innova io A t.


ould beco n c


atio


CASTING


vations


Casting Conversion Reduces Parts, Improves Performance in Mining Application


manufacturer of larg fans used in min-


manufacturer of large fans used in min- ing operations wasn


incrincreased shop capacity because the castings are ready for assembly,


ing operations wasn’t overly familiar with the metalcasting process,


though it used cast aluminum blades n a fan hub Many of the com-


though it used cast aluminum blades on a fan hub. Many of the com- pany’s designs remained unchanged for years, limiting the customer’s current engineering team’s experience with castings. But ne particular component seemed orth an in estigation to see if it could be cast.


experience with castings. But one particular component seemed worth an investigation to see if it could be cast. Originaliginally a 34-piece steel fabrication, the fan hub


steel fabrication, the fan hub faced a demanding envi- ronment where it rotates as fast as 3,600 RPM.


Each fabrication required


with Pier Foundry & Pattern Shop, St. Paul, Minn., to supply what would become a one-piece ductile iron casting. After a six-month col- laboration that included a number of design iterations and simulations, the metalcaster delivered sound castings via its green sand molding line that re- duced costs by more than 50%, saving


e fan manufa ier F


11


hours of in-house labor for machining T e fan manufacturer partnered


hours of in-house labor for ma hining and welding.


y a 34-piece


er y familiar with the metalcasting process,


the castings are ready for assembl allowing sawing, machining and welding resources to be used for other assemblies.


eased shop capacity because allowing sawing ma hining and


elding resources to be used for other assemblies. Since thisince this successful collaboration, Pierier and its customer have begun ersion pos-


sibilities to increase collabo- ration in the future.


Although the customer knew the complex weld-


casting off with a “Casting 101”-type


and its customer have begun exploring conversion pos- sibilities to increase collabo- ation in the futur


successful collaboration, exploring co


knew the complex weld- ment was a good candi- date to be converted to a asting, Pier Foundry started


sections, including the 10 spokes emanating from the central hub. T e varying thick and thin sections required a number of iterations from the Pier team to ensure proper feeding and maximize casting yield.


The ductile iron casting (in white) was surrounded by 10 cast aluminum blades.


the customer $76,000 in the fi rst year of production. Additionally, the customer has


ier Foundry deferred to


the customer to do finite elemental analysis to make sure the design would hold up to the rigors of the mining application. The customer, meanwhile, allowed Pier Foundry to concentrate on casting-specific design considerations.


“For the most part, I designed the


product to do what we needed and to hold up to the constraints we put on it,” said the customer’s mechani- cal engineer. “T ey then let me know what was possible and if you could pour metal into something that shape. I didn’t want to be the one to add draft angle and handle the other require- ments for castings.” Pier Foundry relied on its simula-


The casting was an integral component in the mine ventilation fan.


tion software to provide the customer with verifi cation that the casting’s gating and riser design would lead to sound castings. Pier then produced the necessary tooling for the coreless green sand mold. After passing Pier Found- ry’s internal testing for soundness, the castings were shipped to a local


Nov/Dec 2015 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | 45


course for the customers mechani- cal engineer. T e casting design featured a number of isolatedeatured a number of isolated sections, including the 10 spokes emanating fr m the central hub e var ing thick and thin sections required a number of iterations fro the Pier team to ensure proper feeding and maximize casting yield.


course for the customer’s mechani- al engineer


off with a “Casting 101”-t pe e casting design


Whihile aiding in design to imprle aiding in design to improve castabilastabilitity, Pier Foundry deferred to the customer to do finite elemental


ier Foundry started


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