Modern Casting articles from February 2008

Modern Casting archives from February 2008

Diversified Machine acquires domestic automotive caster.(Industry News)
February 1, 2008... Diversified Machine Inc., Wixom, Mich., purchased the assets of Aluminum Casting & Engineering Co. Inc., Milwaukee, in December. Diversified, an automotive company producing components through a variety of metalworking methods, did not disclose...

Intermet to close Tennessee facility.(Industry News)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Intermet Corp., Ft. Worth, Texas, announced plans to close its Pulaski, Tenn., diecasting facility. The plant is scheduled to ramp down in phases as current jobs are transferred to other Intermet facilities. All...

Question of the month.(moderncasting.com)
February 1, 2008... The October website question asked, "What was on your holiday wish list?" New Customers 41.8% Mold or Melt Technology 29.6% Cleaner Plant 13.4% Responsive Suppliers 9% Manufacturing Space ...

Go lean with fluidized beds in aluminum heat treating.(Product Innovations)
February 1, 2008... The transition of liquid metal to the solid phase takes minutes, but heat treatment takes hours, making it difficult to create a one-piece process flow within a manufacturing facility. Arizotah Enterprises, Plymouth, Minn., offers a heat...

Multi-stage vacuum diecasting broadens process's applications.(Product Innovations)
February 1, 2008... Vacuums can reduce gas entrapment during diecasting, but they're rarely used due to process weaknesses. A new method by Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH, Asslar, Germany, and Glimo N.V., Montenaken, Belgium, utilizes two vacuum stages to overcome the...

Listening to plastics.(EDITORIAL)(Excerpt)
February 1, 2008... Reading an article from the January 2008 issue of Injection Molding, a trade magazine for plastic component manufacturers, I came across an example of a design conversion. "Recently, I worked on a project that converted an aluminum diecast...

Interment to close Pulaski, Tenn., diecasting facility.(North America)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Intermet Corp., Ft. Worth, Texas. recently announced plans to close its Pulaski, Tenn., diecasting facility. The 18-year-old plant is scheduled to ramp down in phases as current jobs are transferred to other...

Diversified Machine acquires domestic automotive caster.(North America)
February 1, 2008... Diversified Machine Inc., Wixom, Mich., purchased the assets of Aluminum Casting & Engineering Co. Inc., Milwaukee, just before the turn of the New Year. Diversified, an automotive company producing components through a variety of...

Washington metalcaster expands in Montana.(North America)
February 1, 2008... Investment caster SeaCast, Marysville, Wash., recently announced plans to build a new metalcasting facility in Butte, Mont. The facility, where construction already has begun, will provide the company with new titanium pouring capabilities...

Award winning diecaster closing doors.(North America)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lunt Manufacturing, Schaumburg, Ill., recent winner of several metalcasting awards, closed its doors Jan. 18, according to local news reports. The magnesium diecaster served a variety of end-use industries,...

Hyundai awards engine block to JL French.(North America)(Hyundai Motor Company Ltd.)(J.L. French Automotive Castings Inc.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hyundai Motor Company recently awarded a contract for the production of a new V-6 aluminum engine block to JL French Automotive Castings Inc., Sheboygan, Wis. JL French said it will manufacture the block at its...

Malcolm Baldridge Presidential Award given to CERP member.(North America)(Casting Emissions Reduction Program)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... The nation's highest presidential honor last year was bestowed on five organizations, with one of the awards going to a components developer that has been involved in the Casting Emissions Reduction Program (CERP). President Bush and...

Pennsylvania caster helping industry go green.(North America)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Metalcaster Concast Metal Products, Mars, Pa., recently developed an online resource promoting environmentally friendly alloys. The new website offers information about regulatory-compliant, lead-free copper...

Metalcasting documentary filmed in January, coming soon to PBS.(North America)
February 1, 2008... In January, National Public Television filmed a metalcasting documentary at Signicast Corp., Hartford, Wis., for "Spolight On." Sponsored by the American Foundry Society, the "Spotlight on Metalcasting" will run on PBS. The documentary is...

