MAKING
STRONGER TRACTORS
(For 80% Less!)
A
major American tractor manufacturer had a problem. One of
the internal engine components of a new tractor was not holding
up under the rigors of real-world fieldwork. In fact, it was
breaking into pieces and rendering tractors useless. Realizing
the production process was the culprit, they started to machine
these parts from solid metal. A short-term fix at best, this
"solution" produced an adequate part, but dramatically
increased cost. The best case solution: an investment casting
from Signicast.
Step one for Signicast engineers was to get to the bottom
of the problem and design a component robust enough to survive
the harsh environment found inside an engine. Once a suitable
design was developed, prototypes were built at Signicast and
rigorously tested. Even though the new parts were found to
far exceed the lifecycle requirements, the team made minor
adjustments to enhance durability even further before it was
put into production. The end result was a tough, durable investment
cast component – with a final piece price 80% lower
than the machined part.
In other words, all in a day's work for a company in the
business of exceeding customer expectations. |