2003 casting contest: innovations in Cast Component Design.Representing industries as diverse as automotive, aerospace, tool and die, and agriculture, this year's award-winning components showcase achievements cast in metal. A MODERN CASTING Staff Report Fifteen cast component designs, including a Casting of the Year, earned industry-wide recognition at the 2003 AFS A distributed file system for large, widely dispersed Unix and Windows networks from Transarc Corporation, now part of IBM. It is noted for its ease of administration and expandability and stems from Carnegie-Mellon's Andrew File System. AFS - Andrew File System Casting Congress in Milwaukee on April 29. The third annual AFS Casting Contest (sponsored by the AES Marketing Div. and Engineered Casting Solutions magazine) attracted more than 50 components from every metal type and casting process, and were entered by casting producers and OEMs. Four independent judges evaluated each entry on its own merit, with particular emphasis on benefits delivered to the customer, illustrative of the unique capabilities of the casting process, and overall contribution to growth and expansion of the casting market. Key among the benefits OEMs found through these award-winning designs were gains in: speed to market, part consolidations and inventory reductions, reductions and/or elimination of machining, welding and assembly time, design flexibility, weight reductions, dimensional tolerance improvements and total system cost reduction. Following is a look at each of the award winning components--Casting of the Year, Best in Class and Honorable Mention--as well as information detailing the castings and the benefits they provided their customers, The deadline for submissions to the 2004 Casting Contest is December 1. These winners will be awarded at the 108th Metalcasting Congress in Rosemont, Illinois Rosemont is a village in Cook County, Illinois, founded in 1956. The population was 4,224 at the 2000 census. Geography Rosemont is located at (41.990730, -87.873816)GR1. , June 12-15, 2004. For more information on next year's contest, visit www.moderncasting.com or www.castsolutions.com. For a brochure detailing each of the award winning components, select No. 162 at www.moderncasting.com/info. 2003 Casting of the Year Strut Fan Cowl Support Beam for the Boeing 737 Hitchcock Industries, Inc., Minneapolis Metal: D357 aluminum with a T6 heat treatment. Process: Precision dry sand. Size: 23.33 lb (machined); 41.54 x 24.13 x 6.58 in. Application: Supports the 737 aircraft engine nacelle nacelle (nəsĕl`): see airplane. fan cowl, serving as a systems interface for the engine to the airframe and supporting the fairing structure. Converted From: Fabrication fabrication (fab´rikā´sh  n),n the construction or making of a restoration. of 11 components (machined parts and sheet metal). --Entry submitted by Jim Meath, Hitchcock Industries. Two heads are better than one. Boeing Commercial Airplanes' Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, also known as the Air Capital of the World, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas, as well as a major aircraft manufacturing hub and cultural center. Div. and Hitchcock Industries, Inc., Minneapolis, worked together in the mid-90s to redesign the strut fan cowl support beam component to a one-piece casting. By 1997, the conversion was complete and Hitchcock began casting, machining and assembling the structural component the next year at a 50% cost savings (78% reduction in assembly time) for the aircraft manufacturer. "This casting proved to be an excellent casting candidate due to the number of parts it replaced, including expensive machined fittings from forged stock and less expensive sheet metal parts," said David Jakstis, principal casting/forging design analyst for Boeing, who served as the facilitator for this redesign and the liaison to the casting supplier. Cast with 0.08 in. minimum wall thickness, the one-piece D357 aluminum alloy component replaced a fabrication of 11 aluminum parts. In addition, the redesign eliminated 17 shims, 175 fasteners, 40 linear ft of fillet fillet /fil·let/ (fil´et) 1. a loop, as of cord or tape, for making traction on the fetus. 2. in the nervous system, a long band of nerve fibers. fil·let n. 1. sealant and 21 fay sealed joints. The casting is produced via precision dry sand casting Casting is the process of production of objects by pouring molten material into a cavity called a mold which is the negative, or mirror image of the object, and allowing it to cool and solidify. (similar to nobake molding), measures 41.54 x 24.13 x 6.58 in. and weighs 23.33 lb (machined). In application, the casting is installed in the forward portion of the strut structure on Boeing's 737 aircraft. Functionally, it supports the fan cowling, which shrouds the engine, and houses a densely packed array of system connections between the strut and the engine. The casting also supports the forward "thumbnail" fairing, which is part of the outside aero-surface of the strut. The onus is on Hitchcock to ensure the component meets the necessary mechanical properties. "Boeing requires the