Saving Soil by Lightweighting With ADI
Aluminum is not the only material choice when it comes to lightweighting. In many cases, austempered ductile iron (ADI) can reduce weight versus a steel weldment due to the material’s excellent combination of strength, ductility, toughness, and endurance to fatigue. In the case of a spindle casting for a steering and suspension system used in the agricultural market, converting from a steel weldment to an ADI casting produced by AFS Corporate Member Craft Pattern & Mold allowed the customer to redesign the component as a smaller yet stronger part. Reducing weight is critical in the ag industry to help avoid soil compaction. The ADI casting has reduced the cost of manufacture over the steel weldment.
