MetalsCortex
The charge decision sets the cost of every heat. MetalsCortex optimizes it across all 18 elements and 50+ casting grades at once, returning the lowest-cost mix that still meets specification.
Built by the engineers who commission the systems it runs on. See what we build
Visit MetalsCortexCharge optimization for steel foundries
Charge calculation is one of the most cost-critical decisions in a foundry and one of the hardest to get right by hand. Done in spreadsheets, it optimizes one constraint at a time, carries extra safety margin to stay inside specification, and varies between shifts and operators.
MetalsCortex solves the whole problem at once. It optimizes across all 18 elements and 50+ casting grades simultaneously, returning the lowest-cost charge that still meets the target specification for every heat. It runs in the browser, so it reaches the melt deck without new hardware or an IT project.
Inside MetalsCortex
Simultaneous optimization
Linear programming across all 18 elements and 50+ casting grades at once, not one constraint at a time.
Cost per melt
Find the lowest-cost charge that still meets the target specification for every heat.
Specification-safe
Optimize for cost while holding every element inside the limits the standard requires.
No installation
Runs in any modern browser, so it reaches the melt deck without new hardware or IT rollout.
How we deploy it
- ›Configured against your own scrap inventory, pricing, and alloy standards
- ›Replaces spreadsheet-based charge calculation without changing melt practice
- ›Standardizes decisions across shifts and operators
- ›Browser-based, so there is no site installation or hardware dependency
Industries
- ›Steel foundries
- ›Metals production
- ›Heavy industry
Frequently asked
How much can charge optimization save?
The saving depends on your scrap mix, alloy prices, and how much specification margin you currently carry. The solver evaluates candidates across concentration, recovery rates, side effects, contamination risk, cost, and stock availability, removing the extra margin that manual calculation has to leave in place. The saving repeats on every heat.
Does it work with our own alloy standards?
It ships with 50+ casting grades (ASTM A216 WCB, A217, stainless 304/316, duplex, Hadfield, heat-resistant, and wear-resistant grades among them) and a database of 60+ materials with recovery factors across three temperature ranges. Standards and materials specific to your operation can be added.
How does the solver work?
It follows a hierarchical priority: mass, then carbon, then Cr/Ni/Mo, then Mn/Si, then deoxidation and inoculation. At each step it uses deterministic priority logic and linear programming to find the lowest-cost charge that holds every element inside specification.
Discuss a project with our engineers
Our engineering team is available to scope new projects, evaluate retrofits, and review system requirements.