major portion of the casting to meet 45 ksi ultimate strength, 36 ksi yield strength and 3% elongation," said Jakstis. However, he said, some designated areas of the casting require 50 ksi ultimate strength, 40 ksi yield strength and 5% elongation. The casting experiences static loads and some sonic fatigue. The casting was primarily sized for catastrophic failure A catastrophic failure is a sudden and total failure of some system from which recovery is impossible. The affected system not only experiences destruction beyond any reasonable possibility of repair, but also frequently causes injury, death, or significant damage to other, often such as pressure from a burst pneumatic duct or transient loads from an engine blade-out. Currently, Hitchcock produces 30 castings/month (15 planes per month; two castings per plane). In addition to casting the component, Hitchcock machines and anodizes it, and then inserts the bushings and bearings so it is ready for assembly at Boeing's facility. "What we are learning with every redesign is that the casting is stronger than the fabrication it replaces," said Jim Meath, vice president-sales and marketing, Hitchcock Industries. "With castings, we don't have the excessive fasteners or holes and there aren't the corrosion issues or crack propagators. The process allows us to eliminate many facets of fabricated designs that can be detrimental to the long-term success of the part." For the redesign project, Boeing formed a development team consisting of various engineering, procurement, finance and manufacturing representatives. Hitchcock brought its pattern designers, metallurgical and manufacturing engineers, and sales staff to the discussions. Hitchcock also hrought its casting conversion experience to Boeing, including the world's first cast pressurized pres·sur·ize tr.v. pres·sur·ized, pres·sur·iz·ing, pres·sur·iz·es 1. To maintain normal air pressure in (an enclosure, as an aircraft or submarine). 2. door with a caston skin for the 757 aircraft, According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Jakstis, sand casting was the best choice to produce this component due to its size, configuration and designated mechanical property requirements. He said Hitchcock was selected as the casting supplier early in the development process and worked extensively with Boeing both onsite and via CAD data transfer well before the casting drawing was released. "Due to the technical success of this casting, we have sought many more applications like it," said Jakstis. "Castings have become a much more favorable selection in our aerospace structural design community." Drive Wheel for a Construction and Landscape Utility Loader smith Foundry Co., Minneapolis The Toro Toro may refer to:
2003 Best in Class Metal: Austempered ductile iron Ductile iron, also called ductile cast iron or nodular cast iron, is a type of cast iron invented in 1943 by Keith Millis[1]. While most varieties of cast iron are brittle, ductile iron is much more ductile, as the name implies. . Process: Green sand. Size: 21 lb; 4 x 12 in. Application: Drive wheel for a track system Converted Prom: 84-piece steel assembly. * Originally an 84-piece steel assembly, this component was redesigned to a one-piece casting at a 15% weight reduction and a 55% cost reduction. The cost reduction amounted to an annual savings of more than $190,000. * By redesigning to casting, 30 rain of assembly time for the component was eliminated. * The casting exhibits improved wear, durability and appearance compared to the assembly. --Entry submitted by Jim Pint, Smith Foundry. Front End Support Assembly for the Ford F150 Truck Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Michigan Dearborn is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the Detroit metropolitan area and Wayne County, and is the tenth largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, it had a population of 97,775. * Meridian Technologies, Strathroy, Ontario For other places with the same name, see Strathroy (disambiguation). Strathroy (2006 population 13,500) is a community in southwestern Ontario, Canada, part of the Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc. , Canada Metal: AM50 magnesium. Process: High-pressure diecasting. Size: 13.5 lb; 16 x 21 x 12 in. Application: Provides exterior body structure for the truck. Converted From: Stamped steel assembly. * The auto industry's first magnesium structural exterior body component, this one-piece casting was converted from 21 previously assembled components. This conversion provided a 22 lb weight reduction and a more than $7 million cost savings in tooling over the life of the program. * Beyond tooling savings, the redesign to casting provided a per piece cost savings as well as increased dimensional accuracy with no machining. In addition, corrosion protection was achieved through an innovative design. * The cast component has twice the life of the previous assembled component during structural durability vehicle tests and it meets or exceeds all crash standards. * In application, the greatest achievement of the casting design is the packaging flexibility it