Customer Report
Customer:
Ross Casting & Innovation, LLC
402 South Kuther Road
Sidney, OH 45365
Contact:
Mike Eakins
Quality Engineer
(937) 497-4500 ext. 2235
meakins@reiwheels.com
Foundry Operation
Ross Casting and Innovation, LLC (RCI) is a Revere Ind. company headquartered in Sidney, Ohio. RCI has been supplying quality aluminum castings for more than 75 years to a wide range of customers in the industrial, automotive, aerospace, and military markets. Currently, RCI is a leader in production of cold-side turbocharger wheels serving a global market.
Their production method used for the cold-side wheels consists of a unique, proprietary process involving ceramic molding aided by a vacuum assist. The process was developed by the RCI R&D Team, and is a very successful casting method which will produce castings with section thicknesses that are equal to and below 0.035″ wall thickness
Process Control
Hydrogen levels and melt temperature are considered to be two of the most important melting variables in their process control plan. Every casting has a targeted specific gravity level and pouring temperature, which are controlled by a combination of rotary degassing with nitrogen and precise monitoring of the pouring process.
Equipment Used
The turbocharger wheels are cast primarily in a A356 alloy, which is melted in crucible furnaces that are capable of very precise control of temperature. The release of every melt for pouring is based upon an assessment of the sample density of reduced pressure samples taken with a TRP (True Reduced Pressure) Vacuum Tester and the use of a QCD-1 Porosity Measurement System. Process control limits are established based upon casting section thickness and customer requirements.
User Comments
RCI is well pleased with the performance of both the TRP Tester and the QCD-1 Balance System. Prior to the use of this combination of melt control tools, previous vacuum testing equipment did not offer the reliability, and customer acceptance of individual casting lots was based upon destructive testing of a sample turbine wheel to assure that internal porosity levels were met. After rigorous testing and comparisons of internal porosity of the castings and the relationship with TRP/QCD-1 in-process measurements, the destructive testing has been largely eliminated with customer approval. Large savings in both labor and scrap costs have been achieved. Four TRP units are currently in use at the production melting furnaces, with the final QCD-1 verification of TRP sample being performed in the Laboratory.