MODERN CASTING Presents Complimentary Optimizing Automation for Finishing Iron and Steel Castings Webinar

MODERN CASTING Presents Complimentary Optimizing Automation for Finishing Iron and Steel Castings Webinar
MODERN CASTING magazine is sponsoring a 30-minute webinar focused on advancements in the cleaning and finishing of ferrous castings. Scheduled for June 24 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. EST, this webinar will be presented by Maus USA Inc., Virginia Beach, Va.

Iron and steel castings increasingly need to be finished and machined in a single set-up to reduce material handling requirements and associated cost factors.The presentation will focus on the developing trends in cleaning and finishing toward automated production systems that allow external grinding, internal grinding, machining operations, spheroidal measurement, part articulation and cycle control in a single work cell or other configuration in-plant.

To register for the 11 a.m. EST webinar, click here. To register for the 3 p.m. EST webinar, click here.

EPA Issues Final Air Emissions Rule for Aluminum, Copper and Other Nonferrous Metalcasting Area Sources
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final regulation to reduce hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) from aluminum, copper and other nonferrous metalcasting area sources. Area sources are those facilities that emit small amounts of HAPs. The final rule is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on June 25.

Throughout the rulemaking process, the AFS, in conjunction with the Non-ferrous Founders’ Society, Park Ridge. Ill., have worked closely with EPA officials and provided technical information regarding the operation of aluminum, copper and other nonferrous metalcasting facilities. Under the final rule, facilities that melt less than 600 tons of aluminum, copper and other nonferrous metal annually are not subject to the rule. All aluminum, copper and other nonferrous metalcasting area sources subject to the rule must implement management practices to reduce HAP emissions and prepare a written management plan. In addition, copper and other nonferrous facilities that 6,000 tons or more of copper and other nonferrous metal annually must also comply with a new emission limit for particulate matter.

Because aluminum, copper and other nonferrous metalcasting facilities are generally well controlled and have significantly reduced HAP emissions from 1990 levels, EPA does not anticipate any additional reductions of HAP emissions from the final rule. The rule is designed to continue the environmental progress already achieved by these facilities. A copy of the final rule and an EPA Fact Sheet is available on the AFS website at www.afsinc.org/2009nonferrousareasource.

For more information, contact Fred Kohloff, AFS director of environmental, health & safety, at 800/537-4237 x 230 or fhk@afsinc.org.

TRI Guidance Available for Iron and Steel Metalcasting Facilities
As the July 1 deadline for submitting Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reports approaches, AFS would like to remind members that some helpful tools are available on the AFS website. AFS Div. 10 has prepared a TRI Guidance for Iron and Steel Foundries that has been posted on the EHS page of the AFS website under the Toxic Release Inventory topic area. The guidance provides some practical advice on calculating reportable releases from iron and steel metalcasting facilities. In addition, a brief article that summarizes the features of the guidance also is available.

Facilities that have not previously submitted its annual TRI report electronically may want to consider this option as all facilities will be required to submit its TRI report electronically in early 2010. For more information regarding the TRI guidance tools, contact Jeff Hannapel at jhannapel@thepolicygroup.com.

OSHA Launches Regional Program to Reduce Lead Exposure in the Workplace
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) office in Kansas City announced a special regional emphasis program aimed at reducing occupational exposure to lead for workplaces under their jurisdiction in the Midwestern states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. This program will set targeted inspections in industries or workplaces where there is a potential for lead exposure, and also will cover complaints and referrals regarding lead exposure.

Lead is a potent, systemic poison that serves no known useful function once absorbed by the body. It is well-documented that lead adversely affects numerous body systems—including damage to blood-forming, nervous, urinary and reproductive systems— and causes forms of health impairment and disease that can arise from acute or chronic exposure.

For more information on the regional empahasis prgram, visit www.osha.gov/SLTC/lead.

Find Out Safety Success Stories, Environmental Strategies at Conference
The 2009 Environmental Health & Safety Conference will be held Aug. 16-19 at the Indianapolis Marriott East, Indianapolis.

Conference topics and speakers will include:

EHS Activities Are a Priority, Ted Schorn, Enkei America;
EHS Strategies in a Small Facility, Dwight Barnhard, Superior Aluminum Castings, George Doremus, Morrison Brothers Co., Adam Wylie, Metal Technologies Inc.;
Carbon Footprint Reduction in Metalcasting Facilities, Jeet Radio, McWane Inc., Jeff Loeffler, Kestrel Management Services Inc., Heather Klesch, Clow Water Systems Company;
What’s Hot, What’s New…What Could Impact Your Metalcasting Facility in 2009-10, Jim Schifo, AFS Div. 10 Chair, Jeet Radia, McWane Inc., Mark Remlinger, Matthews International Corp., Tom Slavin, Navistar, Inc.;
Sand Reuse in a Metalcasting Facility, Dan Oman, RMT Inc., Mike Lenahan, Resource Recovery Corp., Keith Chanon and Lee Hoffmann, United States Environmental Protection Agency.

The hotel for this conference is the Indianapolis Marriott East. Reservations can be made directly by calling 317/322-3716, and the hotel cut-off date is July 24. For more information, contact Fred Kohloff, AFS director of environmental, health & safety, at 800/537-4237 x 230 or fhk@afsinc.org.

Webinar to Discuss Ventilation System Maintenance
AFS will be producing a free webinar on ventilation system maintenance June 25 at 11 a.m. EST. The webinar is intended to define key skills relating to ventilation systems maintenance including:

establishing specific performance expectations for ventilation systems
selecting and monitoring ventilation parameters
troubleshooting of ventilation issues
evaluating shutdown conditions.

To register for this webinar, click here or contact Dave Krugman, AFS PR and marketing coordinator, at 800/537-4237 x286 or dkrugman@afsinc.org.

New Virtual Tour Available at MetalcastingDesign.com
Investment plant Aurora Casting and Engineering Inc. pours steel and aluminum castings primarily for aerospace customers. Join the editors for a guided tour of the plant's melting, molding and finishing areas.

CMI Hits the Road With In-Plant Training
Save money by bringing the training you need in-house. CMI can offer most of its regular courses as in-plant training, allowing you to train your employees locally, eliminating travel costs and reducing out-of-work time. AFS corporate members receive discounted pricing.

For more information, or to request a quote, contact Jennifer Head, CMI special projects and course coordinator, at 800/537-4237 x 244 or jhead@afsinc.org.

CMI Offers Chemically Bonded Molding & Coremaking Course
CMI will be offering a Chemically Bonded Molding & Coremaking course Aug. 18-20 at Hampton Inn & Suites Charlotte Airport, Charlotte, N.C. This course is specifically designed to examine:

sand and it's relationship to mold & coremaking;
oil sand mold and coremaking;
the shell process;
the nobake chemically bonded sand processes;
coldbox systems;
hotbox processes;
when and how to apply washes and coatings;
causes of chemical binder related casting defects.

For more information or to attend this course, contact AFS customer service at 800/537-4237, or click here to register.

Looking for more information on chemically bonded molding and coremaking? Click over to the AFS E-Store today for more information on this and other metalcasting related topics. While you're there, take advantage of the June publications sale, which includes a 25% discount on select titles on numerous safety, ferrous, nonferrous and finishing subjects, to name a few. To view all of the titles on sale, click here.