and is therefore prone to incomplete fi lls, shrink and other defects related to feeding. Bob Mueller, a purchasing specialist


who buys all of the steel castings used by P&H Mining Equipment, Milwau- kee, and worked in a steel metalcasting facility before moving into purchasing, said far more expertise is required when gating and risering a steel part than an iron part. But that is becoming less of a problem. “I think where a lot of people in the


past have defaulted away from steel, with all the technology of solidifi ca- tion modeling, they are [turning to it],” Mueller said. “With all the things you can do with [software] and predict- ability modules, you can predict the properties of a steel casting.” Steel also has a perception prob-


lem, according to Mueller. Because many OEMs don’t understand the material and its production methods, facilities that produce it can come across as antiquated practitioners of a “black art.” “Iron melting is done in induc-


tion furnaces that are well controlled, versus the large arc furnaces [used


Table 1. Steel Casting Shipments by Size 2005


Weight (lbs.) 0-50 51-500


501-2000 2001-5000 5001-10000 Over 10000 Unspecifi ed


Percentage


of Shipments 6.37


15.67 55.79 10.94 7.44 3.79 3.93


Weight (lbs.) 0-50 51-500


501-2000 2001-5000 5001-10000 Over 10000 Unspecifi ed


2006 Percentage


of Shipments 11.19 18.88 26.75 20.53 7.86


14.79 0.19


The Markets for Steel


The following markets receive a signifi cant amount of the steel casting production worldwide:


• Ship propellers • Nonelectric heating • Boiler shop • Valves and fi ttings


• Internal combustion engines and turbines


• Farm machinery and equipment


• Construction machin- ery and equipment


• Mining machinery and equipment


• Oil fi eld machinery and equipment


• Industrial trucks and tractors


• Machine tools • Dies and tools • Rolling mill machinery • Metalworking machinery


• Special industry machinery


• Pumps • Blowers and fans


• Machinery power transmissions


• Furnaces and ovens • Motors and generators • Trucks • Railroad • Tanks


When most of us think steel, we think big and strong: railroad components, structural mining parts, Superman. But steel also can be cast into smaller, intricate shapes to serve niche applications.


JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 METAL CASTING DESIGN AND PURCHASING 43


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60