Foundry Furnace Charge Mix and Cost Worksheet
A charge sheet tells the melt crew what to load and tells the cost accountant what it costs. This worksheet keeps weight, price and the main chemistry contributions together so you can see cost per kilogram and the starting blend.
| Charge material | Weight (kg) | Cost per kg | Carbon (%) | Silicon (%) | Extended cost | Carbon in charge (kg) | Silicon in charge (kg) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$110 | 8.4 | 3 | ||||||
$110 | 17 | 11 | ||||||
$108 | 0.9 | 0.75 | ||||||
$13 | 0.008 | 6 | ||||||
$7 | 5.88 | 0 |
Compositions are typical examples, not specifications. Replace them with supplier certificates. The blend ignores melt loss and element recovery, so adjust for your furnace and verify with spectrometer samples before tapping.
Post charge cost to the ERP automatically
Optional: a short review of how charge sheets could feed heat-based costing in your ERP.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use the worksheet
Add a row for each charge material, then enter the weight, the price per kilogram, and the carbon and silicon percentages from the supplier certificate or your own analysis. The sheet computes extended cost and the kilograms of carbon and silicon, and then totals the charge. Adjust the carburizer or ferrosilicon to bring the blend near the target before the first spectrometer sample.
- Update prices from your latest purchase orders.
- Use measured returns chemistry rather than nominal values.
- Save a version per alloy grade and export to Excel.
The method behind it
Blended percent for an element is the sum of element kilograms divided by total charge kilograms. Cost per kilogram is total cost divided by total weight. These are mass balances only. Real melts lose silicon and manganese to oxidation and recover carburizer at less than 100 percent, so many foundries use recovery factors per element and furnace type.
Reading the result and common mistakes
Compare the blended values against the grade specification before melting. If returns are a large share, small drift in their chemistry has a large effect, so test them. Steel scrap lowers cost but also lowers carbon, which then has to be made up with carburizer at a cost.
- Treating the blend as the final tap chemistry.
- Using book prices that do not include freight.
- Forgetting that rusty or oily scrap carries lower metal yield.
- Ignoring trace elements such as sulfur and phosphorus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this replace a charge calculation program?
No. It is a mass-balance sheet for cost and starting chemistry. Dedicated melt control systems also model element recovery, slag and furnace specifics. The worksheet is useful for quick comparisons and for documenting a standard charge.
Why is silicon different from the final analysis?
Silicon oxidizes and joins the slag during melting, so recovery is below 100 percent, especially in long holds or cupolas. Foundries apply a recovery factor from their own history. Use spectrometer results to calibrate.
Can I use this for steel or aluminum?
The structure works for any alloy, but change the columns you track. Steel foundries often track carbon, manganese and chromium, and aluminum foundries track silicon and magnesium. Edit the example rows with your own data.
How do I handle returns cost?
Many foundries cost returns at a transfer value near scrap or at remelt cost, since the metal was already paid for. Pick a method your cost accountant agrees to and keep it consistent so grade costs can be compared.
If charge records and heat chemistry live in spreadsheets, we can discuss tying them to your ERP item costs and lot traceability. The worksheet is free to use as is.
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