O’Fallon Casting has published its first “Investment Casting Design Guide” which is now available for free download on the OFC Website (www.ofalloncasting.com/design guide/).
Investment Casting is a cost effect method for the manufacture of complex, near-net-shape, products but some specialized expertise is required for their design. The Design Guide is a natural offshoot of O’Fallon Casting’s “IC-101” class on the basics for the design of Investment Casting and addresses that need for information of best design practices.
Engineers prefer Investment Casting as it provides them with more freedom and is the most straightforward foundry process for which to design. The Guide provides recommendations for allowances and other considerations that are generally necessary for the successful design of an investment cast product. Basic information on topics such as linear tolerance, fillet radii allowance, and castable hole sizes, etc. are included in the guide.
The Design Guide does not supplant the need for Concurrent Engineering with a foundry. Castings are cost effective in combining features into One-Piece casting designs that reduce the Part Count of an assembly and consultation with a foundry remains the best way to achieve the most affordable configuration of a cast product.
OFC hopes that the information in the O’Fallon Casting “Investment Casting Design Guide” will assist Engineers take better advantage of the strengths of the investment casting process to design more affordable products for their customers.
Monday, 27 July 2015
Tuesday, 23 June 2015
The Design Engineer's Role in Casting Procurment
It is a well-known axiom that 70% - 90% of the cost of a product is the result of design decisions. Although we might debate as to the preciseness of this estimation the fact remains that design is key element to the manufacturability, availability, reliability and overall affordability of any manufactured product.
Castings are inherently a cost effective method to manufacture shapes that reduces the part-count of an assembly and therefore improves the affordability of that product. However, casting design does require some specialized expertise and appreciation of the strength and weaknesses of the foundry process.
Any poorly designed product as a consequence will incur unnecessary or unexpected costs. For example, the cost of poor product manufacturability might be reflected in late deliveries, short shipments or frequent rejections. These types of design related issues will drive a rise of both Inventory and Administrative costs.
Less obvious is the cost of a missed opportunity where the product might have been manufactured via a superior method. Poor design choices can threaten both the reputation and profitability of an enterprise.
Good casting design accomplishes two things. First the combining multiple parts into a one-piece cast structure will reduce the amount of assembly required to manufacture a product. Such Part-Count Reduction favorably impacts not only the direct manufacturing cost but also reduces inventory and administrative costs. Secondly, because of the Near-Net-Shape capability, castings reduce the cost for secondary machining. Investment Casting is an effective foundry process by which to take advantage of both capabilities.
The Designing of Investment Castings is a relatively straightforward process as there are few constraints on configuration and it requires no consideration of a draft angle. Therefore, anytime two separate members need be assembled together presents an opportunity to combine them into a 1-piece cast structure. Obvious candidates for conversion to casting are dip-brazed or welded assemblies.
Admittedly there are a few casting design “Rules of Thumb” that do need to be taken into consideration and knowledge of those aspects will help to avoid any unintended “Designed–In” costs. O’Fallon Casting readily assists its customers with several services to help enhance the value of their casting designs. First O’Fallon Casting provides its customers a Concurrent Engineering Service to critique their casting designs and offer recommendations for improvement. Secondly, OFC offers to conduct a 3-Hour, IC-101, class on the basics of Investment Casting design at Customer facilities. Thirdly, O’Fallon Casting also offers a 3-Day, IC-201, class held at O’Fallon Casting for customers desiring an in-depth exposure to Investment Casting.
Castings provide an opportunity to enhance the affordability of customer designed products. O’Fallon Casting wants to assist its customers in making the most effective use of castings in their products.
For more information please call your OFC Sales Engineer.
Castings are inherently a cost effective method to manufacture shapes that reduces the part-count of an assembly and therefore improves the affordability of that product. However, casting design does require some specialized expertise and appreciation of the strength and weaknesses of the foundry process.
Any poorly designed product as a consequence will incur unnecessary or unexpected costs. For example, the cost of poor product manufacturability might be reflected in late deliveries, short shipments or frequent rejections. These types of design related issues will drive a rise of both Inventory and Administrative costs.
Less obvious is the cost of a missed opportunity where the product might have been manufactured via a superior method. Poor design choices can threaten both the reputation and profitability of an enterprise.
