Engine block of a 500 cc motorcycle
•
Process type
Direct Shell Production Casting
Material used
A356 T6 aluminum
Product and material requirements and specialties
Typical requirements involved in high performance engine
manufacture like high strength, strict tolerance etc...
Cellular phone keypad and
display enclosures
Cellular phone keypad and display enclosures
•
•
•
•
Process type Thixotropic molding
Material used AZ-91D magnesium alloy
Product and material requirements and specialties
The component’s walls are between 0.8 and 1.0 mm thick, with a total casting
weight of 105 grams.
• Process requirements and specialties and specialties
• Capability of accurately casting the small details involved and economical large
scale production
• Process Details
• This component was cast by injecting semi-solid state magnesium into a closed die
in a similar manner to plastic injection molding.
• Problems Encountered. NA
• Process advantages
1. Improved rigidity and impact resistance and impact resistance over previous
plastic injection molding manufacture
2. Capability of providing electro-magnetic interference shielding without external
coatings or plating.
• Component: 1.5 meter valve for a municipal water works
• Material:No lead brass
Process: Green sand
Cast Component: Steering column upper bearing assembly for Mitsubishi.
Material:Aluminum.
Process: Diecasting.
Air intake
manifold for
4 cylinder
engine
Ice cutter used in an industrial ice machine.
• Process type Investment casting.
• Material used 316 stainless steel.
• Product and material requirements
and specialties
• High rigidity and hardness
• Process requirements and specialties
• No warping and stress concentrations
to be developed.
• Process Details
1. An investment precoat was applied to
increase the surface smoothness of the
pattern.
2. The expendable pattern was
surrounded by a refractory slurry
3. Machining to specifications
4. Solution annealing
1.
Infrared Microscope Frame
Process type Vacuum molding
Material used A356-T6 aluminum alloy
Product and material requirements and specialties
The weight of the product is to be minimum.
The product should be sufficiently rigid to avoid any errors.
Process requirements and specialties and specialties
Wall thickness should not be greater than 0.2 in anywhere in
the casting. So draft should be minimum.
Machining of the various small parts that are present should
be minimum to reduce cost.
Tolerance of the order of ±0.015-0.020 in.
Process Details
A heater softens a thin plastic that drapes over a pattern on a
hollow carrier plate.
A vacuum then draws the film tightly around the pattern and a
flask is placed on the pattern to prepare it for the back fill of
sand.
The sand is compacted, the back of the mold is covered with a
plastic film and a vacuum is applied to the flask
Atmospheric pressure hardens the mold, preparing it for the
pouring of metal.
Pistol frame for Smith & Wesson.
• Process type Die-casting.
• Material used A380 aluminum alloy.
• Product and material requirements
and specialties
• Process requirements and specialties
and specialties
• First instance of manufacturing of
the gun frame by die casting.
Capability of economically
producing large quantities.
Rocker arm for BMW engines
• Process type Counter gravity investment casting
• Material used Carbon steel.
• Product and material requirements and specialties
As the camshaft rpm increases, the rocker arms run faster and hotter. These
components must withstand the temperatures and pressure of engine operation.
• Process requirements and specialties
Zero surface defects
Ability to handle extremely large production volume.
• Process Details
Ceramic molds are manufactured from wax patterns
The molds are inverted and then filled with molten metal
(via pressure) from the bottom to the top.
V6 cylinder block for a 3.9 liter
automobile engine
•
•
•
•
•
1.
Process type Cosworth precision sand casting.
Material used. 319 aluminum alloy.
Product and material requirements and specialties
Usual requirements of cylinder block like exact tolerance, rigidity etc.
Process Details
A cast-in cylinder liner process is used. Cores for the molding process are made of
zircon sand (which has superior thermal characteristics) to minimize machine stock
and required wall thickness.
2. Core oil galleries are as-cast, requiring no internal machining and minimal wall
thickness. The Cosworth casting process utilizes a rollover casting technique that
improves casting yield for the block to 72%, reducing component cost for the
customer.
Internal Interface Frame for LCD Digital Projector
•Process type Plaster mold with rapid prototyping
•Material used Magnesium
•Product and material requirements and
specialties
•
1.
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
•
1.
2.
1.Low weight ; High structural stiffness and low
thermal expansion to maintain component
alignment ; High thermal conductivity and high
heat tolerance (Local temperatures as high as
250C.)
