Fopat Sales Presentation V1b

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FOPAT Production Inc.

Investment Casting Patterns

FOPAT Production Inc., www.FOPAT.com, September 2009

http://www.fopat.com/

History:• The FOPAT project began in the 1990’s

• Designed as the next generation investment casting pattern material to replace or be used as an alternative to the lost-wax process

• FOPAT Production Inc. (FPI) was launched in October 2008 to commercialize the FOPAT technology

• Sponsored through Government Programs• DOE I&I (Inventions & Innovations)• DoD SBIR (Phase I & Phase II)

• New 14,000 sq ft facility located in Miamisburg, OH

2FOPAT Production Inc., www.FOPAT.com, September 2009


What is it?• A FOam PATtern material

• Made from multi-component foam

• Proprietary formulations

• An injectable foam

• An investment casting pattern



Technology Overview:

FOPAT Production –

• Reaction Injection Molding (RIM)• Two Reactive Components• Mold Injection

• Proprietary Process and Formulation

• Low Density, High Quality Surface Finished Patterns

• Increased Dimensional Accuracy & Temperature Stability



Investment Casting Needs

Present Wax Process FOPAT Technology Advantage

Increased dimensional

accuracy

Unstable waxes due to melting and solidification,

shrinkage adjustment needed.

~0% pattern shrinkage gives stable pattern

(material expands into die)

Increased temperature

stability

Needs temperature controlled dies and rooms.

Wax expands when minimally heated

Can withstand temperatures up to

~200 degrees F. without distortion

Less energy consumption per

pattern

2 melting cycles and one holding of wax to

approx.150 degrees F

No heating required, room temperature

process

Improved Performance Beyond Wax





Decreased tooling Decreased tooling costcost

CNC cut aluminum tooling CNC cut aluminum tooling required to cool patternrequired to cool pattern

Low cost plastic or Low cost plastic or composite tooling is composite tooling is

possiblepossible

Increased casting Increased casting yieldyield

Wax dimensions change Wax dimensions change and wax can cause shell and wax can cause shell

cracking defectscracking defects

Stable pattern Stable pattern dimensions and dimensions and

minimal or no shell minimal or no shell cracking defectscracking defects

Lighter Patterns to Lighter Patterns to improve improve

manufacturability manufacturability of shells of shells

Density is ~64 lbs/cu ftDensity is ~64 lbs/cu ft Density as low as ~4-5 Density as low as ~4-5 lbs/cu ft lbs/cu ft






Longer, thinner Longer, thinner sectionssections

Limited in length due to Limited in length due to creepcreep

No creep – long, thin No creep – long, thin sectionssections

Pattern handlingPattern handling Fingerprints, fragile, temp Fingerprints, fragile, temp sensitivesensitive

Stiff, light, easy to Stiff, light, easy to handlehandle

Pattern ShippingPattern Shipping Temperature controlled Temperature controlled trucks and special trucks and special packaging fixturespackaging fixtures

Easy to ship – Easy to ship – significantly lower significantly lower

cost to shipcost to ship




Production Progress UpdateNew Custom Machine:

• Increased Production

• Multi Shots in Seconds

• Variable Shot Settings

• Quality Controls

• Temperature

• Shot Size

• Historic Data

• Less Scrap



Production Progress Update

New 10 Foot Arc Table

• Water Lines - heat

• Air vent built in

• Additional arc can be added

• Chases being added• Speed / balance - less fatigue

Old rectangle tableOld rectangle table

New 10” Arc TableNew 10” Arc Table



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Breakthrough Technology for Casting Patterns



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Benefits of FOPAT Technology

• Potential for low cost tooling materials

• 0% pattern shrinkage produces stable pattern

• Stable pattern dimensions yield no shell cracking defects

• Capability to withstand temperatures up to 200 degrees F.

