Continuous Flow Manufacturing of investment cast components

Go WITH THE FLOW

One thing many people notice when they tour our Hartford, Wisconsin facility is that there doesn't seem to be any parts sitting around. That's because we don't let them. From the moment production begins on a batch of parts (whether it's a few dozen or a few thousand), we keep them moving. Castings don't pile up between stations; they move from one to the next as soon as they are ready – and out the door in record time.

CONTINUOUS FLOW
The key to continuous flow investment casting process is small batches that never stop moving. This illustration (click on it for a larger version) provides a colorful overview. Almost all the steps, from the very first to the very last, involve the ASRS (Automatic Storage and Retrieval System. This means parts never pile up. Nor do they have to be moved manually from station to station in carts or hand trucks. When investment castings go from one module to the next (such as into Module 5 for Value Added operations such as machining, painting, plating, or assembly) they do so by way of overhead conveyors – all the better to meet your tightest deadlines and keep things moving at your own plant.

(click to enlarge)