Process requirements and specialties and specialties
Ability to achieve complex thin wall shape and precision features with typical post-machine tolerances of +/0.1 mm. ; Near-net shape forming to minimize machining operations and cost. ; Capability of production
rates up to 80,000 units per year
Process Details
An SLA resin model is made from the CAD file.
A silicon master mold is made from this resin model.
A reusable urethane model is made from the above mold.
Individual cope and drag molds are made.
Metal is poured into the mold and allowed to solidify
Sprue and riser is cut off(Due to near net casting no major machining operation is necessary)
Inspection and shipping
Process Advantages
Improved rigidity
Reduced component cost
Bull gear for rotating large
platforms in the oil industry
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Process type
Material used
Product
and
material
requirements and specialties
A high-strength alloy steel per
ASTM-A-148, Grade 115/95 with
minimum 115,000-psi ultimate
tensile strength
95,000-psi yield strength
4% elongation
30% reduction of area
diameter of 62 ft.
558 teeth, 0.75 DP stub teeth.
GOLF CLUBS
•
•
•
•
Process type
Solid imaging
Material used. NA
Product and material
requirements and specialties
• “Radical design over
conventional golf clubs”
• Process requirements and
specialties
• Manufacture of two sets of irons
from design in 1 week
Continued…..
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
GOLF CLUBS- Process Details
Actua 2100 from 3D Systems was chosen as the solid imaging device.
The printer transforms CAD ideas—like the golf clubs—into physical reality
using solid imaging technology. . It uses an approach similar to ink jet
printing, but the jets dispense a plastic-like material to create the solid model.
It uses this plastic-like material to create wax patterns with very thin walls
and intricate undercut geometry. In addition, the speed of the printer makes it
possible to produce designs in one day, allowing timely product development,
testing and creation. The printer also can generate wax prototypes that help to
match the prototyping system to the production process.
50 wax patterns were created on the printer and sent them to the investment
foundry for casting and finishing. In investment casting, a ceramic shell is
built around a wax pattern, which is burned out of the mold before molten
metal is poured in.
Problems Encountered
Extremely small time frame gave no scope for process iterations and
refinements.
Process advantages
The player who used the golf clubs produced won the tournament!!
ATM
Counter
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Process type Gravity permanent mold casting
Material used A360 aluminum
Product and material requirements and specialties
Tamper proof assembly; Good aesthetic appearance
Process requirements and specialties
Production figures of up to 100 components/week,
The parting plane on the casting had to be horizontal
The metal feeding system into the mold could not use side
feeders
• Process Details
1. Redesign of the product from earlier manufacturing
process (plastic injection) ; Modeling of the casting using a
software named “magma soft” ; Pouring of the molten
metal into the permanent mold ; The casting needed to be
filled in less than 10 sec (to eliminate the possibility of
pouring defects) with the aid of gravity only ;
Solidification of the casting within 12-15 s.
• Problems Encountered
• Mold filling and solidification has to be quick to avoid the
porosity.; In a flat area of the casting, porosity could be
only minimized and not completely avoided.
• Process advantages
• Reduced cost over previous manufacturing method
(plastic molding); Improved surface appearance.
• Improved functionality (tamper proof)
Heat exchanger used for a
steam-generation application.
• Material:Class 35 gray iron.Process:
Nobake sand molding.Casting
Supplier: Wellsville Foundry, Inc.,
Wellsville, Ohio.
•
•
•
The 115-lb, 23-in.-long casting
contains seven rings of 31 fins each.
The component originally consisted of
seven fabrications welded together to
form a continuous ring tube welded to
an end cap and flange.
The new one-piece casting design
(with 217 0.25-in.-wide fins) features
uniform wall thickness and is nonleaking because it has no weld joints.
The casting offers a significant lead
time reduction compared to the
previous fabrication/assembly, lasts
longer and improves the efficiency of
the final product while providing a
significant cost savings to the
customer.
Axle housing for Goodman
Equipment Corp
• .Material:Steel.Process:
Chemically bonded
sand.Casting Supplier:
Columbiana Foundry Co.,
Columbiana, Ohio.
• This 36 x 11 x 24-in.
casting was originally
designed as a machined
weldment.
• By converting the
component to casting, a
33% cost savings was
realized by the customer
due to the elimination of
the assembly time for the
component.
Investment Casting Reduces SubAssembly Time by 87%, Cost by
51%
• The tab ring liner,
originally designed as 16
separate machined tabs
that were welded together,
was converted to a single
investment casting,
reducing sub-assembly
cost by $44.00 and time by
26 min. Pictured counterclockwise from top are the
ring welded onto the sheet
metal tube, the cast double
ring, the single ring and
the completed assembly.