offers. While the vehicle lost 4 in. of packing space in the front end due to a new design, the casting still was flexible enough to allow carryover components to be packaged, saving design and tooling costs to develop new components. This flexibility also allowed the component to maintain 97% of all assembly locators and clamp locations in the vehicle assembly plants, saving Ford millions more in assembly costs. --Entry submitted by Jason Balzer, Ford Motor Co. Multi-Function Bracket for a Ford Fuel cell Automobile Intermag-Modelex, St. Nicolas, Quebec, Canada Metal: Magnesium. Process: Sand. Size: 11 lb; 38 x 15 x 8 in. Application: Electronic central support bracket for the Ford Focus hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle. * Jointly designed by the foundry and customer, this sand-cast magnesium bracket supports the DC/DC converter and other electronic control modules, components and battery for a fuel cell automobile. * Designed using FEA (Finite Element Analysis) A mathematical technique for analyzing stress, which breaks down a physical structure into substructures called "finite elements." The finite elements and their interrelationships are converted into equation form and solved mathematically. and casting process modeling, the casting design eliminated 15 stamped steel parts used in comparable designs. The cast component also provides increased dimensional integrity and structural stiffness, heat dissipation Noun 1. heat dissipation - dissipation of heat chilling, cooling, temperature reduction - the process of becoming cooler; a falling temperature and non-magnetic properties. * Casting allowed the production of low-volumes without a high tooling investment. * The magnesium component facilitates modular off-line build during production. --Entry submitted by Louis Derosiers, Intermag-Modelex. Automotive Pressure Manifold Vehcom/Diversa Cast Manufacturing, Guelph, Ontario Guelph (IPA: gwɛlf) (population 114,943[1]) is a city located in the Southwestern region of Ontario, Canada. , Canada Metal: 319 aluminum with T6 heat treatment. Process: Lost foam. Size: 7.25 lb; 200 x 180 x 40 mm. Application: Manifold for a hybrid fan drive system that integrates the fan drive and steering pump. * The original aluminum die casting die casting Forming metal objects by injecting molten metal under pressure into dies or molds. An early and important use of the technique was in the Linotype machine (1884), but the mass-production automobile assembly line gave die casting its real impetus. design of the component required a cast-in stainless steel stainless steel: see steel. stainless steel Any of a family of alloy steels usually containing 10–30% chromium. The presence of chromium, together with low carbon content, gives remarkable resistance to corrosion and heat. tube for hydraulic lines. By redesigning to an aluminum lost foam casting, the stainless tube is eliminated, reducing component weight, post machining and assembly time. In addition to a system cost reduction, the design eliminated potential leak paths. * Cast with wall thickness to 4 mm, the component has 13 interconnected passageways that allow for improved flow in application. One of the 6 mm passageways has four 90[degrees] turns and is 145 mm in length. In use, the component withstands 1900 psi working fluid pressure. * The lost foam polystyrene pattern is made of three pieces with two glue lines. The component is cast with zero draft at the datum The singular form of data; for example, one datum. It is rarely used, and data, its plural form, is commonly used for both singular and plural. area. --Entry submitted by Min Wang, Vehcom/Diversa Cast Manufacturing. Telescopic Trailer Tow Mirror Mount for a Pick-Up Truck Aristo Cast, Inc., Almont, Michigan Almont is a village in Lapeer County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,803 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Almont Township. Almont was first settled in 1827/1828 by James Deneen. Metal: AZ91E magnesium. Process: Investment. Size: 245 g; 10 x 4.5 x 4.5 in. Application: Supports the wires and electrical in a truck mirror. * The foundry utilized rapid prototyping Building a part one layer at a time using a method of additive fabrication such as 3D printing. Such parts are used for concept modeling to determine if the product design meets the customer's expectations. to deliver 19 sets of completed castings to the customer, Schefenacker Vision Systems, four weeks after receiving the design. * In addition to tight delivery and tolerance requirements, the casting has thin-wall requirements from 0.06-0.12 in. To this end, the wax patterns for investment casting investment casting Precision casting for forming metal shapes with minutely precise details. Casting bronze or precious metals typically involves several steps, including forming a mold around the sculptured form; detaching the mold (in two or more sections); coating its were built with supports on the bottom, leaving the visible surfaces clean of all build supports. * Magnesium was the material of choice for its superior metallurgical qualities and castability as well as its ability to