Good casting design accomplishes two things. First the combining multiple parts into a one-piece cast structure will reduce the amount of assembly required to manufacture a product. Such Part-Count Reduction favorably impacts not only the direct manufacturing cost but also reduces inventory and administrative costs. Secondly, because of the Near-Net-Shape capability, castings reduce the cost for secondary machining. Investment Casting is an effective foundry process by which to take advantage of both capabilities.
The Designing of Investment Castings is a relatively straightforward process as there are few constraints on configuration and it requires no consideration of a draft angle. Therefore, anytime two separate members need be assembled together presents an opportunity to combine them into a 1-piece cast structure. Obvious candidates for conversion to casting are dip-brazed or welded assemblies.
Admittedly there are a few casting design “Rules of Thumb” that do need to be taken into consideration and knowledge of those aspects will help to avoid any unintended “Designed–In” costs. O’Fallon Casting readily assists its customers with several services to help enhance the value of their casting designs. First O’Fallon Casting provides its customers a Concurrent Engineering Service to critique their casting designs and offer recommendations for improvement. Secondly, OFC offers to conduct a 3-Hour, IC-101, class on the basics of Investment Casting design at Customer facilities. Thirdly, O’Fallon Casting also offers a 3-Day, IC-201, class held at O’Fallon Casting for customers desiring an in-depth exposure to Investment Casting.
Castings provide an opportunity to enhance the affordability of customer designed products. O’Fallon Casting wants to assist its customers in making the most effective use of castings in their products.
For more information please call your OFC Sales Engineer.
Monday, 20 April 2015
AFS Metalcasting Supply Chain & Design Summits
O’Fallon Casting had the pleasure of addressing both the American Foundry Society’s Metalcasting Supply Chain Summit and Metalcasting Design Summit held in Chicago on February 3rd and 4th. The AFS held these two Summits as a vehicle to update users of cast metal products as to the State of the Industry and to learn of innovation within the industry. The two summits also provided forums for Industry Experts to interact with the Supply Chain and Engineering Professionals in roundtable discussions of pertinent issues such as Lead Times, Casting Conversions, and Specifications.
At the Metalcasting Supply Chain Summit O’Fallon Casting presented a paper entitled: “Cost Factors of Aluminum Investment Castings”. This presentation provided an overview of the Investment Casting process, summed the major issues as regard to cost and suggested ways that users might optimize the value in their cast metal products.
At the Metalcasting Design Summit O’Fallon Casting presented a paper entitled: “The Role of the Design Engineer in the Supply Chain”. The paper argued that 70% – 90% of Product Cost is the result of Design Decisions and demonstrated how effective casting design can reduce the Part Count and thus the cost of secondary machining and assembly operations in their engineered products. This point was reinforced with an analysis of the exquisite casting design of O’Fallon Casting’s AFS/MCDP “2013-Casting of the Year”.
At the Metalcasting Supply Chain Summit O’Fallon Casting presented a paper entitled: “Cost Factors of Aluminum Investment Castings”. This presentation provided an overview of the Investment Casting process, summed the major issues as regard to cost and suggested ways that users might optimize the value in their cast metal products.
At the Metalcasting Design Summit O’Fallon Casting presented a paper entitled: “The Role of the Design Engineer in the Supply Chain”. The paper argued that 70% – 90% of Product Cost is the result of Design Decisions and demonstrated how effective casting design can reduce the Part Count and thus the cost of secondary machining and assembly operations in their engineered products. This point was reinforced with an analysis of the exquisite casting design of O’Fallon Casting’s AFS/MCDP “2013-Casting of the Year”.
Friday, 9 January 2015
Investment Casting (Al/SiC) Metal Matrix Composites
The particulate Silicon Carbide reinforcement in Aluminum Alloy Metal Matrix Composite enhances this lightweight material with improved mechanical property attributes for stiffness, vibration dampening, wear resistance, high thermal conductivity, and low coefficient of thermal expansion. With its unique set of properties MMC alloys have been employed in diverse applications such as moving structures in high speed equipment for manufacturing, brake rotors for vehicles, heat sinks for electronics and as housings & mirrors for optics.
