Case Study: Successful Commissioning of a Fully Automated Aluminum Ingot Casting Line in Australia

Subtitle: On-Site Diary by Engineer Li — October 2021

Project Background

In early 2021, a leading aluminum recycling plant in Victoria, Australia, decided to upgrade their aging casting facilities. With strict local environmental regulations and the highest labor costs in the region, the client’s primary goal was absolute automation: from aluminum liquid distribution to the final strapped ingot stack.

They chose Yanbao’s High-Efficiency Chain-Type Ingot Casting Machine (5 t/h) paired with a PLC-Controlled Gantry Palletizing Machine.

The Challenge

Due to the global pandemic in 2021, international travel to Australia required strict quarantine and complex visa procedures. However, the client needed the equipment commissioned on schedule to meet their production targets. Furthermore, the Australian grid voltage and extreme temperature differences required precise calibration of our PLC control systems to ensure zero downtime.

Engineer Li’s On-Site Diary: October 2021

October 5th — Arrival & Mechanical Installation
After completing mandatory quarantine in Melbourne, I finally arrived at the factory site. The local engineering team had already completed the mechanical assembly based on our detailed 3D layout drawings. The 25-meter chain-type casting machine and the overhead gantry frame were perfectly aligned. Today, we focused on calibrating the ingot mold spacing and testing the automatic chain oiling system. The heavy-duty nodular cast iron molds fit perfectly.

Automatic Palletizing Machine (Robot & Gantry Type)

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October 12th — Electrical Wiring & PLC Sync
Australian safety standards are extremely strict. We spent three days verifying the safety fences, emergency stop loops, and interlocking mechanisms. Today, we successfully linked the automatic aluminum liquid distributor with the casting speed via the main PLC. We tuned the frequency converters to achieve a smooth speed of 2.5 m/min. The automatic clamping and demolding mechanism is now achieving a flawless >99% demolding rate without a single dropped ingot.

October 18th — The Gantry Palletizer Test
This was the most critical day. The Gantry Palletizer needed to sync with the casting line. We tested the gripper on different ingot weights (7kg and 15kg). The PLC-controlled gantry moved seamlessly along the X and Y axes, picking up 4 ingots at a time and stacking them with absolute precision. The stack shape was perfectly aligned, ready for the downstream automatic strapping machine. The client’s plant manager was amazed by the stability and the neatness of the stacks.

October 25th — 72-Hour Continuous Production Run
Today marks the final delivery. We ran the entire line continuously for 72 hours.

• Capacity: Maintained a stable output of 5 tons/hour.

• Cooling: The mold bottom overwater cooling system worked perfectly, ensuring ingots were fully solidified before demolding.

• Labor: The client reduced the need for 3 manual operators per shift, completely eliminating the safety hazards of manual stacking near hot ingots.

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The Results: A Resounding Success

Despite the logistical challenges of 2021, the project was delivered and commissioned successfully. The plant manager from the Australian client commented:

“Engineer Li and the Yanbao team were incredibly professional. The Gantry Palletizer has not only saved us thousands of dollars in daily labor costs but also ensured our stacks are perfectly neat for shipping. It is a game-changer for our recycling plant.”

Ready to Automate Your Plant?

Whether you are in Australia, Europe, or Southeast Asia, Yanbao provides robust, fully automated aluminum casting and handling solutions. Our engineering team is ready to support you from 3D layout design to on-site commissioning.

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