CAST YOUR VOTE!
EVENT ATTENDEES VOTE FOR THE WINNERS ENTRY: CASTING 104 CATEGORY: GENERAL INDUSTRY
This part houses the control mechanisms of a paddle style
flow switch which is used to monitor, reduce, or cut off the flow of fluids. It is installed on top of another mating part requiring the mounting points to be matched with precision for sealing properties as well as correct fitment. The part was originally made from six individual pieces of plate which were then welded together. After the main body of the part was complete, additional parts were then welded to the assembly for sensors and mounting points. While this means of manufacturing was functional it was difficult to maintain consistent and repeatable dimensions, was not aesthetically pleasing and required long lead times. The client approached the foundry for solutions, and a few different ideas were modeled and a much better version of the part was created for a fraction of the current manufacturing costs. The new cast version of their part did not require any welding and only necessitated a few simple drilling and tapping operations that the customer could perform in-house. The cast version of their part makes rebuilding and refitting new components to the housing much easier and faster, provides precision alignment with the mating parts, and offers much better sealing properties due to the one-piece design. Gating and tooling were the most difficult part of this project. Sufficient gating was required to ensure that the alloy
Name:
Dimensions: 12 in. x 6 in. x 3.5 in. Weight: Alloy:
Flow Paddle Frame 14.13 Lbs.
ASTM A743 - 13A CF8 - CF8
fed quickly through all of the thin walls of the part. The design of the part made tooling a challenge as well since there are a few undercut areas. The foundry was able to work through these issues by modifying the part to be tooled in a user-friendly fashion without sacrificing any features or performance. The customer was pleased with the aesthetics of the casting and was able to proudly display their company logo on the new better-looking housing which is mounted prominently on top of the assembly.
ENTRY: CASTING 105 CATEGORY: GENERAL INDUSTRY
The Teretary Housing is a robotic component used in nuclear applications. This part was originally fabricated by welding of outsourced plates of material 6061 T6 which required machining, welding and inspection. The resulting product was costly, having poor aesthetic quality and a lengthy manufacturing cycle time. The customer tried producing the part as a sand casting in LM 25, but after five years of process development, could not achieve radiography requirements. By converting this part to an investment casting, the foundry was able to achieve required reliability and performance. Previously manufactured as a fabricated weldment, the foundry reduced customer manufacturing cost by consolidating the assembly into a single piece casting. The cast component has replaced several machined and welded parts, resulting in improved dimensional accuracy & aesthetic quality while reducing manufacturing cost and lead time.
Name:
Dimensions: 22 in. x 10 in. x 6 in. Alloy:
Teretary Housing LM25
August 2023 ❘ 15 ®
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