Modern Casting articles from August 2007

Modern Casting archives from August 2007

Hayes Lemmerz International sells Wabash casting facility.(Industry News)
August 1, 2007... Hayes Lemmerz International Inc., Northville, Mich., announced the sale of Hayes Lemmerz International-Wabash Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary that operates its Wabash, Ind., facility. Under the agreement, Harvey Industries LLC, a privately held...

International Engine Group sources CGI engine blocks in Brazil.(Industry News)
August 1, 2007... International Truck and Engine Corp., Warrenville, Ill., a Navistar company, announced that metalcaster Tupy and its subsidiary MWM International Motores, both of Sao Paulo, Brazil, will provide compacted-graphite iron (CGI) cylinder blocks for...

Casting conversion of railroad part puts inventory on fast track.(Product Innovations)
August 1, 2007... Multiple piece fabrications often require extra machining and assembly, as well as multiple pieces of inventory. Castings can reduce or eliminate these added steps. Olson Aluminum Castings, Rockford, Ill., used prototypes to prove out a casting...

Cupola program provides improved cost analysis.(Product Innovations)
August 1, 2007... Reaching optimal levels of cost and performance in cupolas is difficult. So, S. Katz Associates, West Bloomfield, Mich. provides CupolaMelt, a new software-based service that provides the routes to achieve true costs savings.

Question of the month.(monderncasting.com)
August 1, 2007... The June website question asked, "Which of the following government affairs issues most affects your operation?" Foreign Currency Manipulation 46.1% Energy Savings in Manufacturing 15.4% Increased Paid Leave for...

Worth repeating.(HOTLINE)
August 1, 2007... "We feel very strongly about maintaining the casting business at GM Powertrain." --Arvin Jones, manufacturing manager, GM Casting and Components

Metalcaster of the year.(EDITORIAL)
August 1, 2007... This is the seventh year MODERN CASTING has named a Metalcaster of the Year. In 2001, Neenah Foundry Co. was our first, winning the award for its new green sand system technology. This was followed by Mercury Castings and American Cast Iron...

In ongoing divestment, Hayes Lemmerz International sells Wabash casting facility.(North America)
August 1, 2007... Hayes Lemmerz International Inc., Northville, Mich., announced the sale of Hayes Lemmerz International-Wabash Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary that operates its Wabash, Ind., facility. Under the agreement, Harvey Industries LLC, a privately...

International Engine Group sources engine blocks in Brazil.(North America)
August 1, 2007... International Truck and Engine Corp., Warrenville, Ill., a Navistar company, announced that metalcaster Tupy and its subsidiary MWM International Motores, both of Sao Paulo, Brazil, will provide compacted-graphite iron (CGI) cylinder blocks for...

Esco expands South American presence with plant in Chile.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Company overview)
August 1, 2007... Esco Corp., Portland, Ore., and Elecmetal, Santiago, Chile, have signed a joint venture to build a metalcasting facility dedicated to the production of ground-engaging tools in the South American company's homeland. The move follows...

Badger Mining wins second consecutive award as Best Small Company in America to Work for.(North America)
August 1, 2007... Badger Mining Corp. has been named the "Best Small Company to Work for in America" for a second straight year by the Great Place to Work Institute, a research and consulting firm based in San Francisco. The 50 Best Small and Medium...

Indian automotive manufacturer Ashok Leyland Partners with Finnish diecaster Alteams Group.(Around the World)
August 1, 2007... Ashok Leyland, Chennai, India, has entered into a joint venture with the Alteams Group, Jyvaskyla, Fin land, to manufacture high pressure diecast aluminum products predominantly for the automotive and telecommunications markets. The...

H&H Castings Inc.(Quality Certifications)
August 1, 2007... The following metalcasting organization passed a recent surveillance audit: H&H Castings Inc., York, Pa., (ISO 9001:2000).

