Foundry & Forging worked example

Sand Usage Calculator at 61% target sand system loading: a worked example

Suppose target sand system loading falls to 61%. This page works the full calculation at that level so you can see exactly which result moves and by how much. Compare sand required for molding and coremaking against available sand supply or sand-system capacity.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Sand required for molds and cores: 36,000 lb (held at the documented default)
  • Available prepared sand: 48,000 lb (held at the documented default)
  • Target sand system loading: 61 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 85)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Sand Usage Calculator utilization = sand required for molds and cores ÷ available prepared sand × 100.
  • Sand Usage Calculator utilization works out to 75 % at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Sand Usage Calculator gap to target works out to -14 points at these inputs.
  • Sand required for molds and cores works out to 36,000 value at these inputs.
  • Available prepared sand works out to 48,000 value at these inputs.

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. When the numbers land here, the stressed input is the lever to work; the walkthrough above shows exactly how much each output recovers as it climbs back toward the baseline.

Results at a glance

  • Sand Usage Calculator utilization: 75 % (headline result)
  • Sand Usage Calculator gap to target: -14 points
  • Sand required for molds and cores: 36,000 value
  • Available prepared sand: 48,000 value

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Sand Usage Calculator calculator, set target sand system loading to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.