Modern Casting articles from July 2006

Modern Casting archives from July 2006

It's a doozy once again: metalcasters revive the Duesenberg.(Industry News)
July 1, 2006... A group of Midwestern metalcasters have designed, tooled and poured a working re-creation of the engine head in the rare Duesenberg Model J automobile, which hasn't been produce the late 1930s. The first successful, machined casting will be...

GM expands Bedford plant.(Industry News)
July 1, 2006... General Motors (GM), Detroit, announced it is investing $48 million in its GM Powertrain Bedford Foundry, Bedford, Ind., to produce transmission cases and converter housings for GM's six-speed transmissions. The investment, partly made...

Question of the month.(moderncasting.com)
July 1, 2006... The March web site question asked, "Where have you seen the greatest increase in costs (as a percentage of sales) in the last five years?" Raw Materials 68.4% Insurance 18.4% Equipment and Maintenance ...

Ward manufacturing saves energy by recovering heat.(Product Innovations)
July 1, 2006... Ward manufacturing saves energy by recovering heat.--Two years ago, Ward Manufacturing, Blossburg, Pa., installed a new cupola and emission control system, engineered by Kodiak Group for Electric Controls and Systems in Birmingham, Alabama....

Establishing Precedent for Large Ferrous Lost Foam Casting.(Product Innovations)
July 1, 2006... Establishing Precedent for Large Ferrous Lost Foam Casting--Automotive demands for weight reduction have driven aluminum applications to dominate the lost foam casting process, but some ferrous applications would be beneficial, and Vulcan...

Are you a worthy Metalcaster of the year?(EDITORIAL)
July 1, 2006... Last month I wrote about the need for metalcasters to find their Casting of the Year candidates. Interestingly, this column received more comments from our readership than I ever expected. Some of our readers believe I was way off base, others...

It's a doozy once again: metalcasters revive the Duesenberg.(North America)
July 1, 2006... A group of Midwestern metalcasters have designed, tooled and poured a working re-creation of the engine cylinder head in the rare Duesenberg Model J automobile, which hasn't been produced since the late 1930s. The first successful,...

Sheffield delivers largest castings in the western world.(Around the World)
July 1, 2006... The second of the two largest castings ever produced by the western world, each weighing more than 300 tons, has been delivered by Sheffield Forgemasters, Sheffield, England, to SMS Eumuco, Leverkusen, Germany. The carbon-manganese steel...

GM expands bedford plant.(North America)
July 1, 2006... General Motors (GM), Detroit, announced it is investing $48 million in its GM Powertrain Bedford Foundry, Bedford, Ind., to produce transmission cases and converter housings for GM's six-speed transmissions. The investment, partly made...

Honda increases diecasting capabilities.(North America)
July 1, 2006... Honda Precision Parts of Georgia LLC (HPPG), Tallapoosa, Ga., announced plans to expand production capabilities at its west Georgia facility, which will increase its investment to $150 million and employment to 440 associates and mark the start...

ThyssenKrupp Budd sells aluminum metalcasting facility.(North America)
July 1, 2006... Automotive industry supplier ThyssenKrupp Budd Co., Troy, Mich., announced the sale of its aluminum casting operations as part of a restructuring plan announced earlier this year. ThyssenKrupp Stahl Co., a subsidiary that produces aluminum...

$1.3 million earmarked for aerospace titanium development.(North America)
July 1, 2006... The 2007 U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) appropriations bill, which would grant $1.3 million for the manufacture of advanced aerospace titanium structural castings, has been passed by the House and is awaiting Senate approval. The House...

Aluminum losing traction in wheel market.(use of aluminium wheels in future )(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Aluminum will lose some of its hold on the American wheel aftermarket to fabricated steel over the coming years, according to Frost and Sullivan Research. Stratecasts Inc., Fort Myers, Fla., also indicates that cast magnesium will gain on the...

Technocast, Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, has selected Simpson Technologies Corporation, Aurora, Ill.(Newscast)
July 1, 2006... Technocast, Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, has selected Simpson Technologies Corporation, Aurora, Ill., to provide its new sand preparation technology.

Precision Metalsmiths Inc.(Newscast)
July 1, 2006... U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has required Precision Metalsmiths Inc., Cleveland, to pay a penalty of $59,500 to settle alleged hazardous waste violations.

