INDUSTRY news
IBC Delivers Castings for F-35 Fighter Jet IBC Advanced Alloys Corp.,
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has delivered its fi rst beryllium- aluminum azimuth gimbal housing castings to Lockheed Martin to be used in the F-35 Lightning II Electro Optical Targeting System (EOTS). T e castings were produced at IBC’s Engineered Materials Division in Wilmington, Mass. Lockheed Martin’s EOTS provides multi-function targeting which com-
bines forward-looking infrared and infrared search and track functional- ity to provide pilots with air-to-air and air-to-surface targeting from a safe distance. T e technology enables aircrews to identify areas of interest, perform reconnaissance and deliver laser- and GPS-guided weapons. “T is milestone is very impor-
tant for IBC,” said Anthony Dutton, CEO and president, IBC Advanced Alloys. “Not only has IBC’s dedicated
team met its commitments, but this fi rst article acceptance is an impor- tant validation of IBC innovative cast components by a leading aerospace and defense company.” T e contract for the azimuth gim- bal housing castings was announced in September 2014. T e beryllium- aluminum alloys are well suited for aerospace applications because they can be three times stiff er than alumi- num with 22% less weight. ■
The castings will be featured in the F-35 Lightning II, a family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole fi ghters.
Indiana Metalcaster to Boost Workforce by 360 When ID Castings purchased a
metalcasting facility in Noblesville, Ind., from Indiana Ductile Co. in 2013, it announced plans for a fi ve-year, $51 million investment to improve the site and increase overall capacity. Now, near- ly two years into that comprehensive project, the company has announced a goal of hiring 360 employees by 2018 to boost its overall workforce to 400. T e company will add two produc- tion lines by 2018, meaning it will be
operating two casting facilities in addi- tion to onsite fi nishing capabilities for the production of components such as clamp rings, pipe fi ttings and bolt hard- ware from one to 500 lbs. Additionally, an adjacent building will become a second fi nishing facility. Last year, the Noblesville City Council approved a three-year tax abatement with an estimated value to ID Castings of $1.3 million. T e city also used $71,000 in federal grant funds
6 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | Jul/Aug 2015
to improve the facility’s environmental concerns. As improvements continue, com-
pany executives remain focused on building a foundation for long-term, sustainable growth. “We’re not worried about our
quarter-to-quarter earnings so much,” said John Kelley, plant engineer. “We’re sticking to a fi ve-year plan and our vision of a safe, productive and environ- mentally friendly foundry.” ■
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