Andrew G. Sparber is a psychologist and part-time historian who has written nine books about the historical development of western Maryland. His latest book, titled “Full Steam Ahead: Allegany County, Maryland’s Industrial Revolution,” published in late 2023, will be of interest not only to local residents, but also to those with an interest in the history of America’s metal foundries.
Articles: Industry News
AFS Corporate Member Hodge Foundry in Greenville, Pennsylvania, poured its largest ever casting on November 3, a 240,000-lb. ductile iron part that was poured with 260,000 lbs. of molten metal. Shipped on December 17, it is the first of a family of related, oversized castings to be produced for the same customer.
The World Foundry Organization (WFO) has announced that the World Foundry Congress will be held in Deyang City, China, October 25-30. The WFO is an international association of metalcasting societies. AFS is the sole WFO representative for the U.S.
This is the third time China will host the event––it previously hosted the event in 1995 and 2010. This year’s theme is “Developing Foundry.”
November 2023 marked the launch of three innovative projects spearheaded by the American Foundry Society as part of the American Metalcasting Consortium’s Emergent MetalCasting Solutions (EMCS) Program. These initiatives showcase AFS's commitment to advancing the metalcasting industry through collaborative research and development.
Do you know a young metalcaster in the making? The Casting Dreams Competition created by SFSA is for them.
Young people ages 14–18 are invited to submit their "dream castings" for this exciting contest. Castings will be showcased at AFS’s Metalcasting Congress 2024 in Milwaukee, with national recognition and a $300 award going to the grand prize winner.
12.21.23: Investment Firm Acquires Waupaca Foundry
Proterial, parent company of AFS Corporate Member Waupaca Foundry Inc., has signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by Monomoy Capital Partners, a private investment firm based in New York City. Financial terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.
Waupaca Foundry will continue to operate under its current management team, led by President, CEO, and COO Michael Nikolai.
The C.A. Lawton Co., a leader in the iron foundry industry, has announced its 10-year anniversary with the Green Tier program in Wisconsin. The program empowers organizations on the path to sustainability by helping them use a systematic approach to minimize environmental risk.
Lawton became the first Green Tier participant to receive coverage under the exclusive Green Tier Registration Permit, providing the company with added agility to modify operations in response to changes in customer demand.
12.20.23: MxD launches Cyber Playbook
MxD launched the Cyber Playbook: Ensuring Cybersecurity in Additive Manufacturing, the second playbook in its cyber series. It addresses unique considerations for Department of Defense Risk Management Framework compliance in the deployment of additive manufacturing devices, or 3D printers.
UK-based Texmo Precision Castings has announced it will acquire a majority share of German company Feinguss Blank.
Following the acquisition, the company will trade as Texmo Blank: the only investment castings specialist capable of manufacturing in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Texmo Blank combines the history and manufacturing excellence of Feinguss Blank, with Texmo Precision Castings’ like-minded focus on quality precision casting, as well as its customer base and infrastructure.
Foundry Lab announced its collaboration with global power management company Eaton. Harnessing the speed of microwave and additive manufacturing, Foundry Lab was able to cast parts for Eaton in weeks, not months.
Eaton leveraged the Digital Metal Casting System to cast aluminum parts that include stainless steel pins, a technological advancement that is not possible with traditional 3D printing, placing Foundry Lab’s technology at the forefront of innovation.