machine table differently each time)? No problem with 3D sand printing.
Casting in a flash
The most obvious time saving is that the pattern-free 3D sand printing process completely skips the pattern making stage. This means that lead times of four weeks (for simple parts) to four to five months (for complex components) can be saved in one fell swoop.
Reliable quality
Casting suppliers you can rely on: All foundries connected to the CastFast platform are certified for quality management in accordance with ISO 9001:2015.
Let's go!
The CASTFAST team around CTO Rahul Prasad and Product Lead Marcel Tschillaev is already well positioned. In order to ensure solid business operations, a seven-figure sum was raised for the start-up CASTFAST in the form of funding and Rudi Riedel is proud of his young team, explaining that business has already got off to a promising start.
The guests from the participating foundries were full of praise for the CASTFAST platform and the concrete handling from the inquiry to the delivered casting.
It was noticeable how foundry technology, digitalization, AM and lean order processing work together skilfully and offer benefits for the entire foundry industry.
CASTFAST is now taking the next steps in increasing awareness of the platform and expanding its network of interested foundry partners. As an independent on-demand platform for castings, CASTFAST aims to open up opportunities for medium-sized foundries in particular. And it's not just the casting buyers who will be pleased.
