I figured out in my mid-20s that I had a passion for feeding people. A self-taught amateur in the kitchen to be sure, I would leave work every afternoon hungry to try a new recipe and after a while discovered the joy of scaling my favorites to feed a crowd. 

It dawned on me recently that my newest cookbook was probably 20 years old, so I started a subscription to a foodie magazine to try and rekindle that old feeling with some fresh creations. Sadly, peculiar dishes like peanut butter chicken or cucumbers with pickled ginger-scallion sauce will probably never see the light of day in this casserole queen’s laboratory. 

Nevertheless, I continue to waste lazy hours with my magazines on the occasional Saturday morning, but doing so has resurrected an important truth about food and work and life: A thing may be unique––but if it lacks quality and perceived value, that one-of-a-kind sizzle is going to fizzle. 

Actually, that notion is reinforced in a couple of ways in this issue of Modern Casting, to which I am pleased to warmly welcome you. 

If there was one big takeaway from interviewing the leadership of AFS Corporate Member Stainless Foundry and Engineering––the subject of our cover story––it would be the unique twist they bring to the metal casting business. But operating two separate casting processes, pouring an eye-widening number of alloys, as well as a few other unusual services would all be of little significance if they didn’t satisfy critical needs and high standards in the markets they serve. 

Their pursuit of quality is impressive, evidenced even now as they near completion of their NIAC quality system certification. Under the guidance of President and CEO Jim Stachowiak and Vice President Mitch McCaffery, this foundry is a fascinating study in what marketers call “unique selling proposition.” They certainly know what theirs is and keep the performance bar high in each one of their differentiators.  

We pick up on the quality theme with Ted Schorn’s examination of the topic, which is our translation of his live presentation at the 2024 Metalcasting Congress. Whereas I lean toward food metaphors, Ted wryly compares quality to love: “Everybody is for it, and everybody knows it when they feel it. But when asked to define it, people stumble around; and when they need help with it, they seek professionals.” He clears things up nicely with a solid definition of quality and helpful distinctions about the roles of two foundry positions you need to achieve consistent quality on the plant floor every day. 

Got a Secret Sauce?

So, what’s cookin’ at your company? What’s the quality casting you’re really proud of? Here’s how it could receive broad industry recognition: Enter the annual AFS/Casting Source Casting Competition! The entry form is on page 14. Now’s the time to confer with your colleagues and customer(s) to develop a compelling entry that shows judges: (1) the benefits delivered to the casting customer, (2) the benefits delivered (if applicable) due to conversion from another process, (3) how it is illustrative of the capabilities of the casting process, and (4) how it contributes to growth and expansion of the casting market.

So go ahead––brag on your team, brag on your customer––and we’ll brag on the winners next spring. It’s all part of the great story of technical excellence we celebrate in the AFS community. 

Thanks for being a part it, and thanks for reading!