understand the value of it,” said Glover Kerlin, BRP Spruce Pine’s metallurgi- cal engineer. “It had braided hoses and connectors surrounding the housing, and we quickly realized we could incorporate passageways into the casting itself.” Te engineering team created a design with seven independent pas- sages, improving the way fuel was able to flow through the part in the process. Te component was eventually pro- duced as a 17-lb. part which consoli- dated many of these components into a single casting using eight foam pieces glued together. “It really exploits the value of lost
foam,” Campbell said. In order to win new business and maintain its existing customer base, BRP Spruce Pine focuses on properly marketing the capabilities of the lost foam process and maintaining the high- est level of technical proficiency possible. For example, on an exhaust system part, BRP Spruce Pine was able to save the customer $75 per unit by creating a single casting from what was originally a 28-piece assembly of components. Te challenge is getting customers on board early enough in the process to realize those types of savings. “Te level of under- standing is still very low,” Campbell said. “Te recent decision of General Motors [to transition from lost foam to precision sand on some parts] has raised a level of concern with some. We do see that as a bit of a challenge. Te companies that are intrigued make the mistake of not reaching out to the foundry process early enough to take advantage of the design opportuni- ties afforded by the lost foam process. Quite a few of the parts we see are already designed for semi- permanent mold, sand or diecasting. Tese designs aren’t taking full advantage of what lost foam can offer.” If BRP Spruce Pine is
contacted before a casting design is established, the company can think big picture and determine whether multiple compo- nents can be consolidated. “Tat may make the
casting more expensive, but if you look at the overall
The quality of BRP’s castings are highly dependent on how the molten metal ad- vances through the foam patterns.
Reprinted from MODERN CASTING
value stream, your bill of materials is going to be lower,” Campbell said. “And when you have [multiple post-casting connections], you have the risk of war- ranty failures. You eliminate those joints with a sound casting.”
What It Is Te lost foam plant in Spruce Pine
was originally built with the purpose of adding value to the two-stoke outboard engine via additional block and head complexity and part consolidation. Today, value-added pervades everything the plant does, according to Campbell. “We are full service, from raw mate-
rials to finish-machined parts and some assembly,” he said. Te company offers heat treatment,
impregnation, corrosion-resistant coat- ing, painting and machining opera- tions in-house. Much of the focus on value-added services has emerged since BRP Spruce Pine was forced to prove its worth to its investors in 2006. “Purchasing individuals want
to source from the machine shop,” Campbell said. “Te casting company is removed. We took the approach that
we want to bring [machining] in house and provide that service. Fifty percent of the product we send out has some form of machining.” BRP Spruce Pine also considers its
foam pattern production a value-added service. While some lost foam providers outsource the production of their foam, the company believes maintaining that proficiency in-house is critical to their success. “Te success of this entire process
centers around the density and fusion levels of the foam,” Kerlin said. “What is important to us is the con- sistency. Te quality of the foam is so important. If you have that supplied by an outside shop, you don’t have that control. How the foam is fused is just as important as the coating to prevent porosity and other defects.” Another key to technical proficiency
is employee ability, according to Lisa Bryant, human resources manager. “We have developed an internal
certification program and ensure every- one is quickly trained and certified at their operation,” she said. “From there, employees show their own initiative in going after higher level certifications. Turnover rates among full-time employees are almost nonexistent. We don’t lose people to other local employers, gener- ally speaking.”
Where It’s Going Mercury Marine
is BRP Spruce Pine’s primary competitor for outboard engines. But the company keeps its competitor close. “From a sales
perspective, we are extremely competitive for every sale,” Camp- bell said. “But from an operations perspective, we have a very cordial relationship.” Tat’s because
Mercury Marine and BRP are one of only a handful of lost foam operations in the country. (GM operates the largest operation of its kind in Saginaw, Mich., and another dozen or so job shops sprinkle the country.)
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