Is it possible to get a casting correct on the first attempt? AFS Corporate Member Morris Bean & Company (MBC) an aluminum foundry in Yellow Springs, Ohio, proved it can be done. 

Many foundries rely on simulation software to predict issues, prevent defects, and optimize the design process before the casting is actually produced. When defects are present, adjustments are made, simulations are run, the casting is reproduced, and this cycle continues until a suitable casting that meets the customer’s criteria is created. But what if the work is done so well upfront that the casting comes out exactly as desired? 

As a small company that specializes in highly-engineered, low-volume castings, MBC focuses on quality and innovation. They leverage the MAGMASOFT modeling system to their advantage, increasing productivity and high-quality results for both long-term and new customers. Vital as simulation is for many castings, their skills would be put to the test with an unprecedented task. 
Founded in 1946, MBC was in its 77th year of operation when they received word that something big was on the horizon––very big. 

When the foundry was approached by a U.S.-based gas turbine manufacturer to cast a large inlet, they were prepared for the challenge. Facing the largest turbine design request they had ever received, MBC knew this job was going to be different from anything they had produced before. 

Weight Problems

The enormous 73-in x 30-in. ground turbine air inlet casting––with a 2,200-lb. net weight and nearly a 4,000-lb. pour weight––had very strict requirements that very few aluminum foundries can achieve, according to MBC Plant Manager Brandon Myers. Its size alone presented special challenges, but the project also had numerous different requirements for airflow and also required small, leak-free oil passages. 

The customer, unnamed for proprietary reasons, said they weren’t even aware that a foundry with these capabilities existed––their search wasn’t turning up results until at last they discovered MBC. Once the foundry was approached, its team assessed the problems and began the quest to find potential solutions.

“The weight of the [end-use] machine was a restriction for the San Diego port cranes, so they needed to find ways to reduce weight on this part,” said Myers. “Being the size that it is, converting to an aluminum part was going to be of significant value to them.”  

The air inlet, which is a gas turbine’s main air intake and front bearing support, was previously cast in a ferrous alloy, Myers said. But casting in A356 would yield a 2,286-lb. part, a 60% weight reduction compared to the ferrous alternative that would weigh approximately 6,000 lbs. Changing the alloy proved to be huge solution for the inlet’s weight problem. 

“After further discussion, it really became clear that Morris had what the customer needed to support the total package,” Myers said. “From initial simulation, we demonstrated all our in-house processes and capabilities could support this project for them. We are able to meet not only the demand for a development type of casting but their future demand for production as well.”

When the casting was completed, the foundry constructed a custom pallet to move and ship the casting to ensure safe delivery.

Pouring and Solidification

Weight wasn’t the only challenge. The foundry would also be confronted with solidification issues in this large casting. 
“We had to get a little bit creative with the pour of the casting,” Myers said. “We had to make sure that the metal was at the right temperatures for proper filling and solidification to get the properties we needed,” said Myers. 

The project involved thin walls and heavy sections in addition to its pressure-tight oil passageways. The customer also specified stiff quality testing requirements such as an x-ray, hydrostatic pressure testing, penetrant inspection, and 3D scanning. 

Myers said the foundry used a variety of processes, such as nobake sand, shell core sand, and multiple coatings in various areas to achieve both the required surface finish and quality the customer demanded. 

“Without the one unique process we came up with to develop this casting, as well as using multiple other processes for various areas, we would not have been able to develop this casting successfully,” said Myers. 

In Expert Hands

Myers said the MBC engineering manager behind the project, Chris Hastings, is Level 3 certified, MAGMASOFT’s highest level of certification–– and in fact the unique casting became his certification project. 

Hastings ran several months’ worth of simulations to accurately predict and analyze the casting outcome. While simulations reduce the likelihood of defects and improve the design through optimization, it is nevertheless rare for castings to be perfectly designed on the first attempt. To the customer’s surprise, however, that’s precisely what MBC accomplished.

Working hand-in-hand with the customer from start to finish was key to the outcome. MBC provided regular progress updates and communicated schedules to keep them well-informed about each stage, including when it was ready for machining. 

Onsite inspections of the first casting and transparent discussions helped the team navigate through many challenges and arrive at the highest quality product. Close communication allowed MBC to remain on schedule with the predicted outcome, a total of two years in the making.

“We were able to work with the customer and got really good information, which helped set us up for success,” Myers said. “Not only were we able to make this very complex and large part, we were able to deliver a good usable part to our customer with the first casting, which is very uncommon in the industry.”

Ready for More

As for future castings, Myers noted that MBC is working on other challenging projects since its successful delivery of the inlet, and they are now looking to grow by taking on more unique and innovative casting opportunities. 

“I truly enjoy and look forward to growing in this industry and learning more of the different processes to help us stay on the cutting edge of innovation––and find new challenges,” said Myers. 

He says he understands the need to adopt new processes and technologies to meet future industry demands. While the inlet casting did not require 3D printing throughout its design, some components were 3D printed.

“I think there are a lot of cutting-edge technologies that all foundries should be looking to adopt,” he added. “Even if it’s dipping their toe in the water by purchasing 3D printed cores or a small desktop 3D printer.”

As they swiftly take on new challenges, MBC recognizes its potential and looks to expand. “We have a very broad range of what we can do, from under 1-lb. castings to 4,000-lb. pour-weight castings,” said Myers. 

Having successful outcomes like this under their belt provides inspiration to both the company’s experienced foundry workers and its new employees, according to Myers, who has been MBC’s plant manager for nearly three years. With over seven years of experience in the foundry industry, he has witnessed a range of applications for castings that has further contributed to his engagement in the field.

“The foundry is so wide-reaching with broad capabilities–– from something very simple to castings that are out in space,” he said. “I am so happy to be able to work somewhere with these kinds of challenges and to do something that very few people in the world can do. “I am truly passionate about this industry. I think it’s one of the coolest things that you can do on the planet.” 

MBC quickly recognized that the ground turbine air inlet casting would be a unique and complex project, making it a strong contender in the AFS/Casting Source Casting of the Year competition. In 2023, the company received the “Achievement by a Small Business” accolades. 

“From even the initial phases, we knew this was going to be something special. We knew that this was going to be a unique challenge and something we wanted to share with the industry,” said Myers.