Foundry & Forging calculator

Sand Reclaim Rate Calculator

Check how much processed sand returns as usable molding material. Enter processed mass, released recovered mass and the shop’s minimum reclaim target.

What this calculator does

  • Measure usable sand recovery and the mass needed to reach your reclaim target.

Formula used

  • Reclaim rate = usable recovered sand ÷ processed sand × 100
  • Gap to target = target reclaim rate − actual reclaim rate
  • Unreturned sand = processed sand − usable recovered sand
  • Target shortfall = max(processed sand × target rate ÷ 100 − usable sand, 0)

Inputs explained

  • Reclaimed Usable Sand: Recovered sand released for reuse during this measured interval.
  • Total Sand Processed: Sand entering reclamation over the same material balance interval.
  • Target Reclaim Rate: Minimum usable recovery percentage from the shop’s improvement plan.

How to use the result

  • Best suited to sand recovery Review, reclaimer target comparison.
  • Reclaim rate does not measure residual binder, fines or molding performance. Sand retained in equipment needs inventory reconciliation before comparing intervals.

Current U.S. benchmarks

  • The producer price index for steel mill products stands at 381.162 (BLS, Aug 2026), up 23.4% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
  • The U.S. has 3,569 primary metal manufacturing establishments employing about 354,911 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

  • Can recovered mass exceed processed mass? No, these inputs describe the same material balance. Check scale readings, moisture and inventory changes if recovered mass appears larger.
  • Does a high recovery percentage prove good sand? No, recovered sand must independently meet the shop’s reuse criteria. Binder residue, fines and other quality measures need separate tests.
  • Should water be included in the masses? Use the same dry mass basis for both streams. A moisture difference can distort the apparent material recovery.
  • Does unreturned sand equal disposal immediately? No, some material may remain in equipment or await testing. Reconcile inventory and disposition before treating all unreturned mass as waste.

Last reviewed 2026-10-06.