Blog

In the Cockpit: Aluminum Castings in Avionics and Interior Components

December 1st, 2024

To reduce weight and improve efficiency, the latest generation of passenger airliners, like the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, are using more composite materials than aluminum. Aluminum is easier to work with though, and significantly cheaper, so it will remain

The Electric Drive: Investment Casting for Components in Electric Vehicles

December 1st, 2024

A hot topic in electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing is “gigacasting”. This is where large stamped metal structural components are replaced with giant castings. The rationale is that this reduces weight and cost, two very important considerations for electric vehicles. What

Off-Highway Power: Hydraulic Orbital Motors in Construction and Agricultural Machinery

November 2nd, 2024

Mobile equipment used in construction and agriculture is better served by hydraulic orbital motors than electrical motors. This blog delves into why that is, and identifies a number of applications. First though, it’s important to understand what these motors are

Quality on Every Drive: The Importance of Quality Control in Automotive Investment Casting

November 1st, 2024

Fuel injection systems use high pressures to deliver precisely calibrated quantities of gasoline or diesel. A defect in any injection system component could result in fuel spraying over a hot engine, with catastrophic consequences. To avoid this kind of scenario,

The Challenge of Superalloys: Machining for High-Temperature Aerospace Applications

October 10th, 2024

Superalloys retain their strength at high temperatures. This makes them the preferred choice for hot environments, like those downstream of the combustors in a gas turbine engine, but it also complicates their machining. This blog reviews the challenge of precision

5-Axis Machining: Unleashing the Full Potential of Precision

October 9th, 2024

Engineers have long been told to “design for manufacture”. 5-axis machining frees them from that diktat, at least in terms of producing complex metal components. Today, rather than breaking a part or design into multiple pieces, each of which is machined

Efficiency Unleashed: The Advantages of Hydraulic Orbital Motors in Industrial Applications

September 4th, 2024

Manufacturing involves moving, shaping, and processing material. Most of this is done with motors, and in situations that need high torque, high force, and low speed, hydraulic orbital motors are often the best choice. This blog is for anyone who

Casting Innovation: The Crucial Role of Investment Casting in Aerospace Manufacturing

September 4th, 2024

Parts destined for aerospace applications must have good tensile and fatigue strength, yet be lightweight and corrosion resistant. These requirements drive part design and material choices, which go hand-in-hand with manufacturing process selection. For many aerospace parts, investment casting provides

Navigating the Skies: Precision Machining for Aircraft Engine Components

September 4th, 2024

Aerospace parts, especially those destined for use in aircraft engines, are some of the most challenging to machine. The combination of hard materials, high precision, and extensive metal removal, (for mass reduction), demands advanced machine tools and deep machining expertise.

Challenges and Solutions in Scaling Up Investment Casting Production

September 4th, 2024

Most products follow the same lifecycle: production begins with small quantities, ramping-up as demand grows, and finally settling into a gradual decline. Each stage needs careful management if quality, cost and delivery targets are to be met consistently. For parts

Quality Control in Precision Machining: Ensuring Perfection Every Time

September 4th, 2024

If you’re buying precision machined components, you don’t expect problems with assembly or function. Leaks, excessively high or low friction, and fit issues will all be expensive to deal with and could even result in warranty claims. The way to

Quality Control in Investment Casting: Ensuring Flawless Components

August 15th, 2024

Everyone wants to know the castings they receive from their foundry suppliers are correct, but quality is doubly important when the parts are going into high load, safety-critical applications. A particular challenge with castings is that defects can be hidden