Atlas Holdings LLC, Greenwich, Conn., announced that it has acquired Pangborn Corporation.(Newscast)
July 1, 2006... Atlas Holdings LLC, Greenwich, Conn., announced that it has acquired Pangborn Corporation, Hagerstown, Md.

Pittsburg State Univ.(Newscast)
July 1, 2006... Pittsburg State Univ., Pittsburg, Kan., hosted the 21st metalcasters' instruction seminar for teachers at high schools, colleges and technical schools. They will offer the program again in the summer of 2008.

Senators criticize failure to name China as currency manipulator.(North America)
July 1, 2006... During a Senate Banking Committee hearing in May, Treasury Secretary John Snow faced bipartisan criticism for the Bush administration's decision to refrain from naming China as a currency manipulator. Snow defended the decision by saying...

AmeriCast Technologies seeks buyer.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... AmeriCast Technologies Inc., Atchison, Kan., has engaged a financial advisor to market the company for sale. AmeriCast is a portfolio company of KPS Special Situations Fund II. The company consists of Atchison Steel Casting & Machining,...

Recycled plasterboard may be used in investment casting molds.(Around the World)
July 1, 2006... Two new end markets for recycled plasterboard are being explored in new research and development trials--one of which will feed the metalcasting industry. CERAM Research, Staffordshire, England, and Coventry Univ., Coventry City, England,...

Another kind of marketing produces metalcasting success.(Letterbox)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... I feel that the comments on marketing in the June editorial ("Where is Your Casting of the Year?") were quite unfair. In 2002, I developed a new marketing and sales technique which resulted in a 1,300% increase in traffic through our...

Not competing, not closing.(Letterbox)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... In response to the June editorial, I am not sure if our facility produces anything that could be named a winner in the casting competition, but I am sure we will not close our doors right now. Our goal is to fill customers' orders to the...

Disillusioned by contest focus.(Letterbox)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... I just read the editorial on casting of the year entries and for the most part agree with the comments; however, I do have an observation that is a potential concern. Last year Grede Foundries-Iron Mountain submitted three difficult valve...

Alcoa Howmet.(Personals)
July 1, 2006... Frank Reuwer was named vice president of marketing and industrial gas turbines by Alcoa Howmet, Cleveland.

PowerMetal Technologies Inc.(Personals)
July 1, 2006... PowerMetal Technologies Inc., Carlsbad, Calif., tapped Charles Yash for its advisory board.

Makino.(Personals)
July 1, 2006... Makino, Mason, Ohio, made E. Bud Guitrau western regional sales manager for the EDM group.

Equipment Merchants International Inc.(Personals)
July 1, 2006... Equipment Merchants International Inc., Cleveland, appointed Bill Vondriska sales manager for Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin. Rich Karcher has been appointed sales manager for Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, New York,...

Applied Manufacturing Technologies Inc.(Personals)
July 1, 2006... Joseph Campbell was named chief operating officer of Applied Manufacturing Technologies Inc., Orion, Mich.

Simpson Technologies Corp.(Personals)
July 1, 2006... Scott Strobl became executive vice president of Simpson Technologies Corp., Aurora, Ill., and Dave Silsby was made director of sales.

Farr Air Pollution Control.(Personals)
July 1, 2006... Farr Air Pollution Control, Jonesboro, Ark., announced the appointment of Lee Morgan to president.

FKI Logistex Manufacturing Systems.(Personals)
July 1, 2006... Martin Clark was promoted to director of marketing and business development by FKI Logistex Manufacturing Systems, Chapel Hill, N.C. Jerry Woodhouse was made managing director of European operations.

Obituaries.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
July 1, 2006... Marshall C. McDonald, Southside, Ala., died June 6, 2006. He was 46. Marshall worked 20 years in the metalcasting industry and was a member of AFS and the Iron Casting Research Institute. He was working at Tyco Fire and Building Products,...

Calendar of events.(Calendar)
July 1, 2006... August August 10-11--AFS Chapter Officers Conference, Schaumburg, Ill. September September 10-12--AFS Foundry Executive Management Conference, Silverado Resort, Napa Valley, Calif. September 17-19--AFS 18th Environmental...

Treasury report fails to cite China on currency manipulation.(WASHINGTON ALERT: AFS Government Affairs Representative--Waterman & Assoc., Washington, D.C.)
July 1, 2006... In May, the Treasury Department released its semiannual "Report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies" of key trade partners, once again ruling that China is not a currency manipulator. The Treasury Department said it...

