Best-In-Class


Radar Casting Carley Foundry Inc. Blaine, Minnesota


Material: F357-T6 aluminum. Process: Nobake. Weight: 750 lbs. Dimensions: 61 x 66 x 52 in. Application: Classified.


• Using computer-based simulation, the company con- verted the part from machined plates that were welded together, or a truss construction, to a nobake casting in two parts. The two separate castings are welded together in the final product.


• The design resulted in a 67% reduction in part cost. It also enabled the end user to realize a substantial tooling cost savings. Of all the methods studied as possible ways to pro- duce the part, the nobake casting process offered the fastest return on investment.


Planter Row Unit Dotson Iron Castings, Mankota, Minnesota


Material: Ductile iron. Process: Green sand. Weight: 122 lbs. Dimensions: 35 x 14 x 32.5 in. Application: Planting seeds.


• The part replaced 30 stamped steel parts with six assembled ductile iron castings. The casting provider used solidification model- ing to validate the soundness, and the tool- ing was CNC machined from aluminum billet to provide accuracy and repeatability. The castings were cleaned on a trim press.


• The new planter with ductile iron row units is engineered for more stability and dimensional accuracy, as well as more vertical travel. It nearly doubled plant- ing speed, to 8 mph, and improved seed placement accuracy to 99%. The savings in assembly time ranged from 5% to 10%.


24 | MODERN CASTING June 2013


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