Discrete Event Simulation Framework to assess the operational feasibility of inorganic cores in ferrous foundries

With the release of the new BREF (Best Available Techniques Reference Document) for the foundry industry, enacted by the European Union and effective at the beginning of 2025, foundry companies are now required to reduce their environmental impact using the Best Available Techniques (BATs) identified in the document. The goal is to minimize atmospheric emissions of toxic substances and pollutants, as well as resource consumption and waste production. One of the suggested BATs is represented by inorganic binders. However, while their use in the production of castings from non-ferrous metal alloys (such as aluminum) is increasingly widespread, the same cannot be said for the production of ferrous castings (iron and steel). The difficulties companies face in approaching the adoption of this new process arise from uncertainties regarding the feasibility of integrating this technology with the current industrial standard of organic cores. In the context of a foundry with an in-house core shop, an interesting gap emerges both from scientific literature and industry know-how, regarding structured methods to analyze the operational impact of introducing inorganic binders. This study aims to define a conceptual framework to support a simulation tool for future implementation. The underlying assumption is to maintain production output while analyzing the organizational impact of inorganic cores on the process. The objectives of this study are to propose a methodology based on Discrete Event Simulation (DES) principles, aimed at identifying the main variables, constraints, and decision levers associated with the reduced shelf life of inorganic cores. The proposed conceptual model can be used as a foundation for future quantitative simulations. Additionally, this study aims to bridge the gap in literature concerning the possibility of a hybrid adoption of this new technology in the foundry industry.