TECHNICAL CERAMICS
TECHNICAL CERAMICS FOR INDUSTRIAL ELECTRIC FURNACES
SIM S.r.l. is a company specialized in the manufacturing
of technological products for the high
temperatures industry. These products are used in several industries, such as: ceramics, jewelry, dental equipment, foundry and metallurgy, wire drawing and metal annealing, glass, food and
petrochemical.
Our production is based on the manufacturing
if technical ceramics such as pipes, tubes, supporting-
resistors plates, pressed, extruded and
cast shaped materials.
The complete range of our mixtures includes:
thermoelectric mixtures with high percentage
of alumina (SIM.TDE 70-80-90 % Al2O3)
to create shaped materials supporting resistors
(electric furnace industry); melted silica (SIM.
SiO2) and lightened ceramic (SIM.CAST) mixtures
(non ferrous alloy industry); zirconium and
zirconium-mullite mixtures (SIM.ZIRK 80 and
SIM.ZRK/MUL) (steel mills and nonferrous alloy
foundries, petrochemical industries).
The production run is carried out on three different
processing types: extrusion (pipes and tubes),
pressing (plates, hollow tiles, circular sectors)
and casting (molded parts of any shapes
non-mechanically feasible). Innovative is also
the under-vacuum casting department by means
of de-pressurized tanks, to make mixtures
in complete absence of air and in close porosity
(metallurgy, foundry and petrochemical industries).
PRESSING
Continuous studies applied in the manufacturing departments led us to optimize the production of standard mixtures on presses, with low and medium levels of alumina (SIM.TDE 30 – SIM.TDE 40 – SIM.TDE 50), eliminating long necessary steps of material sedimentation and reducing labor costs.
Detail of press working
DRAWING
For the production of tubes and special items, with different diameters, shapes and with medium and high alumina content (SIM.TDE 60 – SIM.TDE 70 – SIM.TDE 80), we are equipped with specific drawbenches for the industrial ceramics industry. Continuous improvements within the mixtures and drawing technologies department opened the door to the development of high quality product, as regards both mechanical properties and structural ones of the finished product.
Detail of drawing department working
CASTING
For the production of high alumina content articles (SIM.TDE 70 – SIM.TDE 80 – SIM.TDE 90 – SIM.TDE 99), as well as of details on customer’s drawing and of Mullite, Zirconium-Mullite, Silicon Carbide and Cordierite, we have set up a casting department where, in addition to a large investment in molds and equipments, we have invested in highly qualified personnel, capable of a production carried out by very few people nowdays.
Details of casting department working
FIRING
With the aim of obtaining the maximun yield in the most delicate phase of the entire production cycle, we decided to invest in both gas and electric furnaces, so that we can choose – for each single product – the best cooking cycle: in reluctant or oxidant environment, in the presence of turbulences or in the total absence of air movements.
The target reached is the perfect sintering of the raw materials used.
Firing furnaces department
THERMODIELECTRIC SIM.TDE 30 – 40 – 50 – 60 –
70 – 80 – 90 – 99
of electric and/or gas furnaces for the industrial sector.
The TDE 70 – 80 – 90 – 99 mixtures are iron removed,
that is their Fe2O3 percentage is equal to or less
than 0,5% and they guarantee an excellent support
for bare wire and / or armored electric resistors.
The group of “TDE” mixtures is produced either by
pressing, drawing or casting. In addition to a wide
range of items that you can find in our catalog, we
can also produce molded parts on customer’s drawing,
with different alumina content, to increase their
performances.
MELTED SILICA SIM.SIO2, SIM.SIO2/SV e SIM.
SIO2/STEEL
Highly resistant preformed refractory (“T” runners,
casting vases, pouring cups, shells) thermal insulator
with particular resistance to metal corrosion, used to
transport and dose liquid aluminum in casting processes.
Thanks to its specific features, this product is
treated in vibrating tables and special furnaces with
special temperatures. During the manufacturing, the
product undergoes a complex thermal sintering process.
At the end of the production cycle, after the cooking,
a liquid preparation made from boron nitride
is added.
The “SV” mixtures are produced by vacuum-casting
technology. This technology guarantees complete
absence of porosity to the mixture.
Thanks to this production process we can introduce a
86% percentage of melted silica in the mixture, providing
better resistance to the product itself.
The “STEEL” mixtures are produced are produced by
vibrating / jet and AISI 310/S metal needles are added,
to reduce the erosion caused by the passage of nonferrous
alloys in the molten state.
SILICON CARBIDE SIM.SIC 70 – 80
Traditional refractory mixture in Silicon Carbide, used
in the manufacturing of parts used in the
foundry industry or in the manufacturing and maintenance
of industrial furnaces. The SIC70
mixture is used in the production of thermocouples
protective shields and of riser pipes used in
dosing furnaces.
The SIC80 mixture is used in the production of soles
and tiles for industrial electric furnaces. aboth
the mixtures can be “engobed”, that means treated
with 99% alumina to increase the mechanical
strength.
STABILIZED ZIRCONIUM SIM.ZIRK 70 – 80 – POT
– SV
Used in the manufacturing of nozzles for the manufacturing
and petrochemical industries.
Tubes of different diameters and length used as receptors
of smoke and unburned products.
Crucibles, tubes and shaped materials for the steel industry.
Riser pipes, measuring tubes and low pressure tubes
for the non-ferrous metals industry.
In addition to the traditional ZIRK70 and 80 mixtures,
we have added two new generation mixtures:
POT alumina enriched mixture to increase high
temperature resistance
SV mixture produced with vacuum-casting
technology to eliminate products porosity
INSULATING CERAMIC SIM.CAST 120 – 140 – 170
Refrattario fibroso preformato (boccole, galleggianti,
Preformed fibrous refractory (hot boxes, floats, nozzles)
to transport and dose liquid aluminum in
the casting processes.
This product is also used by furnaces manufacturers
as an insulating material, where they need more rigid
and solid products than the fiber.
Given its specific features, this product is treated on
vibrating tables and cooked in a special ventilated
furnace, at controlled temperature.
The CAST.120 mixture is dedicated to the production
of nozzles, floats and hot-tops, the CAST.140 is dedicated
to the production of ducts, while the CAST.170
mixture is dedicated to the production
of ladles.
SILICON NITRIDE SIM.NSIC
Mixture composed of a mix of Silicon Nitride and Tabular
Alumina (Aluminum Oxide).
This mixture is premixed dry and then kneaded and
extruded using a special depressurized drawbench.
SIALON SIM.SY
Innovative mixture, produced by casting, composed
of a mix of Silicon Nitride – Yttrium – Tabular Alumina
(Aluminum Oxide) – Aluminum Nitride.
Then we make an additional thermal treatment to
obtain the compound recrystallization. The process
consists in a second annealing to increase the mechanic
resistance of the product.
From a chemical point of view, SIALON is an inert ceramic
product, therefore it does not react with melted
non-ferrous metal nor with reactive gases.
These features and the extremely high breakage resistance
caused by temperature (up to 1250°C)
result in many advantages, such as:
– practically unlimited service in aluminum baths, several months service in copper and copper alloys;
– non-wettable by liquid metal;
– does not contaminate the melting;
– excellent thermal conductivity;
– ceramic is more resistant to high temperature;
– it is impermeable to gases.