Aleris International Inc., Beachwood, Ohio, announced it has completed the sale of its zinc business, which operates under the name U.S. Zinc.(Newscast)
February 1, 2008... Aleris International Inc., Beachwood, Ohio, announced it has completed the sale of its zinc business, which operates under the name U.S. Zinc, to affiliates of Votorantim Metais Ltda. for $295 million, with certain adjustments for working...

American Metal & Technology Inc.(Newscast)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... American Metal & Technology Inc., Los Angeles, has increased its production capacity with the purchase and installation of 17 CNC machines. The company, through its wholly owned subsidiary American Metal Technology Group, a Nevada corporation,...

BuhlerPrince Inc.(Newscast)
February 1, 2008... BuhlerPrince Inc., Holland, Mich., recently came to terms on the sale of its subsidiary Quality Process Control Systems LLC (QPC) to the diecasting supplier's current general manager.

Carrier Vibrating Equipment.(Newscast)
February 1, 2008... Carrier Vibrating Equipment, Louisville, Ky., recently opened a new manufacturing facility in Shanghai, China, citing increasing demand in the growing industrial nation.

Makino, Mason, Ohio, has named Clancy Machine Tool.(Newscast)
February 1, 2008... Makino, Mason, Ohio, has named Clancy Machine Tool, Pleasanton, Calif., its equipment distributor for northern California and Nevada.

Consarc Corp.(Newscast)
February 1, 2008... Consarc Corp., an Inductotherm Group (IG) Company, has announced the formation of a new division dedicated solely to the Photovoltaic (PV) industry.

Dexter Foundry Inc.(Newscast)
February 1, 2008... The parent company of Dexter Foundry Inc., Fairfield, Iowa, Dexter Apache Holdings Inc., has acquired ice producer Leer Limited Partnerships, New Lisbon, Wis.

North American Galvanizing & Coatings Inc.(Newscast)
February 1, 2008... North American Galvanizing & Coatings Inc., Tulsa, Okla., announced the opening of a technical center at its corporate headquarters.

PCB Piezotronics.(Newscast)
February 1, 2008... The Larson Davis division of PCB Piezotronics, Depew, N.Y., has announced a distribution agreement for the products and services of Bertranda-Johnson Acoustics, Montreal, Quebec. Canada.

Supreme Cores Inc.(Newscast)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Supreme Cores Inc., Milwaukee, recently acquired Ottawa Shellkore, Ottawa, Ill. In the acquisition, the terms of which were undisclosed, Supreme Cores took ownership of more than 25 stock core boxes and two additional pieces of machinery. The...

Tube City IMS Corp.(Newscast)
February 1, 2008... Metalcasting supplier Tube City IMS Corp., Glassport, Pa., announced that effective Jan. 1, 2008, its operating subsidiaries Tube City LLC and International Mill Service Inc. have merged.

Corrections.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Correction notice)
February 1, 2008... General Motors company recently shut down its Massena, N.Y., metalcasting plant, which was misspelled Messina in the article "Finding Lost Foam" in the December issue of MODERN CASTING. The results of a two-year research project conducted...

Quality certifications.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
February 1, 2008... The following metalcasting organizations have passed recent certification audits: Florida Machine & Casting Co. Inc., West Palm Beach. Fla., (ISO 9001:2000).

Calendar of events.(Conference news)(Calendar)
February 1, 2008... February February 18-19--AFS Foundry Environmental 101, The Crown Plaza Atlanta Airport Hotel, Atlanta. March March 4-6--AFS Cast Iron Filling, Feeding & Gating Workshop, Hilton Garden Inn O'Hare, Des Haines, Ill. March...

Xenia Foundry.(Personals)
February 1, 2008... Xenia Foundry, Xenia, Ohio, made Aleks Huston its new president.

