ETC- A self-contained technology center

Pattern Making and Methoding
Patterns are manufactured in-house  using CNC Flexicam Pattern Making machines with CAD/CAM technology  Magma 3D solidification simulation software is used to enhance the quality of our castings. The simulation allows us to continuously improve the castings we pour, and also identify and eliminate defects before it enters the production stage. ETC operates an 'Engineering Center' in India which supports our engineering requirements for manufacturing.

Pattern Making machines 

CAD/CAM technology  Magma 3D solidification simulation software

Moulding
All our foundries operate  'Automated Mould Line' based on continuous flow manufacturing concept. Our Plant 3 has the world's largest automatic moulding line for large size steel valve castings. ETC is using advanced phenolic esters for moulding and binding process. There are no cyanates and isocyanates used. ETC is recycling over 80% of mould sand by mechanical and thermal means.

World's largest automatic moulding line 

Melting Furnaces
The most advanced Induction furnaces, as opposed to arc furnaces, are used during melting processes and QA systems are deployed using advanced calibration techniques, including laser thermometry, for measuring and recording tapping and pouring temperatures and mould temperatures. State-of-the art Robotic manipulators are used for charging scrap into the melting furnaces. We are the first valve casting foundry to introduce this safety measure which prevents workers from being exposed to excessive heat.

Melting Furnaces

Robotics Manipulators
Worker safety is one of the major concerns at ETC. While charging scrap into Melting Furnaces, workers are exposed to very high temperatures. Hence we have deployed Robotic Manipulator for charging scrap into furnaces, which is one-of-a kind in our industry.

Robotic Manipulator for charging scrap

Refining Furnace
The refining process we deploy is one of our significant strengths. We use the Siemens VAI Vacuum Oxygen Argon Degassing and Decarburizing (VOAD furnace) as a secondary treatment system to produce exotic alloys, including Super Duplex, Monel, Inconel and other High Nickel alloys that are used in critical application valves.  Chromium has a very high affinity for carbon, so preferential oxidation of carbon is achieved in case of very low carbon steels by raising the reaction   temperatures and reducing the partial pressure of carbon monoxide by vacuum, supported by vigorous argon purging. Lower partial pressure in the vacuum chamber removes both Hydrogen and Nitrogen gases. 

Better control of steel cleanliness is also a prime benefit of VOAD process. The presence of Alumina in all steel making processes is a major source of poor steel cleanliness. The VOAD process enables us to create slags which have a high affinity for Alumina, the major sources of poor steel cleanliness.  In addition, the dynamic mixing of the molten steels with Argon during the degassing cycle, enables the production of very clean steel products to meet our customer requirements and also customised specification which exceed the standards.

VOAD furnace

NDT Testing
We have 3 cobalt 60 cameras and 3 iridium 192 cameras with 5 exposure rooms. Cobalt 60 cameras have a capacity of 100 curies. Automatic film processors are used to process the films. We handle radiography of steel castings up to 300 mm thickness.

NDT Bunker

Pickling and Passivation
We operate Picking and Passivation facility with advanced techniques to treat the surface of our stainless steel and nickel alloy castings.

Picking and Passivation facility

Magnetic Particle Inspection
We use advanced methods of magnetic particle inspection that allows us to surpass the industry standards with the capability to inspect carbon steel valve castings up to 25 mm in thickness below the surface.  We conduct die-penetrant test for detecting cracks in stainless steel valve castings.

Magnetic Particle Inspection

Robotics Cutters & Grinders
We use high technology manipulators in fettling operations for riser cutting and grinding.

Robotics Cutters & Grinders

CNC Machine Shop
ETC’s CNC Machine Shop with a built up area of over 3000 Sq M is a state-of-the-art,  facility that includes Hydro Testing. Trevisan Turn Mill Centers – DS 450, DS 600, DS 900 and, DS 1000  are already commissioned at our upgraded facility which has the machining capability up to 12 T Casting. With the commissioning of the new Safop Ballmatic Grinding Machine, ETC is now able to supply fully machined Balls up to 36” size (of which up to 20” will be centrifugally casted). 

Our Facility also includes 8 CNC machines including 3 VTLs’ , 3 HMC's, a Valve center and a CNC lathe.

Trevisan Turn Mill Centers – DS 1000

R & D Center
Our R&D facility includes Tinius Olsen Universal Testing Machine with 600KN capacity, sand compression, testing platen, Bend Test facility, Ferrite Scope, and hot tensile testing to 1000°C. We have installed a CNC test bar machining facility within the lab, a Digital impact testing machine (-196°c), various specimen mounting machines, grinders, polishers, profile projectors, and a muffle furnace. We also have digital Brinnell, Rockwell as well as Vickers hardness testers, LECO Gas Analyzers (for N2, O2 and H2) as well as C&S Analyzer, 1000X Metallurgical μ Scope with image analyzer and 20X Stereo μ Scope, Sieve Analyzers, and Compression testers. In addition, 

ETC has in-house facilities for Inter granular Corrosion Testing / Pitting Corrosion Testing, NACE requirements HIC & SSC Testing facilities, UT Testing equipment and PMI equipment. We have a high-tech Optical Emission Spectroscopy for the chemical analysis of material which has a capability of chemistry analysis for 33 elements. ETC R&D also carries out Insitu Metallographic studies for the mobile metallurgical analysis.

R&D facility