provide a 3 lb per mirror weight savings over aluminum. The foundry's proprietary process allows for rapid prototyped magnesium components without building tooling. --Entry submitted by Larry Blum, Aristo Cast. Inline 4 Automotive Engine Automotive engine The component of the motor vehicle that converts the chemical energy in fuel into mechanical energy for power. The automotive engine also drives the generator and various accessories, such as the air-conditioning compressor and power-steering Cylinder Block and Head GM Powertrain GM Powertrain Europe is a company created by General Motors to develop engines and transmission for the GM group. It was known as Fiat-GM Powertrain until the termination of the GM and Fiat merger talks, and earlier as Opel Powertrain. , Defiance. Ohio (block) and Massena, New York There are two places named Massena in St. Lawrence County in the U.S. state of New York:
Metal: A356 aluminum with T6 heat treatment. Process: Lost foam. Size: 74.5 lb (block) and 37.5 lb (head); 502 x 433 x 315mm (block) and 566 x 391 x 143 mm (head). Application: Engine components for General Motors' new Vortec 2800 (2.8L) light engine truck. This engine cylinder block and head are the third in the Vortex engine The concept of a Vortex Engine, independently proposed by Norman Louat [1] and Louis Michaud [2], aims to replace large physical chimneys with a vortex of air created by a shorter, less-expensive structure. series to be designed specifically for lost foam casting (16 and 15 were the first two). Lost foam allowed designers to cast in various features not possible with any other casting process. * main oil passages to feed high-pressure oil to balance shafts, crankshaft bearings and the cylinder head; For the block, these features include: * five oil feed holes from the main oil passage to each crankshaft bearing surface; * four oil feed holes from the main oil passage to both balance shaft bearing surfaces; * both balance shaft covers, eliminating the need for two separate covers and gaskets, and eight mounting bolts for each cover as well as the machining for the cover mounting face, bolt holes and dowel dowel /dow·el/ (dou´'l) a peg or pin for fastening an artificial crown or core to a natural tooth root, or affixing a die to a working model for construction of a crown, inlay, or partial denture. holes; The aluminum block design is 15 lb lighter than the comparable iron design. For the head, the cast-in features include: * a cast-in "U-shape main oil passage that feeds high pressure oil to the valvetrain and cam phaser; * 10 cast-in oil feed holes from the main oil passages to each camshaft bearing surface; * two cast-in main A.I.R. channels and four cast-in A.I.R. passages for each exhaust port (Steam Engine) the opening, in the cylinder or valve, by which the exhaust steam escapes. See also: Exhaust ; * a cast-in "L" shaped PCV PCV packed-cell volume. PCV packed-cell volume, the volume of packed red cells in milliliters per 100 ml of blood. passage; The aluminum head design is 11 lb lighter than a comparable iron design. GM received a one-time savings of $14.4 million on capital equipment that wasn't required due to the cast-in features. GM also received a combined S2.1 million manufacturing savings per year at full production. The block and head designs have allowed the engine to achieve 20 more horsepower than the closest competition, while also achieving 90% peak torque at 1300 rpm and maintaining that level through 5400 rpm. Increased horsepower and torque provides increased power for vehicle pulling. --Entry submitted by Susan Manyen, GM Powertrain Rear Control Arm for the Ford Mustang For other Ford Mustang models and concepts, see . The Ford Mustang is an automobile produced by the Ford Motor Company, originally based on the Ford Falcon compact.[1] Cobra Intermet Decatur Foundry, Decatur, illinois
Metal: Austempered ductile iron. Process: Green sand. Size: 8.5 lb; 15 x 10x 6 in. Application: Safety-critical structural support for rear independent suspension Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically (i.e. reacting to a bump in the road) independently of each other. . * Originally conceived as aluminum and steel forging designs, the design as an austempered ductile iron (ADI) casting provided more than a 10% weight savings and design (shape) flexibility over steel. * Extremely tight packaging requirements coupled with load-carrying requirements eliminated both aluminum and steel in favor of ADI. The foundry designed, tested and manufactured the ADI control arm for Ford Cobra as its first ADI safety component. * The foundry-developed inoculation inoculation, in medicine, introduction of a preparation into the tissues or fluids of the body for the purpose of preventing or curing certain diseases. The preparation is usually a weakened culture of the agent causing the disease, as in vaccination against practice, coupled with consistent chemical composition and precise temperature control at pressure pour, produces castings with consistently high nodule nodule: see concretion. nodule In geology, a rounded mineral concretion that is distinct from, and may be separated from, the formation in which it occurs. counts. The ADI also is readily machinable. * Austempering of the component in an endothermic endothermic /en·do·ther·mic/ (-ther´mik) characterized by or accompanied by the absorption of heat. en·do·ther·mic or en·do·ther·mal adj. 1. gas atmosphere furnace (quenched quench tr.v. quenched, quench·ing, quench·es 1. To put out (a fire, for example); extinguish. 2. To suppress; squelch: in molten salt Molten salt may refer to:
