innovations CASTING
Casting Conversion Improves Performance, Strength, Appearance
Canada, to explore converting a weld- ment to a ductile iron casting. T e component on the SoilPro 513 double disc ripper provides the main mount- ing structure for the shank assembly to be attached to the frame of the tillage unit. It also contains three of the major pivot points for the trip assembly. Originally constructed with eight steel pieces (torch cut and bent or saw cut, then welded and machined), the component was diffi cult to manu- facture consistently and alignment remained a challenge. During welding, the supplier needed to rely on the fi x- ture to hold the pin holes in alignment, and Wil-Rich also had issues with the weld holding the bushings in place. T e casting conversion featured a
I
single core in green sand. With an an- nual production volume of 2,000 piec- es, the D64-45-12 ductile iron casting measures 22 x 12 x 10 in. and weighs 55 lbs. (25 kg). T e customer realized a number of advantages, including: • T e machined casting provided a
n 2013, agricultural tillage equipment manufacturer Wil- Rich, Wahpeton, N.D., ap- proached Monarch Industries Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba,
eliminated issues related to warpage and assembly interferences associ- ated with the weldment.
• Wil-Rich reported the casting in- creased strength. Monarch designed the casting to add extra material in areas where strength was needed, which was more diffi cult and costly in a weldment. “We looked for ways to lighten the
Compared to the original weldment (left), the casting design (right) improved strength by repositioning some of the metal.
25% reduction in cost over the original weldment.
• By converting the com- ponent from a weldment, Wil-Rich freed up plant capacity in the welding and fabrication departments.
• T e machined casting, compared to the weld- ed fabrication, resulted in much improved alignment in the holes and with tighter hole- to-hole tolerances. • T e cast component
part with cast windows but still provide the required strength through varying fi llets,” said Matt Downing, pattern shop manager, Monarch Industries. “With good communication it wasn’t long before we had a cast part that met the customers’ needs and was ready for FEA testing.”
T e customer also reported
that the cast component im- proved the overall appearance of the shank arm. T e compa- ny logo and part number were incorporated into the design. T e castings are machined and painted on-site, allowing Monarch to deliver com- ponents that are ready for assembly.
The one-piece ductile iron casting is produced via green sand with one coldbox core.
The castings are primary mounting structures on Wil-Rich’s SoilPro 513, a double disc ripper tillage unit. 48 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | Jul/Aug 2014
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