Manifold for fire-fighting
equipment
Material:65-45-12 ductile iron.
Process: Green sand casting.
Casting Supplier: Versa Iron and
Machine, St. Paul, Minnesota.
• This 90-lb manifold was
converted from a stainless
steel weldment at a per piece
cost savings of $550.45 (annual
savings of $220,180 with 400
part volume).
• The tooling payback for the
pattern, coreboxes and
machine fixtures was realized
within the first 6 weeks of
production
Chassis for joy stick tensioning in an
aircraft flight simulator for S.C.T., Inc
• .Material:A356-T6 aluminum alloy.
•
•
•
•
Process: Nobake sand casting.
Casting Supplier: Danko Arlington,
Inc., Baltimore, Maryland.
This 14-lb component was
converted from an aluminum
weldment at a cost (due to reduced
welding and fabrication man-hours)
and weight savings.
Measuring 16 x 9 x 14 in., the
casting is a simpler design than the
weldment with improved rigidity.
Fabrication (Left) Casting (Right)
• Cast Component: Annealing
furnace pedestal for a steel mill.
• Material:ASTM A-297 grade HH
heat resistant stainless steel.
• Process: Nobake sand casting.
• Casting Supplier: Wellsville
Foundry, Wellsville, Ohio.
• This one-piece, 25-lb casting
replaced a stainless steel
fabrication at a 67% cost
savings.
• The cost reduction is due to the
elimination of fabrication and
assembly man-hours.
Air-ride suspension arm for buses
that suspends the bus frame on
the front and rear axles
•
•
•
•
•
.Material:80-55-06 ductile iron.
Process: Green sand casting.
Casting Supplier: Donsco, Inc., Mt.
Joy, Pennsylvania.
Converted from a steel
stamping/fabrication, the 120-lb
casting provided the customer a
50% total cost savings (including
assembly time).
The foundry casts paints and
machines the component, and
assembles a sub-system for the
customer. The assemblies are
shipped directly to the customer’s
manufacturing line
Bracket for a piston cooling
system on a railroad locomotive
• .Material:953 aluminum bronze.
•
•
•
•
•
Process: Permanent mold casting.
Casting Supplier: Aurora Metals, L.L.C. (Hiler
Industries), Montgomery, Illinois.
This 0.8-lb component was converted to
permanent mold casting to eliminate the leaks
inherent in the previous manufacturing
method. In addition, the conversion realized a
cost savings by reducing man-hours and
eliminating heat treatment as permanent mold
casting achieves the required mechanical
properties.
Permanent mold casting allows a stainless
steel tube insert to be cast directly into the
bracket.
The casting design and gating system were
engineered using solidification modeling,
ensuring a quality casting from the first shot.
Fuel rail housing
for four-cylinder,
2.0- and 2.2-L
passenger car
models
• .Material:Aluminum
•
•
•
•
• .Process: Semi-solid casting.
Casting Supplier: Madison-Kipp Corp., Madison, Wisconsin.
An engine configuration required a fuel rail housing capable of withstanding
high levels of impact without failure. The customer decided that traditional
fabricated brazed steel tube and plastic designs would not meet the stringent
impact requirements and opted for a cast component.
The customer, first-tier supplier and casting and machining component
supplier worked together to develop a casting that met the 7000-lb crash test
load while keeping costs to a minimum.
Increased dimensional accuracy of critical features produced close tolerance
machining for special features and resulted in leak-free performance without
impregnation (this was aided by semi-solid’s inherent low porosity
characteristic).
Gearbox for Daytona Prototypes
• Material:356 aluminum
• Process: Nobake sandCasting Supplier:
Olson Aluminum Castings, Rockford,
Illinois.
•
•
The 44-lb gearbox requires extensive
machining after casting and therefore is
produced void, porosity, oxide and shrink
free.
356 aluminum allowed the foundry to achieve
the high strength-to-weight ratio necessary of
components for competitive motor sports.
• Sand casting and its low-cost tooling
requirement allowed for engineering
changes and quick tool modifications as
well as eleven different components in
the program to be produced in record
time.
Tensioner pulley for tire manufacturing
• Material:Gray iron
• Process: No bake sandCasting
Supplier: Wellsville Foundry,
Wellsville, Ohio
• This 175-lb component is used
as a brake that puts tension on
a 4 ft. wide roll of rubber
feeding into a tire press.
