Smith Foundry Wins "Casting of the Year" Award
With more than 80 years of experience providing innovative casting solutions, Smith Foundry earned top honors in the annual American Foundry Society (AFS) Casting Competition when it received the 2007 "Casting of the Year" award. Using austempered ductile iron (ADI), Smith Foundry designed the Rangeland Planter boot casting component for Minneapolis-based Truax Co.
Announced at the Metalcasting Congress held May 15 - 17, the AFS Casting Competition attracted a variety of metal applications and casting processes in recreation, military, construction, agriculture, marine and heating industries. The AFS is an international organization with approximately 10,000 members in 47 countries.
The award-winning conversion from steel weldment to iron casting not only helped Smith Foundry capture the "Casting of the Year" title, but also drive home the message that the company can achieve business-defining results for its customers.
As a builder of grass-seeding equipment, Truax traditionally used steel weldments for its most demanding projects. Used on agricultural planters, the boots had to be durable to weather extremely rugged surfaces and unforgiving climates. When it came time to evaluate the wear of steel and look for a longer-lasting material for cast boots, Truax partnered with Smith Foundry to design and deliver a high-strength iron casting to meet the challenge.
The solution was the Rangeland Planter Boot that is an ADI wear application. Because rugged terrain puts intense wear on seed boots, ADI was the ideal material choice to go head-to-head with sharp rocks and rough soil while meeting seed planting standards.
In the end, the seed boot casting achieved a 15 percent weight reduction over the steel weldment, 50 percent lead time reduction and 65 percent cost reduction. Smith Foundry's award-winning solution met Truax's short-term need for design and cost savings, and long-term need for seed boot longevity.
Rangeland Planter Boot Casting for Truax Co. Metal: austempered ductile iron (ADI) Process: horizontally parted green sand casting Weight: 20 lbs. Dimensions: 3 x 8 x 19 in. Application: distributes seeds during re-vegetation of arid sites
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