10 Things to Consider When Buying raw casting manufacturer

Narrow down the search for a new foundry with these basic questions.

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Supply chain managers can find the names of casting suppliers from a variety of sources: supplier directories (see box on this page), advertising and marketing material, web searches, magazine articles, and recommendations from other buyers and engineering staff.

To gain the most reliable information about a casting source, it is worth taking an active role in seeking out specific information to match available foundry capacity with your sourcing needs. A few examples of the types of questions to ask potential foundries are listed in this article. The answers should be considered with care because they will reduce the scope of error and provide guidelines for future purchasing policy.

1. Which grades of metals are poured and what is the average tonnage output for each grade?
Obviously, you will want to know whether the casting supplier pours the type of metal you want for your part. But knowing the full picture of a foundry’s alloy options and melting operations will help paint a picture of how the foundry can serve your needs. Does it pour the grade of metal you need, but it only makes up a quarter of its total average output? That might factor into your lead time, because it is likely the foundry will wait to pour that grade until it has enough orders on the schedule to make it operationally efficient.

Perhaps you have a variety of parts to be cast in various grades. Opting for a foundry that can handle the multiple grades of metals will be advantageous.

2. Which molding processes and coremaking processes are offered?
If it is intended to buy heavily cored castings, look for the supplier that produces this type of casting. Forward-looking foundries are willing to provide advice on casting design, choice of material, and even foundry process. Mutual trust is needed to ensure the foundry is using complete objectivity in the advice, and in return, the foundry may wish to have the opportunity of recovering the cost of this service in the volume of sales. However, most foundries understand they do well by only accepting orders which fit their production profitably and will advise if a part is better suited in another process, material or design.

3. Which flask sizes are available and what is the casting weight range?
Flask size can affect the price and quality of castings. If possible, when designing castings, keep in mind the flask size to maximize the number of patterns on a plate. This will be a significant step in the process of cost reduction. When a new pattern is developed with a casting supplier, the pattern will fit a specific flask size. If you move the tooling to another foundry in the future, it must also be able to accommodate that flask size.

4. How many quality control personnel are on staff, and what is that in terms of percentage of total production staff?
Attitudes on quality can be assessed from the percentage of total production and quality control personnel directly involved in the quality control program. The buyer should recognize that a foundry’s strong emphasis on quality control indicates they are probably producing very high-grade castings. Its price structure will reflect this no matter whether castings of exceptionally high standards are required.

5. Which value-added capabilities does the foundry offer?
A number of North American foundries offer additional services beyond supplying a raw casting, including prototyping and machining. Consideration to the purchase of machined complete castings should be given when the material has unusual properties requiring specialized machining techniques, castings have to be subjected to testing and cleaning using specialized equipment, there is insufficient machining capacity at the customer’s facility, or the transportation costs of raw castings are prohibitive.

6. What is the foundry’s preferred casting size, quantity, and grade of metal?
Perhaps the most important point, when all other conditions have been satisfied, is to look at the foundry’s pattern of production. Is it high volume, small castings, or jobbing?

Each foundry has an optimal zone of production, and parts that fit this zone will be produced most cost effectively and expediently at that facility.

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7. What are the foundry’s future plans for development?
A foundry with plans for expansion, equipment upgrades, or other business improvements is likely a healthy foundry that could grow and adapt with your business. However, in the short-term, certain development plans can affect delivery times.

A frank discussion with the foundry about its construction plans as well as your best estimated order projections will help avoid costly delays.    

This article is based on a chapter from the Casting Buyer’s Guide, published by the American Foundry Society.

Investment casting is also known as precision casting. This is a lost wax metal forming process that generally involves using a wax pattern surrounded by a ceramic shell to form a ceramic mold. Useful for complex designs and intricate shapes, precision casting produces net shape parts that have an excellent surface finish and a high degree of dimensional accuracy.

When a company has a need for a precision casting product, it will submit an RFQ to various potential suppliers to obtain a written confirmation of estimated costs and timeframes. This article looks at what you need to know before submitting an RFQ for precision casting products.

What is an RFQ?

A Request for Quotation, or RFQ, is submitted when a company is in need of a partner to provide precision casting products. The requesting company has a good handle on the design specifications, and usually knows its design and budget parameters.

The RFQ spells out exactly what will be required. It asks any potential vendors to present a written cost quotation. The requesting company may send RFQs to several investment casting manufacturers, so that it can compare the cost, and lead time.

An RFQ is typically sent when a company knows exactly what it needs, and just wants to compare buying options. This process is usually also used if there will be a need for prototype sample parts.

5 Things to Know Before Submitting an RFQ for Precision Casting Products

Submitting an RFQ is an important way of transmitting information to potential vendors about your specific precision casting needs. It should explain exactly what is required, and document any unique needs. The goal is to provide clarity, which will prevent any potential misunderstandings. An RFQ will generally include:

• Part prints and specifications (raw casting and after-machining drawings and most importantly, to the latest engineering revision levels)
• Unique requirements (special processes such as heat treatment, surface treatment, specific types of testing requirements)
• Estimated annual purchase volumes
• Submission deadline
• Special certification requirements

When completed correctly, the RFQ process can serve to help manufacturers present their most complete cost quotation. Here are five things to know before submitting an RFQ for precision casting products:

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1. How will the component be used? It is important for the precision casting manufacturer to be able to understand exactly how the end component will be used. Some components have less strict requirements than others, which could make them more cost-effective to produce. Components that will be used in safety-critical functions, on the other hand, will have much more rigorous requirements. Specify what kind of environment the part will be used in. If a component will be exposed to extreme temperatures, marine environments, or harsh weather, your precision casting manufacturer will need to take that information into consideration when presenting its cost quotation.
2. How much flexibility is there in your specifications? Know exactly how flexible you can be in your surface and tolerance specifications. Producing something exactly to spec can require a higher time investment from the manufacturer, thereby requiring a higher cost quotation. If there is some flexibility in your specifications, you may be able to benefit from lower pricing.
3. What type of metal is really required? Sometimes, a lower-cost alloy might serve the purpose just as well.
4. What is required after casting? Think about what heat treatment, machining, surface treatment, or testing processes need to be employed after casting to bring the component to a desirable state. All of these may add to your cost factor.
5. What do you really need? Be real in what you are asking in your quote. Don’t suggest a high quantity to get a lower per-unit cost, and then try to negotiate based on that price. Let the manufacturer know your exact deadline – don’t ask for a long timeframe if you really need the pieces delivered by a specific date.

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