Astech Inc.(Personals)
February 1, 2008... Astech Inc., Vassar, Mich., appointed Nick D'Alessandro executive accounts manager for blast components.

Kurdziel Industries Inc.(Personals)
February 1, 2008... Ken Zach was promoted to president and chief operating officer of Kurdziel Industries Inc., Muskegon, Mich. He replaced Roger Plont.

Magneco/Metrel.(Personals)
February 1, 2008... Magneco/Metrel, Addison, Ill., selected Charles Connors Jr. to be its new president and chief operating officer.

Carrier Vibrating Equipment.(Personals)
February 1, 2008... Peter Zhou was hired as manufacturing manager for a new plant built in China by Carrier Vibrating Equipment, Louisville, Ky.

The Wheelabrator Group.(Personals)
February 1, 2008... The Wheelabrator Group, LaGrange, Ga., made Pierre Tanguay its supply chain vice president in North America and Raymond Bitzel Jr. its director of North American sales. [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]

Jacki Savage joined Tube City IMS LLC, Pittsburgh.(Personals)
February 1, 2008... Jacki Savage joined Tube City IMS LLC, Pittsburgh, as the finance department director of treasury.

Desheng Sun, Ashland Casting Solutions.(Personals)
February 1, 2008... Desheng Sun, Ashland Casting Solutions, Dublin, Ohio, was recognized as best presenter at the China Foundry Week conference.

Loeb-Lorman Metals.(Personals)
February 1, 2008... Loeb-Lorman Metals, Watertown, Fort Atkinson and Reedsburg, Wis., added Richard Roth as director of marketing.

Investment Casting Institute.(Personals)
February 1, 2008... The Investment Casting Institute, Montvale, N.J., elected Doug Kovatch, Jim Pasqualoni, John Marcin and Michael Hendricks to its board of directors.

Obituaries.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... William Provis, Port Washington, Wis., died Jan. 6, 2008. He was 83. Provis worked for more than 30 years for Modern Equipment Co., where he advised on cupola sales. He was a longtime member of the American Foundry Society (AFS) and received a...

Time to comply: EPA issued the final area source rule for iron and steel casting facilities.(WASHINGTON ALERT)
February 1, 2008... On Jan. 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the final iron and steel casting facility area source rule in the Federal Register. The rule is applicable to all iron and steel casting facilities other than those subject to...

By the numbers: 380.(WASHINGTON ALERT)
February 1, 2008... Tons of particulate matter expected to be reduced per year with the final Foundry Mact rule.

China raises export tariffs.(On the Hill)
February 1, 2008... Under pressure from the U.S. and Europe, China announced that it would impose or raise export duties on a variety of steel products, including coke, alloy steel, steel billet, pig iron and some finished steel products, effective Jan. 1, to rein...

Rule allows retiree health benefit-Medicare link.(On the Hill)
February 1, 2008... The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a final rule creating an Age Discrimination in Employment Act exemption to permit employer-sponsored retiree health benefits to be altered, reduced or eliminated when the recipient...

Denison's offense is a good defense: Denison Industries makes defense-quality castings but delivers them to customers in several industries.(Cover story)
February 1, 2008... Shawn Ingram cheers loudly and expressively for high school football. On a temperate October Thursday night, he's on his feet, slapping fives and backs at every turn of good fortune for the McKinney Boyd High School Broncos, his daughter...

Renewable energy castings surge: wind energy, bio power, geothermal power and solar power are expected to grow, with metal castings' support.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The world has watched with rapt attention the sudden emergence of China and India onto the global economic stage. Their rapid transformation into manufacturing centers has necessitated access to the cost-effective...

Making A535, A206 viable in permanent mold.
February 1, 2008... Aluminum alloy A535 is well suited for automotive, marine and military applications because of its corrosion resistance in mild alkaline and salt spray exposure and combination of strength, ductility, shock resistance and dimensional stability...

