CASTING INNOVATIONS Iron Casting Facility Improves Customer Service
Through Visual Inspection With three iron casting facilities,
two pattern shops and a machine shop, Donsco Inc., Wrightsville, Pa., aims to become a single casting source for its customers in a variety of markets. Recently, Matt Sevcik, customer service manager, has aimed at improving the casting operation’s quality assurance program. Quality is a prime consideration
in any casting operation, but many in Donsco’s customer base require especially tight controls. Visual inspection is crucial to the met- alcaster’s ability to ship components that will be ready for failure-free use in the field. “Te parts we produce are used
primarily in pumps, compressors and agriculture. Tese are what we consider mission-critical applica-
tions,” Sevcik said. “Terefore, to maintain quality and meet fast delivery schedules, we have a policy of external and internal visual inspection of 100% of the parts we produce. Even in the case of complex castings, we conduct borescopic internal inspection on all of those parts as well.” Donsco maintains two bore- scopic inspection stations that are continuous operation. Sevcik recently contacted Gradient Lens Corporation, Rochester, N.Y., to explore possible upgrades to its visual inspection operation. Douglas Kindred, president and chief scientist, Gradient Lens, recommended Donsco install rigid 6.4mm Hawkeye Pro Hardy borescopes, which are more rug-
ged than the flexible models. “A major issue in the casting
market is durability,” Kindred said. “Many of these plants make 1,000 pieces per day and inspect six or eight ports per component. A scope may get used 6,000- 8,000 times a day, being pushed and pulled in and out of a cast- ing. That can be hard on a scope, so we have to offer extra durable scopes for those applications.” In addition to the wear and tear
on the instruments, the borescopes also alleviate the strain on the cam- era operator’s eyes, neck and back by allowing inspection to be displayed on large LCD monitors. “The user doesn’t have to look
through an eyepiece all day, and multiple people can view the im-
The inspections can be displayed on large monitors to allow for collaboration in Donsco’s quality assurance department. 52 | MODERN CASTING January 2016
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