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Brass Die-Casting Company to Take on Copper
Rheocast has been die casting brass for over 30 years and is one of only a handful of operations to do so. The company's client list includes General Motors, General Electric, Black and Decker, and Ingersol-Rand. They manufacture a wide array of products from architectural hardware to plumbing and electric motor components. “To this point in time, Rheocast has specialized exclusively in the art of die casting brass,” explains vice president of manufacturing, Mark Morton. “This is a new endeavor for us. The emerging interest in copper for motors coupled with new developments for preserving tooling under extreme heat conditions opens a new opportunity.”
According to Morton, Rheocast has been intensely interested in the copper motor rotor since learning of the project's successful efforts in extending tool life. When a member of his staff attended CDA's copper motor rotor demonstration meeting in January, he found a reason to explore further the die casting of copper: potential customers. “These companies are about the business of developing premium-efficiency electric motors,” Morton explained. “If the process can be perfected and made commercially and economically feasible, then I believe there will be a very real motivation for manufacturers, industrial consumers and private consumers to take advantage of this new technology.” In order to accommodate potential new clients, Rheocast will be making some adjustments to its current machinery. “Presently, we are equipped for working with brass. While this is similar, the higher melting temperatures and oxidation tendencies of copper will necessitate upscaling some equipment. We envision a dedicated cell for bringing copper projects into production,” Morton said. MORE >> |
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