environment, essentially combining CNC software with robotic programming. Having a robotic engineer as a shareholder was certainly helpful. Installed in 2010, the robotic machining system was


named Nopatech by Saguenay Foundry and has been a key piece in winning those single to two-part orders. “Te first three years, there was a learning curve, but since then we have been operating our Nopatech system about 70% of the time,” Savard said. “Customers benefit in both time and cost. If there are going to be several itera- tions, it’s better to use Nopatech. It helps our customers put their parts in the market faster.” The Nopatech robot typically can handle 10 pro-


grams/castings at one time. It takes about eight hours to machine a mold, and the robot is basically left to run on its own after the program’s been entered into the software. The Nopatech process is patented by Saguenay Foundry and is under license in Europe. While Saguenay Foundry was perfecting its pat-


ternless prototyping system, it also watched for the next opportunity. With one of its two pattern sup- pliers closing and the other with an aging owner and no one waiting in the wings, the iron caster saw a potential supply problem looming. “I strongly believe the pattern shops that ultimately


will be left are all going to be CNC operated,” Savard said. “Te true skill people will be retired. Few real patternmak- ers will be left who know the foundry process. So us being in the process, it is easy for us to design the patterns, and I think it will give us a nice competitive edge in three to five years.” Within the metalcasting building, Foundry Saguenay expanded its traditional pattern shop to take on more than just repair work. In 2015 it also invested $2 million in a new building on the same land to house CNC equipment to further extend its capabilities for rapid prototyping work. Tis equipment can machine foam or MDF pat- terns for quick part development and turnaround. “Everything is moving toward using 3-D drawings and


technology,” Savard said. “If engineers are using 3-D, why not use that here in the foundry?” New machinery. New processes. New disciplines. A


few stumbles were inevitable. “Two major issues hurt us this spring,” Savard said.


“Te way we processed the work scheduling wasn’t efficient, so many of the jobs came all at once. We weren’t processing fast enough. We also realized that bringing patternmaking in-house took away a barrier of quality control, so there was some slippage in the quality.” Saguenay Foundry brought in an outside consultant to help with finding a more optimal way of running that department and incorporating it into the rest of the busi- ness’s operations. Te reorganization improved job schedul- ing, which opened up capacity. Jobs no longer pile up to be addressed all at once. Te machines are now running 80% of the time. Te metalcaster also hired more technicians for quality control and to operate the CNC shop. Additional


Շ开לਈԴ造铸ש格萨，يՇ速快术技ы֘机，年


*环境И进੧加工， ֨Ѿײы֘机置ગљ，پ३ў软 ֘机。起一֨合ুӲ编پ३ы֘机Њў软床机控数ر并 。助帮۱有ر此ثБ股О成٤३工ы 统系工加ы֘机رԴ造铸ש格萨，装安始开年


ոդО4UVGZKIN，已成О赢得单一零ўչДЗ零ў订 单ङҼ键部ӣ。 9G\GXJપ：Ȕӹ 年是学Юङ过३，Ѹ是，ђ那时


ङ时间ӄ运੧д4UVGZKIN系统。 ֨已ћ我，起 需更ө，环循Зә有果ײ。ञ效本成չ间时得ੂ户客 ӱ放投ў零ر֪快更户客助帮љ，NIKZGVU4用҅要 。И֫١ ，پ३ў铸З 理ה时գՕ常通ы֘机NIKZGVU4


ў软ӱҵ进已پ३֨ы֘机，型砂工加时شЗ ਰો约 技ӯЋNIKZGVU4д得ੂԴ造铸ש格萨。੧运续继եФ 术，并ੂ得欧洲政府કՕ。 并，২完更得Պ统系型Խ纸֣无得҅Դ造铸ש格萨


Җ؟一ङИ商ૄ供Ӏ模؟Дव随。ѫ机З一Ј找ج要需 જ意ৱ有۱Դ铁铸，高已з年ৱ有۱ङ؟一יՐ৲，闭 。见Օ约隐题问应供ङ֨潜ӱӱ 实ѫ间车Ӏ模ङ来Јऊґৄ最Ғֳ我Ȕ：પJXG\G9 д量صЈऊر。ѧ退رմы术技ङ正ऱ。Џҁ控数现 ，易容很ઋગӀ模પ来ћ我ث。工Ӏ模ङਫ工造铸આ ਙ 年间ѫ҅得我ћ拥有极҄ङ竞ж ङ来未֨Оઍ我 ѩ势。ȕ


间车Ӏ模ङ统ѮثԴ造铸ש格萨，ӄ۰ԴङԴ造铸֨


年，Ҹ 。ҁ工ғ维੧进ююЉ，ي扩务Џд੧进 ગ控数置安，উ建新造建Їֲ֪գ֨ҫ২Ѕघ ՛投资 泡工加לਈוગથ。力ਈ造Ӳ型Խي扩步一进便љ，ו 沫或3*,模Ӏ，љ快速进੧零ў开Շչ转换。 。术技չ纸֣* 9G\GXJપ：Ȕ ՟੧՟Џ都开始҅用


ȕ;呢И造铸֨用ЉТэО那，* 用҅٤३工果ײ 。ङҲ避ՕЉ是ન错п一。ॠ学新，ਫ工新，֘机新 ҁ工排安ћ我。ћ我व约Ӳ题问םДȔ：પJXG\G9 我。ҁ工量ם现ӟ时գѫљ۱，效有לЉ还式方ङچ进 除消造ӲӀ模部ӄ，ӱજઍ还我。快לЉچ速ङ理הћ 。降Ј۱有量ૅљ۱，垒אӲ控量ૅд 最ङך更ӱ找助帮љ，问顾部יд用聘Դ造铸ש格萨


。Иੈ运务Џѕҿӱҵহҿر并，门部થ੧运来式方҄ գӇЉ৲ђ，力ਈф生д高提并，چ进ҁ工д֑完ু重 ङ时间ӄ运੧。铸造Դ ֨Օ֘机。ҁ工量םম॥时 车控数理管չӲ控量ૅ੧进便љ，工技ङך更д佣雇Э


March 2017 FOUNDRY-PLANET.COM | MODERN CASTING | CHINA FOUNDRY ASSOCIATION | 37


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