In the early 1990s, researchers at the General Motors (GM) Research and Development Center in Warren, Mich., began to evaluate new sand binding materials for use in the metalcasting industry. GM was looking for an alternative “binder” – a material which holds the grains of sand together to form molds1 or cores2 for cast metal parts – that had to be non-toxic, environmentally safe, yet as strong as other existing binders. (Generally, molds form the outside part of a casting and cores form the internal cavities in a casting.)
After studying several possible materials and considering input from Hormel Foods Corporation, GM determined that protein-based biopolymers held the most promise as a strong, environmentally friendly sand binder material. In 1999 GM, which owns the patents on the sand binder process, granted Hormel a sole license to administer the evaluation phase of the product licensing program. Casting trials have been performed at the Teksid Aluminum Foundry in Carmagnola, Italy and continue at several other foundries throughout the world.