Companies Chromalloy Opens State-of-the-Art


Investment Casting Facility in Tampa, FL Chromalloy's new investment casting operation in Tampa


FL, which recently celebrated its grand opening, is fully opera- tional and serving turbine engine suppliers around the world. President Armand F. Lauzon, Jr. noted the new 150,000


square-foot state-of-the-art facility expands the company's pre- vuous component production capacity in Florida. “Chromalloy now offers the industry a single source for


engine component design, engineering, tooling, machining, re- pairs, coatings– and castings," he said. Chromalloy Castings is one of the company's 52 facilities


and sales offices in 17 countries. Besides the new Tampa lo- cation, a second casting center for turbine engine components and parts is located Carson City, NV. The new facility replaces Chromalloy's original Tampa casting facility. "Castings are central to it all," said Tom Trotter, vice pres-


ident and general manager of Chromalloy Castings. "We are creating a world-class manufacturing showplace, capable of casting the entire range of high-value aero-engine and power generation turbine blades and vanes." The new Chromalloy Castings center is designed to pour


up to one million pounds of superalloy annually using equi- axed, directionally solidified, and advanced, single crystal cast- ing technologies. Components and parts are cast for the “hot section” or criti- cal gas path of the engine, for the entire range of jet aircraft en-


gines as well as marine, aero-derivative and heavy frame indus- trial turbines, including the largest and most complex turbine blades and vanes for power generation engines (IGT). Trotter indicated creating a completely new facility of-


fered the opportunity to incorporate lean manufacturing con- cepts into the design. "We invested heavily in process control," he said noting


particular emphasis on wax, shellbuilding and casting processes where casting defects typically originate. "We culturally embraced continuous improvement," he


added. A new "hospital neat and clean" standard is in effect at the


new casting facility. Located at various work stations are large photos displayed with the question, "does it look like this?" The new foundry is not only clean but also environmen-


tally friendly. Dust collection is portable and can be moved as needed to different locations as needs change. Most alloys are already recycled, and management is looking


toward zero dis-


charge for water as well as shell material. "We don't re-use shell material, but we are looking at recycling," Trotter said. The new $30 million facility expands the company's capa-


bility and capacity. In an effort to retain the workforce which was already in place, the new operation was located within a 20-minute drive of the old facility.


The new Chromalloy Castings center is designed to pour up to one million pounds of superalloy annually.


January 2011


A new "hospital neat and clean" standard is in effect at the new casting facility.


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