O’Fallon Casting, a nonferrous investment casting operation in O’Fallon, MO, started construction this month for a 25,000-sq.ft. expansion that will establish a 75,000-sq.ft. operation within 16 months. The foundry indicated its intent to schedule the expansion project around its current work schedule, noting it will maintain its on-time delivery schedule.
Established in 2003, O’Fallon produces investment castings for commercial, military, and aerospace manufacturing in aluminum, brass, bronze and aluminum/silicon-carbide metal matrix composite (MMC.) The company is a perennial honoree for its accomplishments with castings that achieve weight savings, part consolidation, and other improvements in component and process designs.
The primary objective for the expansion project is to streamline production flow and modernize the casting cleanup and pre-inspection areas. Also, the plant will be outfitted with a new solution annealing oven that will nearly double its current heat-treating capacity for finished castings.
A conveyor system will be installed to move cast shells directly from the foundry to the casting cleanup area, reducing handling (and the possibility of handling damage.) Automatic “water-wash” machines will be installed to remove most of the ceramic shell from castings in a single pass.
Also, new downdraft tables and a new dust collection system will be installed in the casting pre-inspection area.
“With this new floor space and equipment, O'Fallon Casting will be able to streamline it's product flow and gain capacity through efficiency gains,” according to the company’s announcement. It did not indicate the suppliers chosen for the new equipment, and the amount of capital investment was not reported.
In addition to the production process investments, O’Fallon Casting plans to expand its warehouse space and install a new lunchroom, locker rooms for employees, and restrooms.