Case Studies
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36" dia Cryogenic Suction Manifold
J.C. Carter Corporation |
Used for the LNG energy industry, this 460 lb casting requires pressure tightness up to 250 psi at cryogenic temperatures. The order originally was placed with a competing foundry, but they were unable to maintain the pressure requirsement. AlumAlloy received the order shortly thereafter to manufacture three of the castings, guaranteeing that they would pass a Grade C radiograph and pressure testing. The initial product was delivered on time, and recently another order for nine more has followed.
AlumAlloy continues to maintain a strong relationship with the client and has cast no less than one hundred different cryogenic components for them, ranging from small impellers to 1000 lb motor housings.
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Chevy Small Block V8 Engine Casting
Oldsmobile Solid & Water-Cooled V8 Engine Casting
Hemi Solid & Water-Cooled V8 Engine Casting
Keith Black Racing Engines (KBRE) |
AlumAlloy Company met KBRE during the early '90's while manufacturing a V12 engine block for Torque Engineering. We learned that the tooling had moved from a foundry in Southern California to another in Washington, and the castings were still very porous. No radiograph specification was required, but no significant porosity was allowed either, and KBRE was in a desperate situation.
AlumAlloy Company offered to take the job, claiming that they could pour a casting that met both Ken Black's specifications and a Grade C radiograph. The existing tooling was transferred in a short time and reconditioning and regating began. The block, being one of the first that AlumAlloy had ever manufactured, proved to be difficult due to the inherent solidification properties of aluminum. With time and several test pours, David Howell developed the very successful SwitchGating Technology, in which multiple gates are implemented automatically to specifically control the flow of hot metal.
Since that time, AlumAlloy has made literally thousands of the above engine blocks for KBRE, at production rates of five per day when requested.
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2000 Infinity IRL V8 Engine Block
Nissan Motorsports USA |
AlumAlloy Company was contacted by Nissan USA to cast a racing engine block design that had proven to be too difficult for another foundry - the thin-walled coreways would always leak from one internal passage to another. The 56lb engine block required 0.120" walls between the cylinders and other key passages and overall dimensional stability of +/- .010". Furthermore, the metal quality had to rival that of billet material, with the understanding that these blocks would be used in the elite professional racing industry.
AAC designed and procured new tooling within 16 weeks and was able to pour conforming samples within three weeks. The next year a new version of the block was introduced in which the block was divided into an upper firing block and a lower cradle casting. Again, new tooling incorporating AlumAlloy's proprietary pouring techniques resulted in exceptional castings. Requested production rates of two per day were maintained until Nissan Motorsports sold the program to Renault.
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48" long x 13" dia Practice Torpedo Body Section
US Navy, Keyport, WA
American MetalCasting Consortium (AMC)
Mantec Services, WA |
In February 2006 AlumAlloy Company was contacted by the AMC to cast a torpedo body component that was basically cylindrical in design with a 1/2" wall and closed ends, had to pass 100% Grade C radiograph.
Two other foundries had been attempting to make the casting for two years yet were unsuccessful. Both the US Navy and Mantec Services were so skeptical of the possibility of the component being cast that they had basically taken the idea off of the table, and were very reluctant to make another expensive, unfruitful attempt with a third casting house. To renew their faith in the process, AlumAlloy offered to deliver a conforming first article on time or the two firms would not have to pay anything, a significant risk of time and money to all parties.
Upon agreement, AlumAlloy's engineering staff began to model the casting for simulations. As soon as the tooling was transferred, the tool was reconditioned and the preliminary gating system was installed. Manufacturing started shortly thereafter. Three different configurations were poured before the quality criterion was achieved. The casting was delivered as promised.
Production of a follow-on order continued on schedule and other contracts have been discussed.
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