Rio Tinto makes desirable bid for Alcan, undercutting Alcoa's hostile takeover attempt.(North America)
August 1, 2007... Mining company Rio Tinto, London, made a friendly offer to become the majority shareholder in Canadian aluminum giant Alcan, Montreal, ousting Alcoa, Pittsburgh, as the high bidder. The offer was under consideration by Alcan shareholders at...

Lufkin upgrades sand prep system, retrofitting existing molding lines with new reclamation system.(North America)
August 1, 2007... Lufkin Industries, Lufkin, Texas, recently purchased a sand reclamation system for its existing molding lines. Retrofitting the two lines with new reclamation equipment will allow the company, which provides a variety of customers with...

Letterbox.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... The editorial in the May issue ("Where Are You?") pointed out some great issues. What are we doing as metalcasters to increase the ranks of people joining the metalcasting industry today? Not just engineers and metallurgists, but molders,...

Aleris International Inc., Beechwood, Ohio, will acquire the assets of smaller alloy supplier Wabash Alloys, Wabash, Ind.(Newscast)
August 1, 2007... Aleris International Inc., Beechwood, Ohio, will acquire the assets of smaller alloy supplier Wabash Alloys, Wabash, Ind. Closing of the deal is expected to occur in the third quarter and is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing...

Siemens Metals Technologies, Osterreich, Austria, received an order for three 2-strand slab casters for the new iron and steel works project of the South Korean steel producer Hyundai Steel Company.(Newscast)
August 1, 2007... Siemens Metals Technologies, Osterreich, Austria, received an order for three 2-strand slab casters for the new iron and steel works project of the South Korean steel producer Hyundai Steel Company. The three casters will be installed at the...

Natural Resources Canada and McMaster Univ., Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, have signed a memorandum of understanding.(Newscast)
August 1, 2007... Natural Resources Canada and McMaster Univ., Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, have signed a memorandum of understanding that outlined details for the relocation of the CAN-MET Materials Technology Laboratory to Hamilton.

Premier Chemicals LLC, West Conshohocken, Pa., has contracted Foundry Products Inc. (FPI), Westland, Mich., to represent one of its families of metal treatment technologies to midwestern U.S. metalcasting facilities.(Newscast)
August 1, 2007... Premier Chemicals LLC, West Conshohocken, Pa., has contracted Foundry Products Inc. (FPI), Westland, Mich., to represent one of its families of metal treatment technologies to midwestern U.S. metalcasting facilities. FPI, which currently...

Intermet Corp.(Personals)
August 1, 2007... Intermet Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, has appointed Eric Showalter president of newly formed Intermet Die Cast group.

Augusta Industrial Development Corp.(Personals)
August 1, 2007... Robert L. Beard, director of operations at the Augusta, Ark., brass metalcasting facility of Sloan Valve Co., Franklin Park, Ill., was named Executive of the Year by the Augusta Industrial Development Corp., Augusta, Ark.

Neenah Foundry Co.(Personals)
August 1, 2007... Robert E. Ostendorf replaced William M. Barrett as president and CEO of Neenah Foundry Co., Neenah, Wis. Ostendorf also was elected to the company's board of directors. Barrett became the firm's executive chairman.

The 2007 recipient of the Erwin G. Tetzlaff Award.(Personals)
August 1, 2007... The 2007 recipient of the Erwin G. Tetzlaff Award, the highest honor California's metalcasting industry can bestow, was Chuck Palmer of James Jones Co., Sacramento, Calif.

Denman & Davis.(Personals)
August 1, 2007... Sheila J. Yarbough was hired as an inside sales representative at the North Smithfield, R.I., location of Denman & Davis, Clifton, N.J. The company also hired Patricia Gladu as an outside sales representative.

Magneco/Metrel Inc.(Personals)
August 1, 2007... Magneco/Metrel Inc., Addison, Ill., promoted Tom Wank to vice president of marketing and Al Dzermejko to vice president of engineering. Curt Rothman rejoined the company as vice president of industrial sales.