Ratio of the maximum load a material can support without fracture when being stretched to the original area of a cross section of the material. When stresses less than the tensile strength are removed, a material completely or partially returns to its approximately twice that of conventional SAE D4512 ductile iron. --Entry submitted by Mike Kelly This article is about the newspaper columnist. For the baseball player, see Mike Kelly (baseball). Mike Kelly is a columnist for the The Record, a newspaper serving Bergen County, New Jersey. , Intermet Corp. Electronic Valve Housing for Hamilton Sundstrand Hamilton Sundstrand, is a global corporation that manufactuers and supports aerospace and industrial products for worldwide markets. It was formed from the merger of Hamilton Standard and Sundstrand Corporation in 1999. Ohio Aluminum industries, Inc., Cleveland Metal: C355 aluminum with T6 heat treatment. Process: Semi-permanent mold. Size: 21.84 lb; 17 x 7.5 x 8 in, Application: Part of a Hamilton Sundstrand control system for propellers on both P-3 and C-130 aircraft applications. Converted From: Machined billet (hogout). * Casting was redesigned by customer engineering, the tooling supplier and the foundry via concurrent engineering. * Because the "plumbing" requirements to define and machine a hogout were extensive, the component was redesigned to a casting at a reduced weight and cost, and with a far more "envelope-efficient" design. * The casting design incorporated hydraulic plumbing holes, eliminating numerous drilled and pin-plugged holes. --Entry submitted by Stacey Brandfass, Ohio Aluminum Industries. Agricultural Tractor Gudgeon Housing John Deere Foundry, Waterloo, Iowa Waterloo is the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 68,747. It belongs to the Cedar Falls-Waterloo Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the larger of the two cities, by population. Metal: 65-45-12 ferritic ductile iron. Process: Green sand. Size: 847 lb; 50 x43 x 19.5 in. Application: The mainframe component that allows articulation and oscillation of the 9000 Series 4WD John Deere tractor. Converted From: Weldment weld·ment n. A unit composed of an assemblage of pieces welded together. Noun 1. weldment - an assembly of parts welded together assembly - a group of machine parts that fit together to form a self-contained unit . * Converted from a weldment, the redesign to a casting resulted in a 28% cost savings. In addition, the new design allowed for future growth as engineering was able to design in additional strength to the component for future applications where higher horsepower and loads are required. * In the redesign to casting, the thickness of the gudgeon's ears at the lower hinge pin were increased to allow for taller bushings. This reduced the stress in the bushing and pins, ensuring longer life. * With all mating surfaces on the casting machined, tractor assembly has better control and less variation of the placement of the gudgeon and all components that attach to it. Since the PTO PTO abbr. 1. Parent Teacher Organization 2. or p.t.o. please turn over 3. power takeoff PTO or pto please turn over Noun 1. clutch is machined directly into the casting, better placement of the clutch and the drivelines is possible. By machining the faces on which the thrust washer and shim pack mate, the foundry can control the surface profile and separation for more consistent shim pack installation. * With a cast gudgeon design, material is placed only where needed. In application, the reduced amount of material on the component opens up the side of the tractor, making cleaning the debris easier. * The casting provides a significant aesthetic advantage over the weldment. --Entry submitted by Mike Kuebler, John Deere. Tire Mold Segment Morris Bean and Co., Yellow Springs, Ohio Yellow Springs is a village in Greene County, Ohio, United States, and is the home of Antioch College. The population was 3,761 at the 2000 census, and was estimated at 3,665 in July 2005 (a -2.6% change). Metal: 1080 steel. Process: Ceramic. Size: 190 lb; 16 x 13 x 5.5 in. Application: Nine of these 40[degrees] segments form a mold for tire manufacturing. Converted Prom: Machined stock. * Converted from an imported machined component, this steel casting Steel casting is a manufacturing process in which molten metal is poured into a mold, allowed to solidify within the mold, and then the mold is broken and the solid piece is taken out. manufactured supplier's in-house developed ceramic casting process reduced component cost by 20% and lead time by 25% (with multiple molds, these savings are increased). In addition, the cast component provides an as-cast