Keep it simple.

Visiting several metalcasting facilities each month provides me the unique perspective of seeing both the best and the worst our industry has to offer. While I wish I saw only the best melting and molding techniques, the highest regard for safety and health procedures and the tightest quality control, the reality is that many plants (especially today) are focused on how many castings are moving out the door at the expense of everything else. This makes absolutely no business sense.

Metalcasters forget that the procedures that ensure quality, efficiency and safety, no matter how insignificant they may seen], can have a tremendous influence on the bottom line. Beyond ensuring the health and safety of your workers (and eliminating lost-time), you may find new ways to reduce costs that were perceived to be "an expense of doing business."

For example, take a look at our feature article on p. 40, "10 Ways to Zap Your Energy Bill." This article relays tips gathered from experts in and out of metalcasting. Most of their suggestions are simple and free, so your facility would be insane not to implement them.

Two tips from this article that should be pointed out immediately are:

* maintaining lids on furnaces;

* reducing wasted com-pressed air.

When visiting facilities, I often see furnaces with scrap, ingot and/or returns piled so high, a lid or other insulation can't be used, and workers using compressed air as if it is a cleaning tool, forgetting a broom would work just as well. While these thoughts seem to be common sense (like several of the suggestions in the article), if the procedures aren't defined and reiterated to the workers that must enforce them, they will be forgotten.

Many facilities rely on checklists and/or quality sheets that outline how each job is supposed to be performed. Reality shows that workers may follow these procedures initially, but when push comes to shove, they are thrown out the window as routine takes over and productivity is required. Your leaders must be vigilant in their training to ensure the "little things" do matter and are followed down to crossing every t and dotting every i.

Taking this a step further, we highlight the reuse of spent metalcasting sand on p. 29 in the article, "Saving on Sand Disposal." This issue has been' a major topic of discussion in the industry for the last 10-15 years, yet many metalcasters haven't bought into the idea and are still sending their used sand to landfills.

Now, not everyone can find a reuse situation for their spent metalcasting sand, as there are many environmental regulations that cover this action. But your facility could potentially benefit from the reuse of your sand by another industry because it would reduce transportation and disposal costs associated with dumping the sand. Have you even investigated it?

Energy and sand reuse are just two examples of many potential opportunities available to you to improve your firm's bottom line. Maybe there are partnership opportunities that would open doors to enhanced services you could provide to your customers for increased profitability. Maybe your suppliers have new products that can reduce scrap or improve yield with a minimal cost increase. Unless you take your head out of the sand to examine what is happening throughout the industry and if it can apply to your operation, these opportunities will just pass you by.

I will finish this editorial by asking, are you examining your entire metalcasting operation beyond production for ways to reduce costs and improve the bottom line? In my many plant visits, I have learned how the industry as a whole would answer this question. How would you answer it for your plant?

Alfred T. Spada, Editor-in-chief

If you have any comments about this editorial or any other item that appears in MODERN CASTING, email me at [e-mail].