Foundry & Forging worked example

Sand Usage Calculator at 98% target sand system loading: a worked example

Push target sand system loading up to 98% and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. Use it when green sand, no-bake sand, chemically bonded sand, reclaimed sand, or core sand usage may constrain a production lot.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Sand required for molds and cores: 36,000 lb (unchanged)
  • Available prepared sand: 48,000 lb (unchanged)
  • Target sand system loading: 98 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 85)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Sand Usage Calculator utilization = sand required for molds and cores ÷ available prepared sand × 100) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 75 % for sand usage calculator utilization, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 23 points for sand usage calculator gap to target.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 36,000 value for sand required for molds and cores.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 48,000 value for available prepared sand.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where target sand system loading sits at 85% and the headline result is 75 %, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 75 %.
  • It computes sand system utilization as required sand over available sand as a percent, then the gap in points to your target loading. The value of this scenario is the size of the gap it exposes: that gap, priced out over a year, is the budget you can justify spending to close it.

Results at a glance

  • Sand Usage Calculator utilization: 75 % (headline result)
  • Sand Usage Calculator gap to target: 23 points
  • Sand required for molds and cores: 36,000 value
  • Available prepared sand: 48,000 value

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Sand Usage Calculator calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.