• Converted from a steel
fabrication (two ring burn-outs
with spokes), the foundry
provided the end-user with a
50% cost savings.
Oil pump cover
• Material:Ductile iron
• Process: Green sandCasting
• Supplier: Cambridge Brass,
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.
• This 70-lb component, which holds
oil for a gear drive sump pump, was
converted from a six-piece weldment
at a 40% cost reduction.
• The conversion to casting eliminated
seven manufacturing steps for the
end-user, reducing material handling.
In addition, the elimination of weld
joints eliminated oil leakage
problems the fabrication was
experiencing.
•
Prototyping for Direct Metal Casting: Data to Castings in 12 hours
Pictured is a prototype sand mold and the resultant aluminum pipe casting
produced from it.One of the hurdles facing today’s foundries as they try to
grow market share is lead time. Customers want sample cast parts today to fit
into their product designs for form, fit and function. If the foundry can’t deliver,
then the customer will turn to a fabricator for a quick solution.
A bearing bracket used in the drive system
on a self-propelled lawn mower
• .Material:8620 steel alloy.Process:
Investment (lost wax) casting.Casting
Supplier: Signicast Corp., Hartford,
Wisconsin.
•
•
Agricultural component
•
This 0.91-lb bearing bracket casting, which
was previously formed from the assembly
of a laser-cut plate that was welded to a hub
machined from bar stock, has the added
ability to adjust the alignment and tension
of the belts within the drive system.
The casting design provided an 83% cost
reduction, which equals $12.65/component.
Part of this cost savings is due to the
simplified end-product assembly that
results from the hex shapes being cast for
adjustment purposes.
The finished cast component is supplied by
the foundry after undergoing tapping,
boring and plating.
Knotter frame for a hay-baling
machine for New Holland
• .Material:ASTM 842-85 grade 350
•
•
Agricultural component
compacted graphite iron (CGI).Process:
Green sand casting.Casting Supplier:
R.H. Sheppard Co., Inc., Hanover,
Pennsylvania.
In the previous design, the end-user was
experiencing failure (breakage) in the
component’s thin sections during use.
As a result, it was converted to a CGI
casting to improve strength to 50,000 psi
and durability of these sections.
The conversion to CGI and its improved
strength also provided the foundry with
an opportunity to reduce the weight of
the component to 8.75 lb.
Lawnmower gear and axle
Agricultural component
• .Material:ASTM 897 grade 200155-01 austempered ductile
iron.Process: Green sand
casting.Casting Supplier:
Applied Process, Inc., Livonia,
Michigan.
• Previously manufactured as a
three-piece carburized steel
assembly, the gear and axle
casting was converted to
austempered ductile iron at a
cost savings.
• After austempering at the heat
treat facility, the casting is
machined complete before
shipment to the customer.
Mower bracket.
•
•
•
Agricultural component
•
Material:Ductile iron.Process: Green
sand casting.Casting Supplier:
Dotson Co., Inc., Mankato, Minnesota.
The customer experienced tolerance
inconsistencies between fabricated
parts on the original steel weldment,
prompting the switch to a single
component casting.
The original weldment cost the
customer $12/piece to manufacture.
By converting to ductile iron casting,
the customer saves $60,000 annually.
In addition to casting, the foundry is
machining the part, providing the
customer with a finished appearance.
Shifter fork assembly for a
combine transmission
• .Material:953 aluminum bronze.Process:
•
•
•
Agricultural component
Permanent mold casting.Casting Supplier:
Aurora Metals, LLC, Montgomery, Illinois.
This component previously was
manufactured as a multi-part iron assembly.
The pictured assembly consists of two
components riveted together and pinned onto
a finished shaft.
The stronger, redesigned cast component
pictured is created from a stainless steel shaft
that is pre-heated and locked in place in the
permanent mold casting die as liquid
aluminum bronze is poured around it.
The 1.5-lb finished cast component has a
tensile strength of 65,000-75,000 psi and a
yield strength of 25,000-27,000 psi. It also
reduces necessary secondary operations and
handling.
CAD solid model (top), SLS polycarbonate pattern (left),
A356 aluminum casting (right).
Cam clamp used to secure
ambulance gurnees.
• Material:
Stainless
steel.
• Process: Investment
casting.
• Casting Supplier:
Independent Steel
Castings Co., Inc.,
New Buffalo,
Michigan.
Mounting bracket for
centrifuge.
medical
• Material: CF3M stainless steel.
• Process: Investment casting.
