“Customers still want the best
price, but now they also want you to be more automated because they know if you are, the pricing is going to reflect that,” Loeffelman said. “And naturally it affects quality.” Loeffelman believes it’s important
to constantly upgrade the equip- ment at the plant and does so on an annual basis. Each machine rebuild or upgrade reaches for more automation, faster setup times and more efficiency. “Customers want you to have the latest and greatest, they want you to be automated, and that’s a good thing,” Loeffelman said. “Tat is why we go through replacing something every year. Te size we are, we can’t go 10 years without replacing or rebuild- ing a machine.” For example, the casting trim- ming is performed automatically at the diecasting stations. Metal clip- pings from the trim presses fall onto a conveyor belt that travel under the floor and then up an elevator to be
dumped into a hopper for remelting in the furnace. Two large aluminum furnaces loom in the diecasting room, although only one is used at a time. If the furnace in use goes down for any reason, the other one is there to keep production going. “Te thing I stress more than
anything is, we’re not going to let the customer down,” Preuss said. “We can say that with confidence because we control almost every part of the process. Plus, our preventative mainte- nance is strong. We have dual backups for everything.” Loeffelman takes pride in know- ing his company wins customers, it doesn’t lose them. And while the
temptation may hover to increase capacity to take on a current lucra- tive industry, such as automotive, he is firm in his belief that a diversified portfolio will mean a strong, stable future for his company. Production Castings will continue
to look at new emerging markets to further diversify, while proving to cus- tomers it is a true one-stop-shop. “You have to stay tuned to your
customers’ needs and be flexible,” he said. “Today, companies are lean and mean and if you can handle something like plating for them, it’s another thing they don’t have to do. Te days of just casting are over. You have to offer something else.”
MEDIA RESOURCE
Using the Actable App, scan this page to watch a video on Production Castings. For instructions on how to use the app, go to page 43. To watch online, go to www.
metalcastingtv.com.
Production Castings also produces miniature die castings in zinc. June 2016 MODERN CASTING | 23
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