Iron Casting Design Collaboration Yields Real Results

Collaborating with a global leader in commercial turf and lawn care equipment, Waupaca铸造 worked to drive out costs from a mower bumper cast in gray iron, and thereby enhanced the zero-turn commercial mower’s performance.

Waupaca铸造 leveraged 3D printing to provide an improved casting design 2-3 weeks ahead of the customer’s lead time. This solution offered the customer flexibility to test the design faster, mitigated risk, and provided a cost savings.

Waupaca铸造 in collaboration with Hitachi Metals design engineers developed a solution to meet weight reduction requirements by redesigning and optimizing the shape of the part using a high-strength 韧性 iron material.

An 汽车 OEM diligently working to meet government-mandated fuel economy goals sought Waupaca铸造 to achieve its 轻量化 objectives. The targeted component is a differential carrier in the 动力传动系统 on the company’s light duty trucks already in production.

The goal was to optimize the design of an advanced helical differential case for the successor to the world’s first commercially available four-wheel drive vehicle. This was a challenge that would fascinate even the most 有经验的工程师.

To improve durability and wear of components assembled on commercial zero-turn mowers, Waupaca铸造 collaborated with both the machining supplier and the OEM. In short, multi-piece steel weldments were converted to single 韧性 iron castings.

A recent design project with the world’s largest agricultural equipment manufacturer shows what working together on casting designs can accomplish. 我们的 customer needed a stronger, lighter alternative to the 66 pound, multi-part weldment used in their equipment. The old model was heavy and awkward to 一起工作. 它需要改头换面

Using lessons learned from a past design success, Waupaca铸造 collaborated with a global leader in farm equipment and ag technology on a high-capacity combine. 我们的 recommendation for a solution was somewhat counter-intuitive—increase the number of parts on the feeder housing assembly.

A U.S.-based 健身 equipment manufacturer localized three new assembly and manufacturing lines, as well as a majority of its parts and component 供应 chain. Ballooning consumer demand for at-home exercise accessories strained its off-short 供应 chain. Partnering with Waupaca铸造 as its casting supplier allows the company to save money and streamline assembly processes within the United States.

Aluminum components are often utilized for their lightweight capabilities in the 汽车 industry. 然而, Waupaca铸造, in collaboration with Hitachi Metals America, successfully converted the Ford CD4 platform lower control arm from aluminum to high-strength 韧性 iron, not only achieving weight and cost savings for the company but also relieving the company’s 供应 chain that was facing disruption due to the high volume of production.

Through collaborative 工程 and a prototype 3D-printed core assembly, Waupaca Foundry provided a solution that could improve quality, delivery and cost for a compressor 车身已经投入生产. It also meant reliably changing the iron casting manufacturing process from horizontal to vertical molding, as well as reshoring the part to a U.S. 供应 base—with complete peace of mind.

石油 Tool Solutions (OTS) originally sought out a domestic supplier to develop and produce its Hulk clamp used in down-hole 石油 production. Once in discussion with Waupaca铸造, OTS changed course in order to expand in new markets by redesigning and creating a smaller-diameter and longer, 第二代夹.