• Casting Supplier: Vestshell,
Inc., Montreal, Quebec,
Canada.
•
Duck bill for White Cap, L.L.C. to seal
caps on food jars.
• Material:316L
stainless steel.
• Process: Investment
casting.
• Casting Supplier:
Northern Precision
Casting Co., Lake
Geneva, Wisconsin.
Fan frame hub for General Electric’s CF6-80C engine for Boeing’s aircraft.
• Process type Investment casting.
• Material used Titanium.
• Product and material
requirements and specialties
• Large dimensions(52-in.dia)
• Process requirements and
specialties
• Capability of handling the
problems encountered in large
castings
Racing car upright
• Material: Titanium 6246.
• Process: Investment
casting.
• Casting Supplier:
Coastcast Corp., Rancho
Dominguez, California.
Housing actuator for an engine for
Hamilton Sundstrand.
• Material:
A203
aluminum alloy.
• Process: Investment
casting.
• Casting Supplier:
Cabiran, Ltd., Kibbutz
Cabri, Israel.
AAW 5-M handheld missile-launching system
Process type
Investment casting
Material used A357-T6 aluminum
Product and material requirements
and specialties
Maximum weight reduction to reduce
operator fatigue
Process requirements and specialties
Reduction of wall thickness as much
as possible(less than 0.04 in with
the overall dimensions15 x 14 x 7.5
in)
• Cast Component: Vacuum Vessel for
the power generation industry
• Material:Inconel 625
• Process: Investment Casting
•
Supplier: Bescast, Inc., Willoughby,
Ohio
The 5-lb casting is one-tenth scale of the
vacuum vessel for the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) being
developed by the Princeton Plasma Laboratory and the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory as the next generation of fusion experiment. The scale model was
investment cast to determine the feasibility of using a casting for a vacuum
vessel with complex geometry.
To meet the rush timeline (with the help of buycastings.com), SLS rapid prototyping
techniques were employed to make the complicated wax patterns from a CAD/STL file in 2
weeks. Solidification modeling predicted the potential “hot spots” and ways to optimize
the pour parameters.
The foundry employed a vacuum-assist casting method to cast the Inconel 625 air melt
alloy with a consistent wall thickness of 0.1 in. The entire vessel is assembled by welding
three equal segments cast by the foundry.
SEMI-PERMANENT MOLD CASTING
Semi-permanent mold is a casting process producing Aluminum alloy castings - using reusable metal molds and sand cores to form internal
passages within the casting. Molds are typically
arranged in two halves - the sand cores being put
into place before the two halves are placed
together. The molten metal flows into the mold
cavity and surrounds the sand core while filling the
mold cavity. When the casting is removed from the
mold the sand core is removed from the casting
leaving an internal passage in the casting.
The re-usable metal molds are used time and
again, but the sand cores have to be replaced
each time the product is cast, hence the term
semi-permanent molding.
Semi-permanent molding affords a very high
precision quality to the casting at a reduced
price compared to the sand casting processes.
Aluminum composite alloy
• Material: 359/SiC/20p
aluminum composite alloy.
• Process:Semipermanentmold casting.
• Casting Supplier: Eck
Industries,Inc., Manitowoc,
Wisconsin.
The brake rotor was converted to an aluminum metal
matrix composite (MMC) alloy casting at a 50% weight
reduction, with the same casting yield and without a
loss in performance.
In terms of mechanical properties, the aluminum MMC
brake rotor’s modulus and its wear rate in application
are the same as cast iron.
Bucket chain link for a conveyor
system
• Material:C95410
nickel
aluminum
bronze.
• Process:Permanent
mold casting.
• Casting Supplier:
Piad Precision
Casting Corp.,
Greensburg,
Pennsylvania.
Previously made from two steel stampings welded
together with two tube sections and subsequently
tin-plated for corrosion resistance (r), this bronze
cast component (l) now is a one-piece permanent
mold casting.
The cast component (l) exhibits good corrosion
resistance (without plating or
Manual Trip
• Material:Copper
aluminum
bronze
alloy.
• Process: Permanent
mold casting.
• CastingSupplier:
Piad
Precision
Casting
Corp.,
Greensburg,
Pennsylvannia.
Brake drum for commercial
highway Class 8 trucks and
trailers.
• Material:Gray iron.
• Process: Centrifugal
casting.
Felsted Division/Furon’s foot pedal
control lever.
• Material: Zamak 3.
• Process: Diecasting.
• Casting Supplier:
CrecoCast, Seville,
Ohio.
