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Productivity and quality are keys to the success of any continuous flow production philosophy. However, vacuum impregnation systems have remained antiquated, which causes production and quality issues in modern manufacturing environments. Hence their absence from most continuous flow production plans.

Such is the case of a vertically integrated automotive OEM. This company had an outdated vacuum impregnation system that did not meet their continuous flow strategy. The division that operates the vacuum impregnation system pours the metal, machines, and assembles components to produce finished engines.

In some die casting applications, components must also be pressure-tight to hold pressurized fluid or gases. Companies use vacuum impregnation to meet these requirements by sealing the internal leak paths without impacting any other features of the casting. A commonly asked question is in addition to leak paths, can vacuum impregnation seal cracks?

We look forward to seeing you while you visit Cleveland during NADCA's Die Casting Congress & Tabletop.  We’re home to a number of distinguished attractions and award-winning eateries. If you are looking for things to do in your free time during the show, below is a list of some of our favorites.

As manufacturing equipment ages, the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) decreases. A company that fails to invest in equipment, will not be able to meet demand or produce a quality product, thus potentially losing its competitive edge. Companies who want to succeed in this landscape are identifying equipment investment opportunities to keep production moving and while producing a quality product.

The HVLV vacuum impregnation system allows OEMs, contract manufacturers, die casters and foundries to have the benefits of vacuum impregnation in a simple, easy to use machine. In this video, John Halladay (aka Johnny Impreg) will show you some of his favorite features on how the system efficiently and effectively seals porosity while eliminating the costs and risk of outsourcing.

The goal of a foundry is to produce high quality die castings that meet or exceed the customer’s specifications at a competitive cost.  In some die casting cases, those specifications require that the part must hold pressurized fluid or gasses. Companies use vacuum impregnation when the part must hold fluids or gasses under pressure. A common question asked about vacuum impregnation is “When Should I Impregnate a Casting?” This video addresses this question by answering if vacuum impregnation should be done before or after machining and finishing. 

Powder coat, paint, chromate conversion, or anodizing, are common finishes applied to die cast parts to improve their performance or appearance.  In some die casting applications, components must also be pressure tight to hold pressurized fluid or gases. Companies use vacuum impregnation to meet these requirements by sealing the internal leak paths without impacting any other features of the casting.

A common question asked about vacuum impregnation is “Should vacuum impregnation be done before or after finishing?”

The casting industry is in a transitional period adjusting to new trends and products. Manufacturers require flexibility in their equipment to account for shorter program life cycles while still being able to be competitive. In many instances this requires assets to be spread across multiple programs. It is a landscape that rewards companies who identify opportunities to adapt to the changing circumstances. One example is a case where vacuum impregnation requirements unexpectedly and suddenly increased in one manufacturer's location while another of its locations had underutilized impregnation capacity.  

Manufacturing activities are being shaped to an increasing degree by the demands of consumer taste. Consumer’s expectations of quality and performance define product design, which further determines the requirements of the supply chain.  This is a landscape that rewards suppliers who identify opportunities to adapt to the changing circumstances. One example is a vacuum impregnation service center that seals a variety of aluminum die castings for various automotive and industrial OEMs, Tier 1, and 2 suppliers.

As manufacturing equipment ages, the maintenance and repair (MRO) of the equipment increases while the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) decreases. Given this, companies must decide while bidding on new projects:  “Use the aged equipment and invest in MRO while accepting a lower OEE” or “Invest in new equipment using the latest technology and generate a higher OEE.”