CUPOLA - Kulp Foundry utilizes a cupola furnace melting operation that has the advantage over electric furnaces (self-innoculating irons) of producing a casting with better machinability with the same tensile strength and brinell hardness reading. Cupola melted iron also has a better response and activation of innoculants to control chill formation. Specifications are as follows: Description: #8 acid lined 12 tons/hour continuous front tap and slag cupola. CHEMISTRY/TEMPERATURE CONTROL: 700d F fluidized bed recuperative hot blast. MELT STOCK/CHARGE MATERIAL: Shredded steel, broken motor cast, ductile and pig iron, and gray and ductile returns. All melt stock is inspected and checked prior to delivery to the cupola material storage area. FUEL: 4X6 split coke and 6X9 bed coke MELTING OPERATIONS: TAPPING TEMPERATURES: Gray Iron 2650° - 2700° F Ductile Iron 2775° - 2825° F DUCTILE IRON CONTROL: Base iron desulfurization process: 3,000# batch operation with porous plug mixing ladle with a 1.5% calcium carbide addition. Treatment: 3,000# batch tungdish covered ladle 50% mag recovery. Alloys 5%Mg. 45%Si, 10%Mg. 4.5%Si All alloys and innoculants are added to the iron during the transfer from the transport ladles to the pouring ladles. A mechanical stirring is used to make sure that all additives go into solution properly. CONTROL EQUIPMENT: L & N thermal analysis tech tip - C.E., C, Si and metal bath thermocouple for temperature readings, and an infrared pouring temperature monitor.