Poor material choice costs firms thousands

Incorrect material selection in castings and casting design that are not mould friendly could be costing OEM manufacturers an unnecessary amount of time and money, according to Majorfax, the UK-based sourcing specialist of machined and finished castings.

All too often, properties of the chosen material for the casting are overlooked at the design stage, leading to issues with life span and durability of the part, often resulting in premature failure or unnecessary extra material cost due to over specification at the design stage.

Taking the time at the earliest stage to choose the most durable material for the casting can bring many time and cost saving benefits in the future, once the casted component is in use. Majorfax says that this will achieve a longer lifespan of components without compromising quality.

“Majorfax is keen to raise awareness of this opportunity,” comments managing director, Steve Cooper. “It's not just the selection of the correct material for the component but also the choice of the correct method of manufacture. Both these elements can give cost savings and often a better overall product if chosen wisely.”

As a global sourcing specialist of machined and finished castings and often playing a tier one or tier two role in supply chains within the agricultural, construction and plant equipment sectors, Majorfax recognise that not all companies have the substantial castings knowledge in house to avoid incorrect material and manufacturing method selection.

To alleviate this problem, the Walsall-based firm positions itself as a provider of such expertise as standard, engaging with clients in the design stage before utilising their global network of foundries to source the required casting at the right price.

Without this approach, insufficient, weak materials, design flaws and impractical over or under engineered components could prolong leadtimes in addition to the costs of wasted parts.
Sourcing castings correctly is therefore of significant importance and the reason Majorfax is constantly looking to expand its choice of global foundries with the most suitable and cost-effective manufacturing methods available to suit customers' needs.

The Brazilian Foundry Association (ABIFA) recently invited Majorfax to a networking event, which allowed the company to explore the possibilities of Brazilian foundries. The firm met with twenty Brazilian foundries to expand their castings knowledge, looking into the various materials and processes available. The Brazilian foundries Majorfax were introduced to during the visit were all very competent foundries offering a wide range of materials and methods of manufacture.
Majorfax is currently looking into not only its initial casting prices but also the complete package of costs including logistics, duties and freight related expenditure. “Castings are often the most expensive feature of a component so it's important to get procurement decision right first time – not only to control the supply of the casting but ultimately the finished component,” Mr Cooper concludes.

“Majorfax has been supplying castings for over 30 years and we have a wealth of experience and knowledge that can save customers not only precious time, but unnecessary costs during design, pre-production and bulk supply.”

Majorfax
www.majorfax.co.uk