Aluminum Industry

FWS has been supplying quality refractory products and services to the Aluminum Industry for over 50 years. Foundries, die casters and industrial companies have relied on The Schafer Group to repair, redesign and reline all types of aluminum and industrial furnaces. We build new non-ferrous melting and holding furnaces using electric or natural gas, electric immersion element furnaces, launders, ladles and ingot casting lines. We also stock combustion components. Contact us for reline, redesign, repair services, training and materials for:

• Design, Engineering, Start Up & Debug, Turnkey Installations
• Wet Bath Reverbs, Dry Hearth Melters, Low Pressure Casting & Chip Melting
• Low Energy Holding Furnaces – Gas Fired, Electric, Immersion Tube & Crucible Furnaces.
• Launder Systems, Transfer Troughs, Transfer Ladles, Ladle Pre-Heat Stations.

Furnace Parts & Linings

FWS also stocks a wide variety of furnace parts for all types of aluminum melting, holding and laundering applications. From thermocouples to crucible bowls, we can get you out of trouble fast. FWS houses an extensive inventory of furnace parts for immediate delivery:

• Thermocouple Parts and Assemblies
• Industrial Control Components
• Silicon Carbide Heating Elements
• Burner Parts and Assemblies
• Tap Out & Drain Blocks and Cast Iron Plugs

Combustion System – Burners, Burner Blocks, Regulators, Valves & Blowers

• Electrical Components – Heating Elements, Terminal Tubes, Straps & Clamps
• Control Panels – Controllers, Transformers, SCR’s & Spang Units
• Auxiliary Items – Crucible Bowls, Filtration, Degassers, Drain Blocks & Thermocouples
• Specialty Products - Standard configurations or cast shapes
• Schaefer Shield
• Door Relines and Door Blades
• Well Covers
• Pier Blocks and Base Blocks
• Ladle Linings
• Burner Blocks - we provide custom burner blocks in 72 Hours!

Iron Industry

FWS has been a partner to the Iron Industry since 1930 as a full service refractory contractor. We perform quality relines and rebuilds on your critical furnaces and thermal equipment; in your facility or in ours; 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We use only the finest materials in the business, including Thermbond®, and employ the best craftsmen around. Our unique blend of design & engineering expertise, along with our in-house bake out capabilities, allows us to provide dry vibratable castables, pre-cast shapes and fabricated special shapes to any specification required.

Whether the application requires a form & cast method of installation, conventional or plastic gunning, or brick, you can count on FWS to do the job right and on time. After all, we know you only make money when the iron flows.

FWS can reline or repair:

• Ladles
• Gas-Fired Crucibles
• Troughs
• Heat Treating Furnaces
• Forging Equipment

Kilns & Ovens

Brick or fiber lined kilns are our specialty. Retrofit ceramic fiber linings over brick or replacing brick, repairs and new construction. We can provide high temperature mortars, wear ceramic brick and mortars, acid resistant brick as well as high alumina and insulating firebrick.

Fluxes

SGI FLUX BENEFITS

• Reduced Melt Loss
• Reduction of Inclusions
• Improved Fluidity
• Improved Melt Efficiency
• Less Furnace Cleaning Time
• Lower Hydrogen

Mineral Industry

The Schaefer Group is a well known supplier to cement and asphalt plants. Our abrasion and erosion resistant materials are designed for these demanding industries. Our in-house service and engineering team provides the materials and support to keep your plant up-and-running.

We service and support all types of cement and asphalt refineries with the most abrasion resistant linings.

Contact us for service, support, training and materials for:

• Cement Plants
• Lime Kilns
• Asphalt Plants
• Calcifiers
• Thermal Oxidizers

Power & Utility Industry

The Schaefer Group is a well known supplier to the power generation industry. Our abrasion and erosion resistant materials are designed for this demanding industry. Our in-house service and engineering team provides the materials and support to keep your plant up-and-running.

Our customers span a variety of companies including some of the largest utility electric producers, to small non-utility co-generation units. We service and support all types of boilers and provide your industry’s most abrasion resistant linings.

