Benefi ts Outweigh Investment Costs


It was this direct and highly involved


experience that led to the creation of the new MPI Model 20-14 Automated Pat- tern Assembly System (APAS). Based on two ABB IRB 2400 6-axis robots instead of the three axis Cartesian system of the Model 20-10 it replaces, the 20-14 can weld 25% larger wax assemblies, is capa- ble of multi-plane welding for advanced products such as single crystal turbine blades, and increases casting yields by 10-30% depending on application. “The true returns from automation


come from the repeatability and the re- liability of the equipment,” says Keith Hedrick, MPI’s automation engineering manager.


“Robots work each and every day, and they make the products exactly the same each and every time. In the invest-


ment casting industry—specifi cally in the wax room—that’s critical because the wax room is the fi rst step in the casting process and any variation we take out of the process in the wax room directly adds to gains to every downstream operation.” “The value that’s gained through


automation in decreased scrap is way un- derestimated,” says Rich. “A lot of times an investment casting foundry is going to focus on other parts of the process than the wax room, but it’s very important to understand that the entire process starts in the wax room. If you don’t get a high quality pattern on a high quality runner you’re almost asking for failure through- out the rest of the process.” Compared to manual wax pattern


assembly, the 20-14 creates incredibly high quality fusion welds that are perfect 100% of the time. It is able to accomplish this all at a rate approximately 2 to 5 times faster than manual assembly allow- ing for high throughput on deliverable


products. The 20-14 is also much more fl exible than conventional assembly due to its quick change tooling with less than 1 minute changeovers. Whether the re- quirements are high volume or low vol- ume, or a combination of both, the MPI 20-14 can be easily integrated into a fully automated wax room. Robotic automation also solves the


traditional problem of fi nding employees with the necessary skills and abilities to create good quality welds for wax runner assembly. Once a recipe is programmed into the MPI-designed user interface, it is easy for an operator to choose the appro- priate recipe for a given wax assembly. In fact, an individual can be trained how to operate the machine in less than one day—an amazing accomplishment in- and-of-itself.


In order to remain competitive in the modern investment casting industry, next generation wax room will need to be au- tomated.


Another Marketing Tool From The Investment Casting Institute


Investment Casting


Process and Application


This new marketing DVD offers an introduction to investment casting, how it works and how its products are used. It features examples of applications, an overview of investment casting uses, a step-by- step demonstration of how the process works, and the advantages of the process. Great as a promotional tool for prospective customers and as an introduction for new employees.


ORDER ON LINE


www.investmentcasting.org phone 201 573-9770


fax 201-573-9771 August 2013 25


Investment Casting


Process and Application


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