• Potential for 30% material cost reduction for a given pattern

• Relatively low temperature process, saving energy

• Usable at any foundry with current casting techniques

• Patterns can be easily shipped without damage or distortion



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Economic AnalysisPrice each

Price each

Price each

Price each

Price each

1 pc 5 pcs 10 pcs 20 pcs 50 pcs

RP pattern $1,085 $462 $386 $386 $386

FOPAT Pattern $1675 $375 $212 $131 $82

SLA Mold $1,623 $1,623 $1,623 $1,623 $1,623

FOPAT Pattern (includes Mold costs) $2615 $563 $306 $178 $101

FOPAT silicon Mold (includes master) $2,565 $2,565 $2,565 $2,565 $2,565



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Economic AnalysisPrice each

Price each

Price each

Price each

Price each

1 pc 5 pcs 10 pcs 20 pcs 50 pcs

RP pattern $750 $298 $298 $298 $298

FOPAT Pattern $1640 $367 $208 $129 $82

SLA Mold $1,587 $1,587 $1,587 $1,587 $1,587

FOPAT Pattern (includes Mold costs) $2070 $454 $252 $151 $90

FOPAT silicon Mold (includes master) $2,020 $2,020 $2,020 $2,020 $2,020



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Key DifferencesKey Steps in Traditional Lost Wax Investment Casting

Machining ofAluminum

Tooling

WaxFormulation

& Melting(2 melt cycles)

Wax Holding ator Above MeltTemperature

Build Shell,Melt & Pour

Metal

Key Steps in Proposed FOPAT Investment Casting

BuildInexpensive

Plastic Tooling

Formulate & Inject FOPAT(Exothermic

Process)

Build Shell,Melt & Pour

Metal

Greater Yield &Lower Material,

Process andEnergy Costs



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Impact on Energy, Material, & Productivity• $6 billion of investment castings produced in US annually, with $16B worldwide

• 35 million pounds of wax are used annually in the investment casting process (formulated, injected, and heated)

• Energy required in wax melting process = 260,000,000,000 BTU used per year (US)

• 695,000,000, 000 BTU used per year (worldwide)

• Corresponding cost of energy = $1,724,210 per year (US) = $4,586,400 per year (worldwide)



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Energy Savings

FOPAT proposed pattern material eliminates energy-consuming steps by:

• Reducing pounds injected each year ; 4,400,000 = 0 BTU (Exothermic process actually produces heat)

• Cost of energy to heat material each year = $0 (No heat required)

• Corresponding cost of energy = $1,724,210 per year (US) = $4,586,400 per year (worldwide)



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Environmental BenefitsFOPAT proposed pattern material provides:

Less Waste to Landfills -

• Reduced Ceramic shell material•Since ~ 200,000,000 pounds of less metal that needs to be poured when FOPAT process is used, there would be ~ 50,000,000 pounds of ceramic not going into landfills.

• Reduction of CO2 emissions• Foundries would reduce the melting emissions by 0.2 pounds of CO2 per pound of steel not melted or ~ 40,000,000 pounds of CO2 per year

• Less Energy for the reduced amount of melting• Electric utility producing less energy by about 60,000,000 kWh/year x 2.3 lbs CO2/kWh = 138,000,000 lbs CO2/year



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Total Economic Benefits

• Scrap Reduction Economic Savings = $224,000,000 per year

• Reduction in the Use of the Ceramic Shell = $15,000,000 per year

• Alternate Tooling Materials = $135,000,000 per year

• TOTAL POTENTIAL SAVINGS = $419,000,000 per year



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Why use FOPAT?

• Can be made from RP molds

• Very accurate and repeatable

• Dimensionally stable with thin wall applications

• Very Foundry friendly

• Cost effective in both short-run and multiplerun productions

• Competitive pattern cost compared to wax



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THANK YOU!Contact us or visit our website at: www.FOPAT.com

Tim Large, Technology Commercialization ManagerbuyCASTINGS.com/FOPAT Production Inc.2411 Crosspointe DriveMiamisburg, Ohio [email protected](937) 389-6827 or 1-866-289-2278



mailto:[email protected]


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Fopat Sales Presentation V1b