Articles: Industry News

A Northwestern University project––including work by Dr. David Dunand, professor of materials science and engineering at the McCormick School of Engineering––is one of 30 selected for funding by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to reduce industrial emissions and manufacture clean energy technologies. 

Working with Boeing and AFS Corporate member Eck Industries, “Replacing Cerium with Energy-Efficient Mischmetal in Cast Aluminum Alloys for Aerospace Applications,” is receiving $500,000 of the $57.9 million funded by the DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office.

A Northwestern University project––including work by Dr. David Dunand, professor of materials science and engineering at the McCormick School of Engineering––is one of 30 selected for funding by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to reduce industrial emissions and manufacture clean energy technologies. 

Working with Boeing and AFS Corporate member Eck Industries, “Replacing Cerium with Energy-Efficient Mischmetal in Cast Aluminum Alloys for Aerospace Applications,” is receiving $500,000 of the $57.9 million funded by the DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office.

Blue Sage Capital, an Austin, Texas-based private equity firm, has completed its investment in Baker Manufacturing Co., LLC, Evansville, Wisconsin, which makes residential, industrial, municipal, and environmental water well equipment and accessories, as well as specialized rotary gear pumps and ductile and gray iron castings. 

AFS Corporate Member Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Co. (Charlotte, North Carolina) purchased AFS Corporate Member Neenah Enterprises, Inc., (Neenah, Wisconsin) effective July 13. Neenah’s plants in Medley, Florida, Neenah, Wisconsin, and Lincoln, Nebraska, manufacture construction and industrial castings. Neenah has been operating in the construction castings industry for 150 years. 

Ferroglobe PLC, a producer of silicon metal, silicon-based alloys, and manganese-based specialty alloys, announced a memorandum of understanding (MO”) with REC Silicon in which Ferroglobe commits to leverage its asset platform in the U.S. to supply high purity silicon metal to REC Silicon aimed at jointly establishing a low-carbon and fully traceable U.S.-based solar supply chain.

Kimura Foundry America, Inc. (KFA) (Shelbyville, Indiana) announced it has installed a new, 440-lb. aluminum melting furnace and has started aluminum casting. The company has been producing iron and steel castings using 3D sand printers with artificial sand since it was established in November 2018.

AFS Corporate Member Craft Pattern & Mold, a manufacturer of prototype machined castings in Montrose, Minnesota, has installed the second-largest 5-axis machining center made by Haas. The UMC1250 has a 50-in. work envelope, expanding the company’s ability to prototype large, tight-tolerance castings with a single workholding setup, which translates into cost and time savings for customers.

Through its Foseco brand, Vesuvius is investing in manufacturing and engineering initiatives throughout North America that: reduce customer lead time, deliver continued product innovation, and offer sustainable consumables and solutions for customers to reduce their environmental footprint.

Ontario-based Linamar Corp. has formed a new medical manufacturing group, MedTech, which will focus on leveraging its expert capabilities in precision manufacturing to pursue opportunities in the medical device and precision medical component markets.

Sure Cast Foundry Inc., an AFS Corporate Member in Blaine, Minnesota, has relocated into its newly constructed 19,000-s.f.-facility across the street from its former plant. The additional 5,000 s.f. provides storage and office space not previously available to staff and includes a conference room for hosting customers. Designed with the future in mind, the new facility is ready for further expansion of 10,000 s.f. off a rear wall––the foundry’s goal is to vertically integrate with its own machine shop in the near term.