Excerpt from the May 2020 Issue of Modern Casting
This year’s annual AFS Casting Competition continues with 2 of the casting category winners: Achievement by a Small Foundry and Outstanding Achievement. Congratulations go to LA Aluminum Casting Co. for their lift wrench and to Dotson Iron Casting for their trip arm.
Achievement by a Small Foundry
Lift Wrench
LA Aluminum Casting Co. (Hayden, Idaho)
Material: 356 aluminum T6.
Process: Semi-Permanent Mold
Weight: 6.42 lbs.
Dimensions: 11.7 x 10.9 x 2.75 in.
Application: Oil and gas. Hammer union wrench and pipe-lifter
Customer: Mountain Valley Supply
The lift wrench replaces the oil and gas industry's traditional tool of choice, the sledgehammer. It combines leverage, strength, and pipe-lifting capabilities and is safe to use than a sledgehammer.
LA Aluminum helped customer Mountain Valley Supply change a weaker weldment into the lightweight aluminum casting pull-tested to break at 6,600 lbs. of force. It provides a savings of thousands of dollars a year.
Outstanding Achievement
Dotson Iron Casting (Mankato, Minnesota)
Material: Ductile Iron
Process: Horizontally parted green sand
Weight: 23 lbs.
Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 3 in.
Application: Agriculture. Used in tillage tools.
Customer: Summers Manufacturing
This ductile iron casting was converted from a five-piece fabrication for use in a tillage tool. The trip arm absorbs shock as discs hit obstructions in fields.
Converting to a casting allowed engineers at Summers Manufacturing to add material to high-stress areas and remove material from less critical areas. A feature was added for retaining the pin and roll pin, eliminating a bushing in the fabricated part. It also improved fit-up during assembly and enhanced the overall appearance of the machine.
Dotson's customer saved nearly $100,000 and more than 3,000 employee hours annually.
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