process, it is challenging.” Mapleton also has invested in its
ability to perform rapid prototyping of complex parts, offering sand mold and core machining in-house. “Our capability to machine sand
molds allows us to produce molds just like the production process,” said Brian Callear, Master Black Belt and manager of Mapleton’s pattern shop. “We don’t need the hard tools right away, allowing us to produce 10-15 blocks economi- cally while tooling is being built.” While the molds aren’t perfect out of the box due to a stair-stepping effect, Mapleton is able to produce accurate prototypes after minimal post-processing. Mostly, the process is used for large block tooling, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Te facility has found success with other parts, as well, includ- ing a support bracket fabrication it converted to a ductile iron casting. With no hard tooling, Mapleton was able to develop the casting from the model in six weeks. New machining capacity also has
been added at the Mapleton plant. In 2007, Caterpillar discovered it needed to increase capacity at its Lafayette machining plant. Te company decided to address the issue at Mapleton because the metalcasting facility could consume all the chips produced and potentially identify subsurface defects. At the time, Mapleton did some pre-machining,
Cat Mapleton invested $18 million in its machining capabilities.
and a multimillion dollar investment has allowed the facility to machine the majority of its large block produc- tion—75 blocks per day at 13.5 to 35 minutes of machine time per piece. “With machining in-house, exter-
nal scrap on blocks went from 2% to 0.5%,” Bevilacqua said.
Engineering and Beyond While Mapleton has transitioned
to mostly large blocks and heads (its capacity for the products has doubled), it still produces some smaller (200 to 300-lb.), lower volume recurring heads in the 500-3,000 part-per-year range. Mostly, the parts are made for older and rebuilt engines—components that have been shopped for outsourcing but have come back due to supplier issues. Mapleton also still has a line dedicated to casting engine liners. With nearly 1 million square feet under one roof and a
400 acre site, the facility has significant fixed costs that have to be managed when volumes drop. “Our team has been keenly focused
on cost containment, and it’s really made a difference, reducing our cost per ton by more than $200,” Bevilacqua said. “Safety has been another key to Mapleton’s success, reducing recordable injuries by more than 75% over the past decade. We also need the broad product base to assure minimum tonnage.” With the help of Mapleton’s new molding lines, keeping that minimum should be easier than ever, even with capital tight for future investments. “We are a big company, and invest-
ment dollars were not scrutinized as closely in the past,” Bevilacqua said. “It’s not the case anymore. We are trying to foster the attitude that even though it’s Caterpillar’s money, you don’t need to spend it like it’s your own.”
In addition to its re-engineered lines, Cat Mapleton also runs two manual molding areas for large blocks and miscellaneous castings. 22 | MODERN CASTING June 2011
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