Since 1960, General Kinematics has become recognized in the foundry industry as innovators, collaborators, and experts in foundry equipment and processes. But what truly makes our equipment “Foundry-Rated”?
To answer this question, we need to take a step back and look at the metal casting process itself. What type of environment do these machines have to work in? It doesn’t take 60 years in the field to know the answer is an astounding “hot” and “dusty”. It’s easy to look past these conditions when it’s your normal work environment but if you really think about it, how would you expect a car or a computer to work in these environments? Most likely within a few minutes to an hour, they would overheat. And if the heat doesn’t get to them, the dust will cause overheating or damage to the motor and other working parts.
The conditions that the equipment will need to overcome is the basic issue that (hopefully) all of us in the foundry equipment industry have conquered long ago. The true challenge in the field is what the equipment will go through while is it sitting in that hot, dust-filled room. We hate to admit it but equipment is not always treated well in the foundry. We advocate preventive maintenance and operating at capacity, but let’s face it, we’ve all seen conveyors overloaded with hot castings chugging along while more and more work is dumped on them. Or vertical shakeouts that have 800-pound flasks being dropped onto them from a few feet in the air over and over again.
The truth is, equipment is not always treated correctly. To build equipment that is only able to handle the basic heat and dust of the foundry is to build equipment that is not rated for the foundry. Of course, we would still like to see the equipment maintained and used correctly. However, we know that our equipment is also built to withstand these extenuating circumstances, to handle those hot and heavy castings, and constant abuse; while providing the best functionality in the industry.
“Foundry-Rated” is not just a term for the durability of GK equipment however: it also means improved safety. Foundrymen are always working to make the foundry a safer place to work as well as to meet OSHA standards like the silica standard. We know that heat, dust, and sound are the big three when it comes to health risks in the foundry and here at GK, we have made great strides working with our customers in an effort to remove these dangers from the workers. Fully enclosed equipment, noise canceling troughs, easy-install liners, and Flat-Stroke Conveyors are just a few safety features GK has implemented, protecting millions of workers in foundries around the world daily.
Next time you find yourself kicking the tires on equipment for your foundry don’t forget to ask yourself “is this equipment going to create a safer environment for my workers?” “Will this equipment last decades through the heat, dust, and constant abuse of the environment?” “Is this unit going to be a dependable workhorse to help automate my process?” If you are uncertain about the answer to any of these questions look for the GK nameplate to be certain that your purchase will be “Foundry-Rated™”.
We make our equipment run non-stop so you don’t have to. Check out why leaders in the industry rely on GK for their critical production processes:
