Foundry Improves Efficiency, Saves $18,000 Yearly with Heavyweight Casters

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By Kurtis Myers Technical Sales

Posted on: May 29, 2024

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Case Study: Foundry Improves Efficiency with Robust Casters

Takeaway: Focusing on long-term value over upfront cost significantly improved operational efficiency and saved money within a year.

Situation:

A leading supplier of prototype and short-run production castings faced a recurring problem with the casters on their carts being moved by a skid steer loader. Due to the harsh, sandy, and dusty environment, sand was getting into the bearings which was making the casters harder to turn. In addition, the constant abuse the casters were experiencing when the skid steerer would move the carts around was causing the current casters to fail every 2-3 months.

• Frequent downtime for replacements (4 times per year)
• Increased maintenance costs
• Potential production delays

Solution:

Solutions specialist Kurtis Myers visited the foundry and analyzed their facility and operation. He recommended switching to a caster designed for difficult industrial applications where shock loading is common: Caster Concepts’ 81 series kingpinless casters.

These casters offered several advantages:

• Larger swivel section with a single ball race design: This provided higher strength to the swivel section and is used in abusive applications.
• Mechanical shield: This protected the swivel section from dust and sand contamination, a major cause of failure for the previous casters.
• Durability: The 81 series casters were designed to last significantly longer (over a year) under demanding industrial conditions.

Results:

• Reduced downtime: By switching to the 81 series casters, the foundry only needed to replace their casters once a year, resulting in a 75% reduction in downtime for caster replacements.
• Cost savings: Although the initial cost per caster doubled, the overall spending on casters decreased by half due to the extended lifespan and only having to purchase the casters once a year compared to 4 times a year.
  • Old Casters $200 each.  50 bought each quarter. 200x$200= $40,000
  • New Casters $450 each. 50 casters bought annually.  $450×50 = $22,500.   Approximate savings of $18,000 yearly in caster replacement alone.
• Improved efficiency: Less downtime for maintenance translated into improved production efficiency and overall productivity.

Conclusion:

This case highlights the importance of considering the total cost of ownership when purchasing a product. It also demonstrates the advantages of utilizing Caster Concepts’ experienced in-field specialists who can analyze a customer’s needs and provide the best solution. This helped the company achieve significant cost savings through reduced downtime and replacement costs.

For more information, contact:

Caster Concepts

16000 W. Michigan Ave
Albion, MI 49224

Office Hours: 8am – 6pm (EST) Mon-Fri

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