Obituaries.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Obituary)
August 1, 2007... James L. Hasman, Independence, Ohio, died May 22, 2007. He was 83. Hasman served the metalcasting industry for more than 50 years and retired from Ashland Inc., Covington, Ky., after a 40-year career. He was active in the AFS Northeast Ohio...

Calendar of events.(Conference news)(Calendar)
August 1, 2007... September September 16-19--AFS Foundry Executive Conference, Wentworth by the Sea, New Castle, N.H. September 19-21--NADCA Die Casting Plant Management Conference, Hilton Milwaukee City Center, Milwaukee. September 24-26--The...

EFCA stalled: Senate defeats legislation to change process of how employees vote on whether to join a union.(WASHINGTON ALERT)
August 1, 2007... Legislation proposing to change the current policy dictating how employees vote to unionize is stalled, for now. In June, the U.S. Senate blocked a procedural motion that prevented HR 800/S. 1041, the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), from...

New legislation helps small business comply with federal regulations.(On the Hill)
August 1, 2007... President Bush recently signed legislation requiring federal agencies to publish a small business compliance guide for each new regulation that has a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The legislation...

Proposed legislation would benefit healthy companies.(On the Hill)(Healthy Workforce Act)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... In July, Sens. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) introduced the Healthy Workforce Act to provide tax incentives to businesses, particularly small and medium-sized employers, that provide opportunities for their employees to lead...

Metalcaster of the Year: GM's SMCO: General Motors' Saginaw Metal Casting Operations recently developed and installed a unique version of precision sand technology, earning it the title of Modern Casting Metalcaster of the Year.(Cover story)(Company overview)
August 1, 2007... Saginaw Metal Casting Operations Saginaw, Michigan Year Founded: 1919. Facility Size: 1,854,000 sq. ft. Metals Cast: 319 and 356 Aluminum. Casting Process: Precision sand, green sand, lost foam, semi-permanent mold. ...

Improve your vacuum test: the results of a vacuum test for aluminum melt quality are only as good as the accuracy of the test itself.
August 1, 2007... Of all the customer reasons for returning finished castings, porosity is the leading cause of rejection. The varied causes for porosity include contained inclusion matter, dissolved hydrogen in the melt, shrinkage, air- or mold/core-generated...

Testing ductile iron nodularity.
August 1, 2007... As metalcasters are well aware, nodule count in ductile iron is extremely important to the success of castings. It is this spherical graphite shape that gives ductile iron its higher strength compared to gray or vermicular and compacted...

GIFA 2007, Part two: showcasing metalcasting's cutting edge: as the final installment of a two-part series, this article looks at melting, cleaning, sand preparation, heat treating, testing and casting process modeling equipment and services highlighted at the world's premier metalcasting event.(GIFA 2007)
August 1, 2007... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report Following the review of sand mold and core making, permanent mold and diecasting and robotics equipment published in the July issue of MODERN CASTING, this second part of the series highlights the remaining...

Q What are the proper procedures for pouring and reading a chill wedge to test carbide-forming tendency?(CASTING ANSWERS & ADVICE)
August 1, 2007... AFS Molten Metal Processing (5-L) Committee, Schaumburg, Illinois The chill wedge test is an old and trusted test for determining the carbide-forming tendency of both in-furnace and inoculated iron. The test is fast and simple, but errors...

Moving into new markets.(MARKETING MATTERS)
August 1, 2007... You offer a great product and have several loyal customers. If you want to grow your business, however, you'll have to find new markets with new customer lists. And as even successful business owners know, finding new markets for your existing...

Two new AFS surveys detail industry profit, wage performance.(AFS/CMI NEWS)
August 1, 2007... Two new surveys have been released by the American Foundry Society (AFS): 2007 AFS Survey of Wage and Economic Benefits and the 2007 Confidential Metalcasting Operational Cost Study. These surveys cover areas ranging from average wage rates and...

