for larger organizations that can support OEMs that are launching products that use identical pow- ertrains across different countries. It’s advantageous if they can deal with one source that either pro- duces everything or coordinates it so they are using identical tooling. It takes a slightly different organi- zation than the traditional, small, 50-man pattern shop. In many cases, however, the customer still needs local support for tooling changes or repair or updates. The industry also demands a
strong financial business in terms of being able to support the fi- nancing of tooling. We often don’t get paid until a year after we start the tooling, which is challenging. The ability to finance tooling of-
ten demands larger organizations. MCDP: Who are your customers—end-users or
metalcasters or both? OJ: We deal with both OEMs
and foundries. We are involved with a lot of prototypes where we deal with the OEMs. For proto- types, we are approached by an OEM with a new product still in a design stage. We try to involve the metalcasting facility at the earliest possible stages to discuss how they will cast the part in production. If we don’t get input on how it will be cast, we might go down the wrong route. With the metal- caster’s input, processes can be developed closer to how the parts
actually will be cast. MCDP: How does
prototype tooling diff er from
production tooling? OJ: It depends on the prod- uct and how it will be made. For example, a cylinder head is made
“
in a steel semi-permanent mold, but the prototype will be made with sand casting. The sand mold tooling will be developed, and
It’s advantageous if OEMs can deal with one source that either produces everything or coordinates it so they are using identical tooling.” —OLIVER JOHNSON
40 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | Jul/Aug 2012
then we’ll develop the steel mold with sand cores. But some cylinder blocks are made in low pressure sand, in which case the prototype approach is the same. We try to make the prototype tooling the same way it will be tooled in production, with the same parting
lines and other conditions. MCDP: Why did TEI bring a metalcasting operation into
its facility? OJ: Initially, it was to test tool-
ing, and it developed from there. TEI bought an existing foundry
TEI Business Development Director, Oliver Johnson said 50% of its products are exported.
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