Cast Component: Monocoque Scooter Chassis for Honda’s Super Sport
Scooter.
Material:JIS ADC12 (a 383 aluminum alloy equivalent).
Process: Diecasting.
Instrument panel frame for the
Cadillac DeVille.
• Material:
AZ91
magnesium alloy.
• Process: Diecasting.
• Casting Supplier:
Intermet Corp’s
Hannibal Plant,
Hannibal, Missouri.
• Cast Component: Valve spacers for Warren Rupp’s Sandpiper II
• air-actuated pumps.
• Material:ZA-8 zinc alloy
Process: Die casting.
Valve spacers for Warren Rupp’s Sandpiper
II air-actuated pumps.
• Material: ZA-8 zinc
alloy.
• Process: Diecasting.
• Casting Supplier:
CrecoCast, Seville,
Ohio.
Allen-Bradley housing
•
•
•
•
•
Process type
Die casting
Material used
A380 aluminum alloy
Product
and
material
requirements and specialties
1. The component needed to be sturdy
enough to withstand the outside
elements and provide easy access
to the inner drive it encased.
2. Portions of the part are visible after
assembly, making cosmetics a
consideration.
NO BAKE CASTING
Filling a wood mold with sand
The No-Bake Sand
Casting process
consists of sand molds
created using a wood,
metal or plastic pattern.
Sand is mixed with a
urethane binder and
deposited into a box
containing the pattern
(and all necessary
formers and inserts) for
pouring.
PRODUCTS- TENSIONER PULLEY
Material: Gray iron Process: Nobake sand
Casting Supplier: Wellsville Foundry, Wellsville, Ohio
PERMANENT MOLD CASTING
PRODUCTS
BUCKET CHAIN
• Material:C95410
nickel aluminum
bronze.
• Process: Permanent
mold casting.
• Casting Supplier:
Piad Precision
Casting Corp.,
Greensburg,
Pennsylvania.
Suspension crossmember
• Material:B356
aluminum alloy.
• Process:
Permanent
mold casting.
• Casting
Supplier:
CMI-Precision Mold,
Inc., Bristol, Indiana.
This 26-lb safety-critical component was redesigned
to an aluminum casting from a steel weldment,
resulting in a 14-lb weight reduction.
The casting’s dimensional tolerances are held to 0.5
mm across the length of the part, a threefold
reduction over the previous design.
The casting’s mechanical properties include 44 ksi
ultimate strength, 32 ksi yield strength and 10.4 x
106 psi Young’s modulus.
Bracket for a piston cooling system
• Material:953
aluminum bronze.
• Process:Permanentmol
d casting.
• Casting Supplier:
Aurora Metals, L.L.C.
(Hiler Industries),
Montgomery, Illinois.
Manual trip used in the electrical
industry
• Material:Copper
aluminum
bronze
alloy.
• Process:
Permanent
mold casting.
• Casting Supplier:
Piad Precision Casting
Corp., Greensburg,
Pennsylvannia.
Three-bladed adapter for a
cleaning brush on industrial
floor cleaning equipment
• .Material:65-45-12 ductile iron.
• Process: Green sand casting.
• Casting Supplier: Smith Foundry
Co., Minneapolis.
• Previously manufactured as a fourpiece weldment, this component was
redesigned as a single casting at a
$3/casting, $72,000/year savings to
the customer.
• The weldment experienced failure
and breakage under heavy shock
loading. The conversion to cast
ductile iron eliminated the field
failure and also incorporated the
three holes in each blade as-cast to
eliminate post-process drilling.
• Cast Component: Carrier component
• Material:Steel
Process: Green sand Casting
Powerhead for a pallet truck.
• Material:
A356-T6
aluminum.
• Process:Green
sand
molding.
• Casting Supplier:
Wisconsin Aluminum
Foundry Co., Inc.,
Manitowoc, Wis.
Middle support for a bike rack on
public trains.
Material:535 aluminum.
Process: Sand casting
Torque arm bracket for the aftermarket automotive industry.
• Material:80-55-06
ductile iron.
• Process: Sand casting.
Center ring for a fall protection
system
• Material: Manganese
bronze.
• Process: Lost foam
casting.
• Casting Supplier:
Irish Foundry and
Manufacturing, Inc.,
Seattle, Washington.
Lifeline horizontal slide for safety
equipment.
• Material: Manganese
bronze.
• Process: Lost foam
casting.
• Casting Supplier:
Irish Foundry &
Manufacturing, Inc.,
Seattle.