kpi-dry™ Introduction from Julie Markee on Vimeo.
kpi-dry® is a game changer for those investment casting foundries trying to reduce variability in their shell room.
Previously there was no way to know if drying was causing variability in shell building process. With the introduction of kpi-dry®, shell room personnel now have the ability to monitor shell dryness in those hard to dry areas of the mold and make adjustments in real time to optimize shell drying. This provides personnel with a tool to understand variability in the shell room and take steps to remove it.
History
The one question my customers asked the most often was, “How dry do my molds need to be?” And the reality is that without an accurate, repeatable method for measuring mold dryness, the question was impossible to answer. So, going in search of an answer to what works in the shell room environment, and finding nothing, Key Process Innovations invented kpi-dry®. The technology was originally introduced to the Investment Casting industry in 2012 at the ICI’s 59th Annual Technical Conference & Expo. The feedback from the audience was very positive, but most people were interested in real-time data accessibility.
So, we continued improving the design until we came up with something robust enough to withstand the demands of the shell room while also meeting the needs of the industry. This technology now allows the shell room supervisor or engineer to measure shell dryness in real time utilizing wireless technology, allowing mold dryness to be monitored and drying conditions adjusted to optimize the shell building process. The commercialized version of this technology was introduced in 2013 at the ICI’s 60th Annual Technical Conference & Expo. A copy of this paper is available here.
On January 3, 2017, the US Patent and Trade Office issued patent number 9,535,051 which covers kpi-dry®.
kpi-dry® Package
The kpi-dry® package consists of the following:
- kpi-dry® Data Logger
- kpi-dry® Base Station & A/C Adapter
- 2 sensor cables
- 10 sensor caps with waterproof, breathable membrane
- 10 sensor cable sleeves
- 1 mini-USB cable
- Ethernet Cable
- Flash drive
- Operating instructions
The system was designed to be very user friendly. Just follow a few steps, which are outlined in the operating instructions, and you will be up and running in no time. On the flash drive are some videos to show you how to prepare the sensor and attach it to the wax. If something isn’t clear, or you are having some issues, feel free to give me a call, and I will walk you through the process.
kpi-dry® Additional Supplies
We can provide details on pricing and availability of the following:
kpi-dry® Sensor Caps: A package of 10 caps, 10 sleeves and tape
kpi-dry® Sensor Cables: A package of 2 replacement sensor cables
kpi-dry® Sensors: The sensors can be replaced, if they come in contact with moisture.
Send orders to kpidry@keyprocessinnovations.com