01 · Porous Carbide
Material directly after the thermal zinc reclaim process, before mechanical processing.
Design and industrial implementation of a complete thermal zinc reclaim recycling process for cemented carbide manufacturing.
Cemented Carbide Manufacturing
Thermal Zinc Reclaim Recycling
Engineering Project Lead
Completed
A European cemented carbide manufacturer required a complete recycling solution for internally generated production scrap.
The objective was to engineer and implement a complete thermal zinc reclaim recycling line capable of recovering tungsten carbide and cobalt while preserving the original material properties.
The project covered the complete engineering process from plant design and equipment specification through installation, commissioning and integration into the existing manufacturing process.
The project covered the complete development and industrial implementation of a thermal zinc reclaim recycling line.
Graphite boats for thermal zinc reclaim processing.
The thermal zinc reclaim process is a physical recycling method for cemented carbide production scrap.
During thermal treatment, molten zinc reacts with the cobalt binder phase, causing the cemented carbide to expand into a porous structure without changing the original tungsten carbide grain size.
After zinc evaporation and recovery, the material is crushed, screened, classified and chemically verified before being returned directly to the manufacturing process.
Unlike chemical recycling methods, the zinc reclaim process preserves both tungsten carbide and cobalt while avoiding the use of chemical solutions.
The thermal zinc reclaim process was developed around a precisely controlled furnace cycle to safely remove the zinc while preserving the original tungsten carbide grain structure and cobalt binder.
Temperature ramps, holding times and cooling phases were optimised to achieve reproducible material quality and stable industrial operation.
Transformation of cemented carbide production scrap into production-ready powder while preserving the original tungsten carbide and cobalt properties.
Material directly after the thermal zinc reclaim process, before mechanical processing.
The reclaimed carbide is milled to obtain a homogeneous powder suitable for further processing.
Final powder after particle size classification, ready for reuse in production.
The completed recycling line enabled the customer to establish an efficient internal recycling process for cemented carbide production scrap.
This project demonstrates the successful engineering, industrial implementation and commissioning of a complete thermal zinc reclaim recycling line for cemented carbide manufacturing.
By combining process engineering, equipment integration and manufacturing expertise, the project established a reliable closed-loop recycling process that enables high-quality recovery of tungsten carbide and cobalt while reducing raw material consumption and supporting sustainable production.
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