Steele uses 3D printing to reduce manufacturing cycles. (Photo by Modern Casting)
3D printing helps Steele reduce manufacturing cycles
Stiff extrusion dates back to the late 19th century. Sand casting, another shaping technology we’re big on, is even older, first appearing around 1000 B.C.
They’re still around because their fundamental value in shaping raw materials has never been surpassed. These technologies also lend themselves to continuous improvement — we keep making stiff extrusion better and we’re also refining the way we sand cast wear parts and other metal components in our Statesville, NC foundry.
Modern Casting takes a look at the way Steele is updating this ancient foundry process, by using 3D printing to develop and create patterns for sand casting.
The beauty of vertical integration
Running our own foundry, pattern shop and machine shop, we’re free to raise the bar on these departments. We wanted faster R&D, a more efficient workflow by designing in CAD, and the flexibility to manufacture both small and large parts.
The solution was our investment in 3D printing.
Combining large-format additive manufacturing to our patterning has cut our costs and lead times on parts with complex geometries. We’re eliminating variability and error, and we’re casting parts with even better performance and durability.
Design flexibility and reverse engineering
We can develop prototypes, test designs in our machines and ensure we have the right solution before gearing up for production. We’re even manufacturing parts for legacy Steele extruders, with 3D scanning and a digital archive of old patterns.
Steele can also reverse-engineer and manufacture parts from OEMs that have closed their doors, so our customers don’t need to source new suppliers while their machines sit idle. And as so often happens, having a new technology in-house comes in handy when other problems need solutions.
Our engineers now use 3D printing to improve our in-house safety program, adding new guards to production machinery, to protect our people from the dangers of exposed rotating gears and shafts.
Ready to see what Steele engineering can do for your operations?
Check out the Modern Casting feature at the link below. And when you’re done, give us a call or send us an email for specifics on what our updates of mature technologies can do for your operations.