Foundries
Runcorn, QLD
Bradken
Industry
Material
FlipScreen Model
Location
01 / Challenge
In heavy foundry operations, large volumes of used casting sand are produced as moulds are broken down after metal casting. At Bradken’s Runcorn facility, this sand often contained steel offcuts, broken risers and casting remnants that were still valuable as recyclable metal. However, these fragments were difficult to separate once mixed through tonnes of sand. Traditional recovery methods relied on magnets or manual sorting, which could miss smaller pieces or slow the process. The foundry needed a more efficient way to recover steel scrap from spent casting sand without disrupting normal production or material handling.
02 / Solution
Bradken introduced a FlipScreen E130 screening bucket to process piles of used casting sand generated during production. Using a loader, operators placed the sand into the rotating screening drum where fine sand passed through the mesh while heavier scrap fragments remained inside the bucket. This simple mechanical separation exposed steel pieces that could be easily collected and returned to the metal recycling stream. Because the FlipScreen attaches directly to existing machinery, the screening process was integrated into normal yard operations without requiring additional processing equipment.
03 / Result
The screening system quickly proved its value by recovering steel fragments that previously remained hidden within casting sand stockpiles. These recovered pieces were returned to the foundry’s scrap metal recycling program, helping reduce raw material costs. At the same time, separating the scrap improved the quality and manageability of the remaining sand. By incorporating screening into routine yard operations, Bradken improved resource recovery while reducing waste handling and maximising the value of materials already present in the production process.