ast Component:

Intermediate case.
C

Material: ZE41 magnesium.

Process: Nobake casting.
Casting Supplier: Fansteel/Wellman Dynamics,
Creston, Iowa.
The casting redesign eliminated more than six hours
of assembly and processing time and reduced the
part weight by 11 lbs. (5 kg). The casting also saved
the customer more than five hours of machining and
assembly time.
Small diameter sand cores were used to cast-in
features that replaced external hoses for lubrication
distribution.
The casting redesign combined two partsan air inlet
frame and a gearboxand features pipes and external
hoses cast-in.
ast Component: Stabilizer link.
C

Material: Zinc.

Process: Diecasting.
Casting Supplier: ZF Lemforder Corp., Brewer,
Maine.
The casting supplier worked with its equipment
manufacturer to create a new process to diecast end
rings directly onto the end of the stabilizer link rods.
The process replaced a previous method of welding
precision stamped rings onto the ends of the rods.
The new process reduced material costs by 20% and
offered a number of other production advantages,
such as the ability to use pre-plated rods for savings
on inventory and shipping and a highly automated
diecasting process.

ast Component: Pedal.

C

Material: 4140 steel.

Process: Investment casting.
Casting Supplier: TPM Ltd., Sugar Land, Texas.
The component, which is used in offshore drilling,
replaced a 12-piece assembly and reduced the total
assembly time from more than eight hours to less
than one.
The casting incorporates a more reliable safety catch
on the pedal to prevent piping from lifting during a
gas blowback.

January/February 2007

For Design Engineers & Purchasers

43

Cast Component: Steering knuckle.

Material: Aluminum.

Process: Semi-solid squeeze casting.
Casting Supplier: SPX Contech, Portage, Mich.
Typically, steering knuckles are either forged or cast from iron or
steel, but the customer wanted an aluminum part for weight savings
with high tensile strength.
The casting supplier used its proprietary semi-solid squeeze casting
process to achieve a minimum ultimate tensile strength of 276 MPa
and a minimum 0.2% proof stress of 207 MPa, while also providing
elongation to a minimum of 6%.

Cast Component: Transmission case for a 1967 P4

Ferrari Racer.

Material: A356-T6 aluminum.

Process: Lost foam casting.
Casting Supplier: The Austin Group, Quincy, Ill.
The 18 x 13 x 12-in. (45.7 x 33 x 30.5-cm) casting consisted
of intricate shapes that required a high level of accuracy.
Because CAD geometry did not exist for the part, the casting design firm reverse-engineered the transmission case
using laser scanning. Using this method, a solid model was
on-hand in less than a week to create the foam pattern and
gating system.

ast Component: Low-air leaf suspension.

C

Material: Austempered ductile iron.

Process: Green sand casting.
Casting Supplier: Advanced Cast Products, Meadville, Pa.
This part, used in a Class 8 truck, was converted from a threepiece steel assembly that consisted of an axle clamp, shock
absorber bracket and pin. Four of these assembled parts were
used as part of the air suspension in the cabs of the trucks.
The use of austempered ductile iron allowed the assembly to
be cast as a single component while exhibiting the required
physical properties for the application.
44 Engineered Casting Solutions

January/February 2007