surface finish of 63 RMS or better, reducing polishing time and improving surface integrity. * The as-cast tread surface requires no additional machining or handwork and the component maintains concentricity of less than 0.01 in. TIR TIR International Road Transport [French Transports Internationaux Routiers] , exceeding print specifications. * Poured as segments, part-to-part dimensional accuracy and repeatability are critical to the castings since the segments are assembled in a circle after machining of the back and sides. --Entry submitted by Mike McWilliams, Morris Bean & Co. Plastic Injection Molding injection molding n. A manufacturing process for forming objects, as of plastic or metal, by heating the molding material to a fluid state and injecting it into a mold. End Housing Screw Drive Kurdziel Iron of Rothbury, Inc., Rothbury, MI. Metal: 65-45-12 ductile iron. Process: Nobake molding. Size: 1100 lb; 4 x 4 x 1 ft. Application: Motor mount and mold screw mount that drives the two cast platens together on aVan Dorn Demag plastic injection molding press. Converted From: Weldment. * By redesigning to a casting, the component has improved dimensional accuracy, machinability and durability. * Overall program timing (from casting concept to delivery in eight weeks) was reduced considerably. This was complemented by a reduction in the material suppliers required to produce the previous weldment. * The casting improved the cosmetic appearance of the component compared to fabrication. --Entry submitted by John Anderson John Anderson may be: Science:
No. 2 Crossmember for Ford Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc., Montague, Michigan Montague is a city in Muskegon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 2,407. The city is located within Montague Township, but is politically independent. Metal: A356 aluminum with T6 heat treatment. Process: Vacuum riserless permanent mold casting (a modified low pressure system). Size: 51.6-lb as-cast; 45.8-lb machined; 48 x 14 x 17 in. Application: Automotive suspension system. Converted From: Steel stamping. * The cast No. 2 crossmember bridges the two sides or the vehicle frame rail and provides mounting features for the engine. * Prior to the 2003 model year, the crossmember used in the Crown Victoria, Town Car and Grand Marquis automobiles was produced as a steel stamping. Ford's Lincoln/Mercury product engineers determined that they could achieve reduced weight with increased functionality by converting the design to an aluminum casting. * The redesign to casting reduced a complex system of steel stampings to one casting. * The cast crossmember provides increased mounting for the shock assembly, lower control arm, upper control arm, steering gear, frame rail and engine. --Entry submitted by Todd Greve, Hayes-Lemmerz International. Gear Axle and Hub for Walker Manufacturing Lawn and Turf Equipment Farrar Corp., Norwich, Kansas Metal: Austempered ductile iron. Process: Green sand. Size: 10.6 lb with hub; 6.5 x 7.5 in. gear axle and 5.25 in. diameter hub. Application: Gear axle with removable hub for gear transfer case. Converted From: Fabricated steel. * To redesign the component to a casting, the foundry and customer teamed together in an engineering partnership. In application, the cast component increased the field serviceability of the gearbox in which it is assembled, significantly reducing the noise of this gearbox and improving the steering response and maneuverability of the lawnmower. * The redesign to casting reduced the component weight (by 3.3 lb) and total system costs, and improved component strength and appearance. In addition, this conversion eliminated 18.7 in. of welding. The result is a casting that has maintained all the necessary mechanical properties with improved performance. The customer has never had a failure with the casting. --Entry submitted by Todd Farrar, Farrar Corp. Railroad Motor Mount Adapter Frame Plad Precision Casting Corp. Greensburg, Pennsylvania Metal: Nickel aluminum bronze. Process: Permanent mold. Size: 16.44 lb; 14.4 x 7.12 x 7.31 in. Application: The component supports the motor and clutch in a railroad track-switching machine. Converted Prom: Welded fabrication. * Originally, the part was 10 fabricated and machined components requiring 20 weld joints, 24 machining operations, dichromating and two painting processes. The bottom plate was machined from a 1-inch thick steel plate (1020 cold steel) that required an additional 12 machining operations. By converting to a cast component, the customer realized a 29% weight reduction and significant cost savings. * The casting achieves material properties of 95 ksi tensile strength and 51 ksi yield strength, and exhibits good corrosion resistance. * The redesign to a nickel aluminum bronze casting provides a near-net-shape component and eliminates the need for secondary dichromating and painting. In addition, the one-piece casting eliminates 20 weld joints, reducing warpage due to welding and increasing part functionality. --Entry submitted by Larry Harnish, Piad Precision Casting. |
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