In the 1980’s and 1990’s cast shapes from MMC ingot was envisioned to be a major enabling technology for manufacture of MMC metal components. This prompted the development of foundry processes and specialized techniques to overcome the natural tendency of the SiCp particles to clump or to precipitate from the aluminum matrix. The inherent abrasiveness of the Silicon Carbide particulates in the alloy, perhaps unfairly, also gave MMC a reputation of being difficult and expensive to machine. For a myriad reasons a broad market for cast and other process shapes has not developed and so despite its many attributes MMC remains an underutilized material option.
As it is with other difficult to machine materials, the near-net-shape capability Investment Casting is an effective counterbalance to help mitigate the cost for machining aluminum MMC. With effective casting designs this capability, combined with the refinements in the alloy and of the secondary machining, makes investment cast aluminum alloy / silicon carbide particulates a viable and affordable option for engineers to incorporate lightweight MMC shapes into their products.
In the 1980’s and 1990’s cast shapes from MMC ingot was envisioned to be a major enabling technology for manufacture of MMC metal components. This prompted the development of foundry processes and specialized techniques to overcome the natural tendency of the SiCp particles to clump or to precipitate from the aluminum matrix. The inherent abrasiveness of the Silicon Carbide particulates in the alloy, perhaps unfairly, also gave MMC a reputation of being difficult and expensive to machine. For a myriad reasons a broad market for cast and other process shapes has not developed and so despite its many attributes MMC remains an underutilized material option.
As it is with other difficult to machine materials, the near-net-shape capability Investment Casting is an effective counterbalance to help mitigate the cost for machining aluminum MMC. With effective casting designs this capability, combined with the refinements in the alloy and of the secondary machining, makes investment cast aluminum alloy / silicon carbide particulates a viable and affordable option for engineers to incorporate lightweight MMC shapes into their products.
Friday, 24 October 2014
O’Fallon Casting wins ICI “2014 Aerospace Casting of the Year”
For the third time in six years, O’Fallon Casting was recognized in 2014 by the Investment Casting Institute with their “Aerospace Casting of the Year” award. Receiving this award is special award as it is granted by industry peers to honor an outstanding example of the capabilities of the Investment Casting process.
This year’s ICI Casting Contest Winner is unique among other award winners as it is an aluminum alloy prototype that was manufactured from the CAD solid model of a Dip Braze design. As such the appearance of the part so resembles a “Sheet Metal” housing that many who see the part are at first unable to distinguish it as a casting. This reaction shows the brilliance of this entry and why it was selected as the winner by the Judges of Casting Competition.
As you observe this casting you will notice that it is comprised of numerous thin (.05”) flat members. Consequently this 18” x 8” x 5.5” structure is very lightweight, weighing less than one pound. As the part is not designed to be manufactured as a casting the solid model does not contain any of the fillet radii that are so essential in good casting design.
Although these obstacles will be overcome in a redesign of the part for the casting process the existing configuration presents a significant challenge to the manufacture of a cast prototype. Despite the inherent challenges O’Fallon Casting’s Investment Casting process was successful in producing two castings from two SLA Patterns.
The one-piece prototype casting is structurally more rigid and dimensionally more accurate than the Dip Brazed assembly currently in use by the Customer and well demonstrates that Investment Casting offers significant advantages and is a better design and manufacturing alternative. A one-piece Investment Casting design will reduce the part count and enhance the manufacturability of an engineered product.
The Sales Engineers at O’Fallon Casting are skilled at Concurrent Engineering and will be pleased to assist our Customers to develop parts as good casting designs.
As you observe this casting you will notice that it is comprised of numerous thin (.05”) flat members. Consequently this 18” x 8” x 5.5” structure is very lightweight, weighing less than one pound. As the part is not designed to be manufactured as a casting the solid model does not contain any of the fillet radii that are so essential in good casting design.
Although these obstacles will be overcome in a redesign of the part for the casting process the existing configuration presents a significant challenge to the manufacture of a cast prototype. Despite the inherent challenges O’Fallon Casting’s Investment Casting process was successful in producing two castings from two SLA Patterns.
The one-piece prototype casting is structurally more rigid and dimensionally more accurate than the Dip Brazed assembly currently in use by the Customer and well demonstrates that Investment Casting offers significant advantages and is a better design and manufacturing alternative. A one-piece Investment Casting design will reduce the part count and enhance the manufacturability of an engineered product.
The Sales Engineers at O’Fallon Casting are skilled at Concurrent Engineering and will be pleased to assist our Customers to develop parts as good casting designs.
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