AFS, Fansteel/Wellman Dynamics win Newcast award.(AFS/CMI NEWS)
August 1, 2007... The American Foundry Society (AFS) displayed Fansteel/Wellman Dynamics', Creston, Iowa, award-winning intermediate case casting, which brought home special mention in the area of "Best Casting Solutions" at Newcast 2007, Dusseldorf, Germany, in...

Presidential candidates invited to appear at FEX Conference.(AFS/CMI NEWS)(Conference news)
August 1, 2007... The 2007 American Foundry Society (AFS) Foundry Executive Conference will be held in the heartland of presidential politics at the Wentworth by the Sea, New Castle, N.H., September 16-18. With two presidential candidates invited to speak, this...

AFS announces membership drive winners.(AFS/CMI NEWS)(Harley Scoggins and Russ Rosmait recieved American Foundry Society award)(Pittsburg State University)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The American Foundry Society (AFS) announced the winners of its 2006-2007 "Member-Enroll-A-Member" contest. Harley Scoggins (retired), Porter Warner Industries Inc., Arlington, Texas, received the first place prize of $1,000, and second place...

Chapter meetings.(AFS/CMI NEWS)(Calendar)
August 1, 2007... CENTRAL NEW YORK Aug. 26--Greenview Golf Course, West Monroe, N.Y.; Golf Outing. NORTHEAST WISCONSIN Aug. 17--Mascoutin Country Club, Berlin, Wis.; Golf and Fishing Outing. TENNESSEE Sept. 8--Brown Acres Golf Course, Chattanooga,...

Southern California.(Chapter Newscast)
August 1, 2007... Southern California -- In July, Monica Dominguez, Gregg Industries, E1 Monte, Calif., was recognized for attending the most chapter meetings during the 2006/2007 year. Monica also was promoted to purchasing manger.

CMI course schedule.(AFS/CMI NEWS)(Calendar)
August 1, 2007... CMI Course Schedule Aug. 14-Sept. 17 Gating & Riser Design (09-08) Internet Aug. 14-16 Analysis & Reduction of Investment Casting Defects (10-08) Schaumburg, Ill....

Casting conversion of railroad part puts inventory on fast track.(Case History)
August 1, 2007... Many casting customers understand that multiple-piece fabrications often bring along the expense of extra machining, assembly, transportation time and scheduling changes, along with extra items to keep track of for inventory. And while design...

Cupola program provides improved cost analysis.(Case History)(S. Katz Associates)
August 1, 2007... The large number of variables involved in cupola operations, plus the inherent differences among cupolas, makes reaching optimal levels of cost and performance difficult. In addition, low cost charge materials often create secondary costs that...

Walk-in oven.(METALCASTING SUPPLIES)
August 1, 2007... Grieve Corp. released a new electrically-heated inert atmosphere walk-in oven for the heat treatment of graphite tooling molds. The oven includes a pressure regulator, a 0-1,200 CFH flow-meter, positive latching door hardware and an outlet with...

Alarm module.(METALCASTING SUPPLIES)
August 1, 2007... The Series 684 indicator alarm module from the IMI Sensors division of PCB Piezotronics provides machine shutdown protection when increased vibration levels indicate potential failure. Time delays and pushbutton programmable settings along with...

Turbine sand mixers.(METALCASTING SUPPLIES)
August 1, 2007... The Disa Bat barrel-type shot blast machine is made up of a distortion-resistant rigid housing and a shot blast chamber of process-compatible configuration. The machine is able to de-sand and de-core iron, surface finish aluminum castings,...

Into the deep.(SHAKEOUT: In case you didn't know ...)
August 1, 2007... It all started when Robert Langford discovered his passion for scuba diving. He loved being underwater, so he decided to come up with a way to stay under for an even longer period of time. In 2000, Langford began developing plans and designs...