Senate approves sweeping immigration bill; House bill differs.(WASHINGTON ALERT: AFS Government Affairs Representative--Waterman & Assoc., Washington, D.C.)
July 1, 2006... The Senate voted 62-36 in May to approve a comprehensive immigration bill (S. 2611) that would create a guest worker program, beef-up border enforcement and put the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country on a path to...

Senate fails to move forward on small business health plan legislation.(WASHINGTON ALERT: AFS Government Affairs Representative--Waterman & Assoc., Washington, D.C.)
July 1, 2006... Legislation permitting small businesses to band together to buy cheaper health insurance was blocked from moving forward in the Senate on May 11 when Republican sponsors failed to win enough Democratic support to continue debate on the The...

EPA proposes rule on emissions monitoring requirements.(WASHINGTON ALERT: AFS Government Affairs Representative--Waterman & Assoc., Washington, D.C.)
July 1, 2006... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing a new rule that could eliminate additional monitoring requirements for facilities with Title V permits issued by State, Tribal and Federal programs. Published in the Federal...

Metalcaster of the Year: Dotson Iron Castings: Dotson's commitment to capital improvements and integration of new technology in a jobbing environment made it this year's choice for Foundry of the Year.(Cover story)
July 1, 2006... In order for Dotson Iron Castings, Mankato, Minn., to come closer to its goal of becoming the world's most automated jobbing metalcasting facility, it had to walk away. In one recent automation project, the iron casting firm wanted to...

Calming the turbulence in your runner system.
July 1, 2006... In today's environment of increasing quality demands, metalcasting facilities cannot afford to miss any opportunity to improve. Inaccurate assumptions about mold filling and metal flow persist, and addressing and correcting these assumptions...

Ironing out thin-wall casting defects: low-density alumina silicate ceramic has been effective in producing thin-wall iron castings. By constructing "gate extensions," it can now be used more efficiently.
July 1, 2006... The use of low-density alumina silicate ceramic (LDASC) in molds and cores reduces heat extraction from liquid metal and slows cooling and solidification rates, which can eliminate many of the defects that often occur in castings with thin...

Should you add ADI, CGI, SiMO to your iron menu? ADI, CGI and high SiMo ductile iron offer unique benefits to end-users and the metalcasters who supply them. Will adding one (or all) work for your iron casting operation?(austempered ductile iron, compacted graphite iron and high silicon molybdenum )
July 1, 2006... Metalcasters often are problem-solvers for their customers, finding ways to reduce cost, reduce weight and improve performance of their castings. But are there some problems you haven't been able to solve because the metal you pour lacked the...

Building your business in layers: knowing your options when it comes time to develop a functional, cast rapid prototype may be just what you need to make a sale.
July 1, 2006... This article is Part One in a two-part series examining the use of rapid prototyping processes in metalcasting. The first article, "Building Your Business in Layers." provides an explanation of the three main ways to develop a plastic pattern...

Make better decisions with fewer choices.(NOVEL SOLUTIONS)
July 1, 2006... Why would a book by a psychologist be useful to a metalcaster or supplier? For one thing, Business Week editors thought "The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less," by Barry Schwartz, was a "Top 10 Book of the Year." Depending on your individual...

HI-MAC project receives funding from Dept. of Energy and U.S. Automotive Materials Partnership.(AFS/CMI NEWS)
July 1, 2006... A High Integrity Magnesium Automotive Castings (HI-MAC) project is the most recent magnesium project to receive approval and funding under the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) cooperative agreement with the U.S. Automotive Materials...

AFS completes spring trade show circuit.(AFS/CMI NEWS)
July 1, 2006... The American Foundry Society (AFS) marketing department has recently concluded its annual trade show circuit. Each year, AFS sends representatives to important manufacturing trade shows to help market the metalcasting industry to potential...

Membership Memo.(AFS/CMI NEWS)
July 1, 2006... New AFS Corporate Members (April 2006-May 2006): Kurtz North America, Plymouth, Wis.; Nova Precision Casting Corp., Auburn, Pa.; Trinity Rail, Kutztown, Pa.; Flexovit USA Inc., Angola, N.Y.

