design and produce a cast part will lead to a more responsive supply chain, more affordable designs, and bet- ter lead times (see chart on page 30). Software will be critical in advancing metalcasting design. By making it easier to design, the industry will make metalcasting more accessible to the next generation of metalcasters with less experience, Danko said. “To me, this is the most exciting
thing, because we are facing an aware- ness problem,” Danko said. “If there is a way to build a web-based tool to illustrate the process and help solve the casting design, I think that would be a huge success.” Short-term, the roadmap envi-
sions development in customized casting design software, web-based educational tools, solidification modification included in CAD modules, and design-for-perfor- mance guidelines. Long-term, the roadmap calls for automated drawings that apply casting design
principles, CAD modules that deter- mine thermophysical properties, and web-based tools that give examples of ideal casting processes per design.
Workforce Te team of industry representa-
tives also identified the workforce as a critical part of the industry’s future and should be part of industry and individual business planning. Areas of opportunity in addressing workforce needs include outreach, attraction, training, and retention. “Te inclusion of workforce has not been in any other industry roadmap, and I think its good that it is included here,” Donahue said. “When I received the final copy, I showed it to my boss, because workforce is one of the indus- try’s biggest problems.” It’s no secret that a significant
portion of the metalcasting industry workforce is approaching retirement age. New workers will be needed to fill that impending gap and that transition
period requires planning and invest- ment. Concerns regarding the avail- ability of capable, knowledgeable, and willing employees made this a major category in the roadmap. A coordinated industry effort to
increase the awareness of the industry to middle school and high school stu- dents is part of the roadmap’s outreach guidelines. Te ultimate goal is to increase the number of young workers actively seeking employment in the metalcasting industry as a career path. Tose who developed the roadmap identified technical-level jobs as the most difficult to fill. Tese include welders, patternmakers, machinists and others that require technical level training or certifications. Metalcast- ers will need to identify their critical technical level jobs and identify the training and certification programs that develop these workers and try to attract workers from this pool of job candidates. Te full Metalcasting Industry
July 2016 MODERN CASTING | 29
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