lead time around that,” he said. “And anytime we get an updated forecast, we communicate that to the suppliers. When we partner with someone, we are very open as far as numbers we are going to need.” Tis openness continues through the engineering and design stages of product launch. Trough the proto- typing phases of the diecast motor enclosure mount, engineers at Big Ass Fans worked closely with the casting supplier to make adjustments through the initial prototype, soft tool and hard tooling phases. “On new projects, engineering works with us in advance to make sure the designs are feasible. Once the product line is in production, the engineering team is always ready to assist us with any quality and productivity improve- ments that we may want to implement,” Preuss said. “Tey understand our pro- cesses and are always open to new ideas to help us make a better casting.” Te result for the enclosure was a
more sophisticated part, according to Oleson. “We adjusted the shape of the
curve, the details on the inside of the cap, and the cross-hatchings on the lid,” he said. “Our suppliers know their process better than us, so it is not uncommon for them to make recom- mendations to improve the function or manufacturability. Te earlier diecast part we made was not as complex.” Te volumes and speed to produc-
tion required by BAF steered the company to diecasting, but it had used sand cast and permanent mold cast components for a time in earlier years. You’ll still find some sand castings in the gearboxes the fan maker buys from a local manufacturer. But for the most part, BAF uses aluminum and sometimes zinc die castings and this use will likely grow, according to O’Brien, as the company continues to rapidly expand further into the com- mercial and residential markets, as well as lighting. “I think we’ll continue with a
strong need for castings in the future, because of the finishing capabilities, as we are getting into custom-type product lines,” O’Brien. “It’s going to just continue to grow.”
Richard Oleson, senior design engineer at BAF, demonstrates how two die castings are placed together in one of their fans’ motor housings.
ALUMIN UM ME L TE RS!
-25 “Hg, S.G.: 2.47
-26 “Hg, S.G.: 2.36
QCD-1 Porosity Measurement System
• Automatic measurement and recording of Specific Gravity / Sample Porosity in 15 seconds.
• Eliminates the need to cut and polish the sample to permit a very subjective estimation of gas level.
T.R.P. Vacuum Tester (True Reduced Pressure)
• Measures the absolute vacuum level, eliminating the need for daily/weekly/monthly calibration of the differential gage used on most RPT units.
• Fully automatic operation to pull the Absolute Vacuum to a target level of (+/- 0.20”Hg), run a timed cycle, and dump the vacuum.
Contact Us Today to learn more! E-mail:
dan@qcdesignsinc.com •
www.qcdesignsinc.com
Q.C. Designs, Inc. (269) 983-6859 • Fax: (269) 982-0823
January 2016 MODERN CASTING | 29
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