Casting Competition Winners
Casting of the Year
GS-Snipe 300HP V-6 Aluminum Block
BRP-US Inc. (Spruce Pine, North Carolina)
Material: Aluminum.
Process: Lost foam.
Weight: 83.3 lbs.
Dimensions: 20 x 15 x 20 in.
Application: Marine outboard engine.
Customer: Evinrude.
BRP-US Inc. (Spruce Pine, North Carolina)
Material: Aluminum.
Process: Lost foam.
Weight: 83.3 lbs.
Dimensions: 20 x 15 x 20 in.
Application: Marine outboard engine.
Customer: Evinrude.
Casting of the Year
Opener Main Body
Lethbridge Iron Works Co. Ltd. (Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada)
Material: Ductile iron ASTM A536 Grade 65-45-12.
Process: Green sand molded with nobake and shell cores.
Weight: 39 lbs.
Dimensions: 36 x 16 x 8 in.
Application: Main body for components on a
coulter seeding drill.
Converted from: 12-piece steel fabrication.
Lethbridge Iron Works Co. Ltd. (Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada)
Material: Ductile iron ASTM A536 Grade 65-45-12.
Process: Green sand molded with nobake and shell cores.
Weight: 39 lbs.
Dimensions: 36 x 16 x 8 in.
Application: Main body for components on a
coulter seeding drill.
Converted from: 12-piece steel fabrication.
Newcomer of the Year
Grapple arm
Wabi Iron and Steel Corp. (New Liskeard, Ontario, Canada)
Material: 8630 alloy steel
Process: Phenolic urethane nobake.
Weight: 204 lbs.
Dimensions: 45 x 18 in.
Application: Forestry. Grabs and holds trees in situ during the cutting of a tree base.
Customer: Quadco Inc.
Wabi Iron and Steel Corp. (New Liskeard, Ontario, Canada)
Material: 8630 alloy steel
Process: Phenolic urethane nobake.
Weight: 204 lbs.
Dimensions: 45 x 18 in.
Application: Forestry. Grabs and holds trees in situ during the cutting of a tree base.
Customer: Quadco Inc.
Best Casting Conversion
Rear suspension trailing arm
Waupaca Foundry Inc. (Waupaca, Wisconsin)
Material: Ductile iron.
Process: Green sand vertically-parted molding.
Weight: 25.69 lbs.
Dimensions: 21.5 x 8.5 in.
Application: Turf care. Used on a zero-turn
commercial lawn mower.
Customer: Bad Boy Mowers.
Waupaca Foundry Inc. (Waupaca, Wisconsin)
Material: Ductile iron.
Process: Green sand vertically-parted molding.
Weight: 25.69 lbs.
Dimensions: 21.5 x 8.5 in.
Application: Turf care. Used on a zero-turn
commercial lawn mower.
Customer: Bad Boy Mowers.
Best Prototype or Innovation
Duplex fuel nozzle
Aristo-Cast Inc. (Almont, Michigan)
Material: Stainless steel.
Process: Printed investment shell.
Weight: 115 grams.
Dimensions: 2.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 in.
Application: Aircraft jet engine and land-based turbines.
Customer: Internal design/proof of concept.
Aristo-Cast Inc. (Almont, Michigan)
Material: Stainless steel.
Process: Printed investment shell.
Weight: 115 grams.
Dimensions: 2.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 in.
Application: Aircraft jet engine and land-based turbines.
Customer: Internal design/proof of concept.
Achievement by a Small Foundry
Lift wrench
LA Aluminum Casting Co. (Hayden, Idaho)
Material: 356 aluminum T6.
Process: Semi-permanent mold.
Weight: 6.42 lbs.
Dimensions: 11.7 x 10.9 x 2.75 in.
Application: Oil and gas. Hammer union wrench and pipe-lifter.
Customer: Mountain Valley Supply.
LA Aluminum Casting Co. (Hayden, Idaho)
Material: 356 aluminum T6.
Process: Semi-permanent mold.
Weight: 6.42 lbs.
Dimensions: 11.7 x 10.9 x 2.75 in.
Application: Oil and gas. Hammer union wrench and pipe-lifter.
Customer: Mountain Valley Supply.
Outstanding Achievement: Trip Arm
Dotson Iron Casting (Mankato, Minnesota)
Material: Ductile iron 80-55-06.
Process: Horizontally-parted green sand.
Weight: 23 lbs.
Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 3 in.
Application: Agriculture. Used in tillage tools.
Customer: Summers Manufacturing.
Material: Ductile iron 80-55-06.
Process: Horizontally-parted green sand.
Weight: 23 lbs.
Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 3 in.
Application: Agriculture. Used in tillage tools.
Customer: Summers Manufacturing.
Outstanding Achievement: Snowmobile Front Bumper
Powercast Manufacturing Inc. (St.-Eustache, Quebec, Canada)
Material: A357 aluminum.
Process: Permanent mold.
Weight: 4 lbs.
Dimensions: 22 x 15 x 7 in.
Application: Outdoor recreation.
Front bumper for a snowmobile.
Customer: BRP (Ski-Doo).
Material: A357 aluminum.
Process: Permanent mold.
Weight: 4 lbs.
Dimensions: 22 x 15 x 7 in.
Application: Outdoor recreation.
Front bumper for a snowmobile.
Customer: BRP (Ski-Doo).
Outstanding Achievement: Pump Housing
O’Fallon Casting (O’Fallon, Missouri)
Material: C355-T6 aluminum.
Process: Investment.
Weight: 8.12 lbs.
Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.5 x 4 in.
Application: Aerospace. Pump housing for a commercial.
Material: C355-T6 aluminum.
Process: Investment.
Weight: 8.12 lbs.
Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.5 x 4 in.
Application: Aerospace. Pump housing for a commercial.
Outstanding Achievement: Magnesium Strut Tower Brace
Meridian Lightweight Technologies Inc. (Strathroy, Ontario, Canada)/Ford Motor Co. (Dearborn, Michigan)
Material: AE44 magnesium alloy.
Process: Cold chamber high-pressure die-casting.
Weight: 3.6kg.
Dimensions: 1075mm x 432mm x 137mm.
Application: Automotive. 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 strut tower brace.
Customer: Ford Motor Co.
Material: AE44 magnesium alloy.
Process: Cold chamber high-pressure die-casting.
Weight: 3.6kg.
Dimensions: 1075mm x 432mm x 137mm.
Application: Automotive. 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 strut tower brace.
Customer: Ford Motor Co.
This year’s annual AFS Casting Competition is a rare one. Two submitted castings tied for the top honor, and for very different reasons. The opener main body casting by Lethbridge Iron Works Co. (Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada) showcases the opportunities in converting from fabrication to casting, while the V6 engine block by BRP-US (Spruce Pine, North Carolina) exemplifies the ultra-complexity achievable with the lost foam casting process. Eight additional castings also have been honored for their exemplary work in achieving customer benefits and advancing the metalcasting industry.