Contact us for service, support, training and materials for:

• Boilers
• Ash Pits
• On-Line Hot Spot Repairs
• Abrasion Resistant Linings
• Breeching and Duct Relines

Refractory Contracting & Materials

Refractory Contracting

Whether delivering a total refractory package or providing a turn-key furnace reline or rebuild, you can count on FWS to provide the best…24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our combination of engineering capabilities, broad experience and state of the art materials, ensure a quality project.

• Full design and engineering capabilities. Turnkey Installations.
• High quality refractory materials including premium and energy efficient products.
• Skilled workforce with decades of experience in the aluminum industry.
• Work performed at your facility or in our shop. Available 24/7.

Refractory Materials

FWS distributes the highest quality refractory materials available, including Thermbond®, Plibrico® and Unifrax®. Not only can we reline your furnaces using any of these fine products, we can utilize any materials you specify including:

• Ceramic Fiber Products – Blanket, Board, Paper, Modules & Specialties.
• Monolithic Refractories – Dense & Insulating Castable, Plastic, Gunning & Shotcrete.
• Firebrick & Mortar - Dense & Insulating Firebrick, High Alumina Mortar & Coating Mixes.
• Block Insulation, Ceramic & Stainless Steel Anchors, Precast Shapes.
• Other Materials - Concrete Patch Materials, Wear Ceramics, Pre-Krete Corrosion Resistant Linings

Refractory Specialty Products

Burner blocks, wedge blocks, pre-cast launder sections…you name it, FWS can provide it. We have equipped our facilities to provide any cast and baked refractory shape you specify, usually within two days. Standard configurations or cast shapes…FWS provides quick turn-around for all of your critical refractory components:

• Door Relines and Door Blades
• Well Covers
• Pier Blocks and Base Blocks
• Ladle Linings

Burner Blocks – QUICK!
A special service of FWS…Customer Burner Blocks in 72 hours! In most cases, if we already have the information, or if you can provide us with a part or a drawing, we will get a replacement burner block to you within three days.

Custom Ceramic FiberboardsThe Schaefer Group, Inc. offers ceramic boards in a variety of sizes, thicknesses, and fabrications. They provide exceptional strength, insulating qualities, and low off-gassing. Boards can be cut to custom sizes and machined with specialized shaping. SGI maintains a sizeable inventory of stock for immediate shipping.

• Calcium Silicate
• Non-Wetting
• Hot face Refractory
• Insulating/Back-up

Additional Refractory Specialty Products

Should you need assistance in tool design, our technical staff can work with you to create the perfect components for your operation.

Dams
We produce several dam products for controlling or diverting metal flow, along with skim management to protect metal quality. Our machining technology provides limitless refinement options for your molten flow control needs.

Pre-Cast Launder Inserts
The Schaefer Group services the foundry industry with custom pre-cast launder inserts, including design, shell and lining fabrication, and replacement. We work with all refractory manufacturers to provide optimal application specific solutions.

Ceramic Pre-Cast Shapes
We also service the foundry industry with both standard inventory and custom pre-cast components and shapes. These can include runners, funnels, pouring components, covers, and other items. Large intricate custom pieces have firing capabilities up to 2,000°F.

Furnace Tools
The Schaefer Group offers a wide variety of standard furnace tools including tongs, skimmers, scoops, and ladles. We also manufacture custom tools for your casting process, providing you with a one-stop resource for the items you need to effectively run your operation.

Heat Control
We also offer a variety of fabric products. These are manufactured as seals, gaskets, curtains, and insulating curtains for temperature retention and control, as well as items for metal immersion and filtering. We can also supply various sizes of ceramic fiber blanket, paper and textiles.

Thermocouples and Thermocouple Protection Tubes
Used for accurate temperature data to manage your melting and casting operations, we have an in-stock inventory for quick delivery.

Training, Consulting & Other Services

• Training Sessions - Furnace Cleaning & Fluxing, Combustion System Troubleshooting.
• New Control Panels & Upgrades – HMI & PLC Programming.
• Combustion System Balancing and Fine Tuning.
• Refractory Supervision, Heat Flow Analysis, Energy Audits.