Comparing alternate refractory coating measurement systems.(R&D Advancements)
February 1, 2008... Research projects are routinely underway at several universities, metalcasting facilities and research agencies, all with the aim of improving the metalcasting process, quality and marketability. Here we share the details of two newly-completed...

Quenched cupola experiment to understand silicon carbide behavior.(Research Roundup)
February 1, 2008... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report The goal of this project is to overcome the inability to model the behavior of silicon carbide in cupola performance, since this is a key charge component as an alloy addition of a majority of cupolas. The...

Eliminating the causes for carbon monoxide gas defects in cast iron.(Research Roundup)
February 1, 2008... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report This project addresses gas formation from the metal processing and casting method standpoint. The objectives are to determine the conditions associated with the carbon monoxide gas defect, identify the cause...

Validation of investment casting software.(Research Roundup)
February 1, 2008... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report The objective of this program is to test the ability of the viscoelastic stress model in a commercial software code to predict pattern dimensions during wax pattern injection for investment casting. The...

Development of fatigue properties database for use with modern design methods.(Research Roundup)
February 1, 2008... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report The program will develop a comprehensive strain-life database for cast irons by combining data from the open literature with unpublished data contributed by cast iron producers and end-users. All the testing...

Casting skin's affect on lightweight ductile iron castings.(R&D Advancements)
February 1, 2008... Objective: Identify the individual features that define casting skin quality, develop a method to measure the skin thickness and quantify the influence of the skin on thin-wall ductile iron castings. Approach: Measure roughness, graphite...

Standard test for machinability of cast iron.(Research Roundup)
February 1, 2008... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report This project aims to develop an easy standard machinability comparative test that could compare material of the same grade from different lots made in the same facility, qualify material of the same grade to a...

Coke quality consortium.(Research Roundup)
February 1, 2008... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report The purposes of this project are to characterize current varieties of coke and compare their properties to coke produced a decade ago, prior to current quality and performance issues; make recommendations...

Effects of helium on heat transfer in aluminum permanent mold.(Research Roundup)
February 1, 2008... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report Recently approved, this project's goal is to provide a new and innovative accessory to permanent mold casting processes for marked increases in productivity and energy savings. This phase of the project is...

Investigation of cracking of copper-bismuth alloys.(Research Roundup)
February 1, 2008... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report Copper-bismuth alloys have been identified as possible alternatives to leaded copper alloys for plumbing applications, but they have been shown to develop fine to severe cracking during machining. This new...

Ultrasonic testing cast steel gage study.(Research Roundup)
February 1, 2008... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report The aim of this new study is to determine the repeatability of ultrasonic testing (UT) of steel castings and correlate UT ratings to radiographic images. This will assist metalcasting facilities in...

E-357 aluminum statistical properties project.(Research Roundup)
February 1, 2008... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report This project has received funding from the Castings for Improved Readiness (CIR) program funded by the American Metalcasting Consortium, U.S. Dept. of Defense and the Defense Logistics Agency. It will produce...

Machinability of ferrous castings.(Research Roundup)
February 1, 2008... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report This Univ. of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, Mo./Castings for Improved Defense Readiness (CIDR) project will document and develop tools that help both designers and metalcasters predict how the casting process affects...

Refractory coating thickness.(Research Roundup)
February 1, 2008... A MODERN CASTING Staff Report Internal surface defects consistently are attributed to large variations in coating thickness and limitations of the application methods of coated cores. The Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo, Mich., CIDR...

Predicting gas pressures in sand cores: with a basic knowledge of algebra, you can predict the gas pressure emerging from your sand cores accurately and stop casting defects before they start.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The rapid development in casting technology has allowed metalcasting facilities to cast parts with a high degree of intricacy. However, more intricate castings generally have larger core surface areas contacted by...

