SPECIAL FOCUS: PLANT ENGINEERING
back from China. Customers sourcing overseas require large inventories, and as the U.S. market transitions to lead- free, a supplier that can provide a more flexible solution is well positioned to capture some of that business. “It’s always about being com-
petitive,” said Tyler Stone, director of operations. “A long supply chain, in this transition the industry is going through, is [not advantageous]. We think we are in a better position by having a very short supply chain. And we think that with the right workers and the right work, we can be competitive.” Te new, automated metalcasting facility manufactures lead-free ver-
sions of products already produced in Franklin, using state-of-the-art equip- ment and features designed to enable significant energy savings. “We can assure efficient and timely
availability of lead-free products, because we have a fully integrated facility in the U.S. marketplace,” said Coghlan.
Right Place, Right Time Te project’s development began in
2011, but initially it was delayed due to the economic downturn. “Once we got the green light, we
had a lot of work to do,” said Stone. Construction began in August 2012.
The new 30,000-sq.-ft. metalcasting facility commenced operations in May 2013 and was in full produc- tion by June. “Since groundbreak- ing, the activity level has been at a frenzied pace for everybody here,” he said. Foundry Solutions & Design LLC
(FS&D), Alpharetta, Ga., led the engineering and layout of the new, lead-free facility, and consulting firm PM Alliance, Stone Mountain, Ga., assisted in managing the project. Te plant’s modern equipment includes an automated muller, overhead conveyor belts and autopour furnaces. “It was a challenge trying to get the
equipment into the space,” said Ralph Perkul, president, FS&D. Design- ing the new facility involved working around nearby wetlands, which limited its available footprint. “We had to fit it to the site, but it worked out very well,” he said. “Te environmental regulations here in New England are more stringent than in some other parts of the country, also. We had quite a bit of work to do to ensure we were meeting those standards.” While lead-free water supply
regulations are geared toward casting end users, many of the innovations applied in the new plant also are good for the environment at large. Perkul noted plant waste such as sand and dross is recycled. Te plant houses a modern sand system from Simpson Technologies, Aurora, Ill. Te mold handling line is entirely hooded, enabling airborne contami- nants to be collected into a dust and fume collection system. Energy-efficient production is another major advancement in the new building. “If you look at the electronics that
have been developed in the last 30 years, it’s a significant advantage over the past in lots of small ways that add up,” said Stone. “It’s faster and it’s higher quality.”
Advanced Technology Te new facility’s molding line
The original plant will continue operation, producing parts not required to meet the new lead-free standard for drinking water.
22 | MODERN CASTING October 2013
consists of two molding machines from Hunter Foundry Machinery Corp., Schaumburg, Ill. A 24-position, four-level turntable mold handling
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