News

Common Defects in Foundry Castings

With a 24-48 Hour Time to Quote 

At Calhoun Foundry, we understand the critical role that precise delivery times play in your manufacturing processes. With our commitment to efficiency, we will ensure that your operations stay on schedule, allowing you to focus on what you do best.  

Fast, Efficient, Always On-Time  
Experience a partnership where speed meets excellence at a high 96% on-time delivery. We'll ensure your projects are completed swiftly while always keeping your operations running smoothly. 

Exceptional Quality 
Quality control at Calhoun Foundry is just the beginning of crafting high-quality castings. We’re now achieving an impressive rate of just 4 defects per million (PPM). 

24-48 Hour Time to Quote Time 
We realize that time is of the essence and that quick decision-making is crucial for your business success. We have streamlined our quoting process, reducing the time it takes to quote to a project to just 24-48 hours. 

Partner with Calhoun Foundry today and experience the reliability that your business deserves. 

Common Defects in Foundry Castings

At Calhoun Foundry, our mission is to deliver high-quality highly cored, intricate castings for automotive and O.E.M. A key issue faced by foundry operators across the world is casting defects. From mold material mishaps to shrinkage defects, Calhoun Foundry recognizes the meticulous precision required to pour perfection into every project. Here are the most common casting defects encountered in metal casting and how to avoid them. 

  1. Gas Porosity  

Causes: 
When molten metal solidifies, it tends to trap air within its structure, leading to potential gas porosity defects as the metal cools down and releases the trapped gas. 
 
Prevention:  
Preventing Gas Porosity defects involves creating a less humid casting environment. This necessitates the exclusion of excessive moisture by employing dry, permeable sand exclusively. Also, maintaining molds and cores meticulously, ensuring they remain moisture-free is critical. 

  1. Shrinkage 

Causes:  
Shrinkage defects occur because metal contracts as it cools down after casting. If this process isn’t managed properly, you get a misshapen or weakened product. Poor mold design or incorrect pouring temperature can lead to these issues.  

Prevention:  
The prevention of metal shrinkage defects is centered around strict temperature control. Foundry temperatures must be carefully regulated to ensure even thermal conditions at all points in mold filling, cooling, and finishing. 

  1. Mold Material Defects 

Causes: 
Mold material defects in castings can arise from factors such as improper mold preparation, inadequate ventilation leading to gas entrapment, or the presence of impurities in the mold material 

Prevention: 

Ensuring defect-free castings requires meticulous mold design and preparation, employing proper ventilation and superior mold materials. It's crucial to maintain strict control over casting parameters. Mold maintenance might be required. 

Investing for the Future

Providing The Best Customer Care For Our Clients

In today's rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape, companies are increasingly prioritizing efficiency, sustainability, and employee well-being. Calhoun Foundry has recently implemented a series of groundbreaking improvements to its facilities to better suit our customers and employees. We’re always striving for continuous improvement that impacts every aspect of our foundry. Here are several initiatives through which we are enhancing our support for both employees and customers. 

  1. Cutting-Edge Furnace Power Supply 
    Installing a brand-new furnace power supply has is resulting in a remarkable 6% reduction in electricity consumption by optimizing energy usage without compromising performance. 

  2. Enhanced Cooling Systems 
    We have increased melt capacity by an impressive 12%. By effectively managing heat dissipation, these prolong equipment lifespan, reducing downtime and maintenance costs. 

  3. Improved Cooling Infrastructure 
    Investing in a new BAC cooling water tower in our melt department has increased reliability and prioritized safety, promising uninterrupted operations. 

  4. Sustainable Lighting Solutions 
    In a bid to create a more conducive work environment, we have transitioned to energy-efficient LED lighting across all our offices. This upgrade enhances visibility and productivity but also reduces electricity consumption by an impressive 8%. 

  5. Eco-Friendly Heating Solutions 
    We’ve implemented new highly efficient 400,000 BTU natural gas plant heating furnaces. These eco-friendly furnaces not only lower carbon emissions but also decrease gas consumption by 5%. 

  6. Advanced Sand Quality Control 
    To ensure consistent product quality and reliability, Calhoun Foundry has deployed an infrared real-time moisture analysis unit on its automated sand controller. Allowing for precise adjustments and optimization of sand quality. 

Our customers are at the heart of everything we do at Calhoun. These improvements mean we can offer more reliable services while providing the best customer experience for decades. The enhanced reliability from power supply coolers, combined with a 12% increase in melt capacity, ensures we meet our customers' needs more effectively and faster than ever. We provide superior quality and service, driven by the trust and satisfaction of our valued customers. 
 
Calhoun Foundry has been pouring high-quality castings since 1943. Let’s discuss your next project

Casting Excellence is Just Part of What We Do

Calhoun Foundry does more than Grey and Ductile iron casting. We prioritize great customer service while meeting diverse customer needs. Our rigorous quality checks ensure every product meets the Calhoun standard, ensuring reliability and durability.  
 
We maintain an unwavering dedication to quality, evident through our ISO 9001 certification. Quality is a priority from the start, with prototyping and 3D services to mitigate defects before the casting. We offer many other value-added services for your project: 

  • X-ray Casting Inspection

  • Painting

  • Plating 

  • Prototyping 

  • Machining 

  • Rust Prevention 

  • 3D Scanning Capabilities

  • CMM Measuring 

  • Heat Treatment

  • Special Packaging

  • 3D Printing

We know how difficult it is to find a provider that can do it all, but Calhoun Foundry consolidates all services into one. Look no further than Calhoun Foundry to produce quality castings, provide on-time delivery, and supply unparalleled service for your next project. 

Calhoun Foundry
Award Winning Clean Energy

We’re thrilled to share that we have been honored with the "Business Clean Energy Program" award by Consumers Energy! 

We recently successfully completed their Business Clean Energy Program and, as a result, earned this award. This recognition underscores our unwavering commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency in Michigan's business community. We extend our thank you to Consumers Energy for recognizing our efforts and for their dedication to promoting sustainable practices across the state. 

For more information, visit the link below.

Quality Castings
On-time and Unparalleled Service

Since 1943, Calhoun Foundry Company has strived to produce quality castings for its customers. Using our automated greensand molding machines, Calhoun Foundry Company produces castings for various industries including automotive, agriculture, refrigeration, railroad, off-road, and casters.

From product to service, our family owned and operated foundry has an unmatched commitment to integrity and industry leadership. We've combined modern technology and over half a century of craftsmanship and experience. Our company places a strong emphasis on ensuring the highest standards of top-quality production for grey and ductile iron, employing rigorous quality control measures and cutting-edge technologies throughout the manufacturing process to guarantee excellence in both materials.

The Calhoun Foundry Advantage:

  • We welcome the most intricate design projects

  • 2 high-capacity furnaces for high-volume casting production (reaching 100,000 castings/year)

  • Servicing all industrial markets for any scale of casting projects

  • Delivering high quality gray and ductile castings to OEMs nationwide.

  • Metal quality is checked by our in-house metallurgist, while being ISO 9001 certified

We are committed to delivering high-quality products and exceptional service to exceed your requirements.