Launching an online newsletter.(MARKETING MATTERS)
February 1, 2008... Every marketing activity has pros and cons, but the pros of producing an online newsletter significantly outbalance the cons. In fact, publishing an online newsletter can almost be considered essential marketing hygiene. It's simply unhealthy...

Q What is Armasteel? Is it still available? If not, what is a replacement material?(CASTING ANSWERS & ADVICE)
February 1, 2008... Many years ago, the General Motors (GM) metalcasting division developed an alloy known as Armasteel for use in differential parts, engine crankshafts, automatic transmission stator shafts, connecting rods and other components. Armasteel...

CastExpo attendee registration open, tickets for special events released.(AFS/CMI NEWS)
February 1, 2008... Attendee registration for CastExpo '08 opened via the internet Feb. 1 at www.castexpo.com. Full CastExpo registration includes entrance to the exhibits, as well as admittance to the more than 200 technical presentations at a cost of $300/...

Free Control of Silica book available, focuses on elements of air contaminant exposure control.(AFS/CMI NEWS)
February 1, 2008... The American Foundry Society (AFS) recently released an updated version of Control of Silica Exposures in Foundries, written by principal author Bob Scholz, member of the AFS Safety and Health Committee (10-Q). The manual was reviewed by the...

Chapter meetings.(AFS/CMI NEWS)(Calendar)
February 1, 2008... BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT March 11--Chapter Meeting, Wynfrey Hotel, Birmingham, Ala. April--Student Night, Location TBA. BRITISH COLUMBIA Feb. 22--Hockey Night, Vancouver Giants vs. Portland Winterhawks, Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, B.C. March...

Filling, feeding and gating workshop coming in March.(AFS/CMI NEWS)
February 1, 2008... The Cast Iron Filling, Feeding and Gating Workshop will be held March 4-6, at the Hilton Garden Inn-Chicago O'Hare Airport, Des Plaines, Ill. The focus of the hands-on workshop will be choosing one of six computer-simulated castings to gate and...

CMI course schedule.(AFS/CMI NEWS)(Calendar)
February 1, 2008... CMI Course Schedule Feb. 19-20 Casting Cost Estimating Schaumburg, Ill. (44-08) Feb. 26-May 31 Melting & Heat Treating of Internet Castings (45-08) Feb. 26-May 31...

Go lean with fluidized beds in aluminum heat treating.(New Product)
February 1, 2008... While heat treatment often is necessary for aluminum castings, the process itself can violate lean manufacturing principles. The low heat transfer rate in convection furnaces leads to a lengthy holding time to ensure the adequate quality of...

Multi-stage vacuum diecasting broadens process's applications.(Case History)
February 1, 2008... A vacuum has been used for decades in diecasting operations and is particularly advantageous for aluminum parts that must be heat treated or welded. Using a vacuum in the die cavity reduces gas entrapment during metal injection and decreases...

Vertical machining center.(METALCASTING SUPPLIES)
February 1, 2008... Makino introduces its S56 vertical machining center for tool, die and mold shops. The S56 utilizes a 40 taper, 13,000 rpm spindle with the option of upgrading to a 20,000 rpm spindle. It is made of heavy cast construction and has no over hangs...

Metal cleaning.(METALCASTING SUPPLIES)
February 1, 2008... The new VAC-U-MAX 55MW is a vacuum cleaning system that cleans fluids and removes metal chips to extend the life of machine tool filtration systems. The industrial vacuum pumps out liquid contents through its discharge hose to a central...

Conveyor bearings.(METALCASTING SUPPLIES)
February 1, 2008... QC Industries has replaced its standard bearings with Lube-for-Life Bearings on its conveyors to make them maintenance-free. The bearings feature a permanently applied micropoly lubricant, and the greaseless design eliminates the need to...

Sense of style.(SHAKEOUT: In case you didn't know ...)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A metal casting's structural and mechanical properties aren't the only things that can turn a designer's head. Pure aesthetics also can come into play, as seen in a line of high-end cast aluminum chairs produced by...