Thank you.(AFS/CMI NEWS)
July 1, 2006... This space is to thank the instructors and their companies who have provided their time and expertise for CMI courses held February 1-March 31, 2006. Julie Archbold, Dalton Corp. John Cory, Andritz Inc.-Durametal Alastair...

Piedmont--In May, shown above, outgoing President Dave Sherman, Conbraco Industries Inc., presents the gavel and award to incoming President Ted Kostilnik, Buyer's Advisor Group.(AFS CHAPTER NEWS)
July 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: PIEDMONT -- In May, shown above, outgoing President Dave Sherman (l), Conbraco Industries Inc., presents the gavel and award to incoming President Ted Kostilnik, Buyer's Advisor Group. Shown below, Dave...

Northeast Wisconsin--In May, Bill Barrett and John Andrews, both of Neenah Foundry Co., hosted a tour of Plant Two, Plant Three and Pattern Shop South at Neenah Foundry Co., Neenah, Wis.(AFS CHAPTER NEWS)
July 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: NORTHEAST WISCONSIN--In May, Bill Barrett (l) and John Andrews (r), both of Neenah Foundry Co., hosted a tour of Plant Two, Plant Three and Pattern Shop South at Neenah Foundry Co., Neenah, Wis. Also...

St. Louis--In May, Jack Bodine , retired, presents the chapter's Jack Bodine Scholarship to Tim Eckelmann, a future Univ. of Missouri-Rolla student.(AFS CHAPTER NEWS)
July 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: St. Louis--In May, Jack Bodine (l), retired, presents the chapter's Jack Bodine Scholarship to Tim Eckelmann, a future Univ. of Missouri-Rolla student. The chapter also toured O'Fallon Castings.

Plains States--In May, Andy Kostner, Farrar Corp.(AFS CHAPTER NEWS)
July 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: PLAINS STATES--In May, Andy Kostner (far l), Farrar Corp., presents the speaker's award to Rick Cavallaro (center l), American Foundry Society, while Johnny Thornburgh (far r), Pioneer Technology Center,...

Chapter meetings.(AFS CHAPTER NEWS)(Calendar)
July 1, 2006... CENTRAL NEW YORK Aug. 26--Greenview Golf Course, West Monroe, N.Y.; Golf Outing. Sep. 13--Pier 57, Liverpool, N.Y.; General Meeting. Oct. 11--TBD; Joint Meeting with NADCA Chapter 9. Nov. 8 Abigail's, Seneca Falls, N.Y.; General Meeting. Dec....

Ward manufacturing saves energy by recovering heat.(Case History)
July 1, 2006... Two years ago, Ward Manufacturing, Blossburg, Pa., installed a new cupola and emission control system as part of its MACT compliance program. The cupola modernization was engineered by Kodiak Group, Grayling, Mich., for Electric Controls and...

Establishing precedent for large ferrous lost foam casting.(Case History)
July 1, 2006... During the last 25 years of lost foam casting development, automotive demands for weight reduction have driven aluminum applications to dominate the process and product activity. However, several applications exist where ferrous lost foam...

Structural blaster.(METALCASTING SUPPLIES)
July 1, 2006... Viking Blast & Wash Systems has released its newest structural blaster, the RT 9616-SP, which removes rust and scale from exterior surfaces of plate up to 8 ft. (2.4 m) wide and 3 in. (7.62 cm) tall and structurals up to 16 in. (40.64 cm) wide...

Cellular ceramic filters.(METALCASTING SUPPLIES)
July 1, 2006... Exactflo cellular ceramic filters from Ashland Casting Solutions offer a variety of sizes and cell configurations designed to meet or exceed demanding performance standards. The filters provide consistent inclusion removal and flow control and...

Hydraulic gate removal.(METALCASTING SUPPLIES)
July 1, 2006... The Hydra Wedge hydraulic gate removal tool, manufactured by LGT Manufacturing, utilizes a hydraulic booster in its hydraulic wedge. The light weight tools are offered in three sizes, operate on 2,500 psi and produce 10,000 psi hydraulic...

Walking with presidents.(SHAKEOUT: In case you didn't know ...)(City of Presidents Foundation )(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Visitors to Rapid City, N.D., will find themselves among some of the greatest leaders of the U.S. They can share a sidewalk with Andrew Jackson, have a seat with Martin Van Buren or check Thomas Jefferson's spelling in the U.S. Constitution....