American Society

TWIN CITIES CHAPTER Serving Minnesota and areas in Wisconsin and the Dakotas

VOLUME 23, ISSUE 5 MARCH 2021 Top stories in this newsletter

GREEN SAND SEMINAR

Green Sand Seminar Please support TBD Virtual Meeting Board of Directors March 9th, 2021 AFS Twin Cities April 13th, 2021 “Have you said ‘yes’ yet?”

“Green Sand Seminar” Tuesday, March 9th, 2021

The AFS Twin Cities Chapter presents a virtual “Green Sand Seminar” on March 9th from 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Presenters for the seminar are Larry Kaiser from American Colloid Company/Minerals Technologies Inc.; Sara Joyce and Neil Kniseley, Badger Mining Corporation; and Al Jacobson, Grede - St. Cloud. The speakers will discuss the chemistry of clay activation for foundry applications, the distribution of sand and its quality parameters, and practical methods and control factors. The four-hour window will also include question and answer opportunities and breaks between presenters.

Larry Kaiser graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering . While at Western Michigan University, he was an FEF Scholar. Larry served as Chair of the AFS 4M (Green Sand Additives and Testing) Committee. He has over thirty-five years of experience in the foundry industry, mainly with gray iron and green sand, working as a Plant Metallurgist, Melt Manager, and in Sand Systems. Larry is currently a Technical Manager for American Colloid Company/Minerals Technologies Inc.

Larry Kaiser’s presentation, “Chemistry of Clay Activation,” will describe the history and formation of Bentonite, and review the factors involved in the activation of Bentonite for foundry applications. He’ll also explain the different characteristics of both sodium and calcium Bentonite. Finally, Larry will discuss some practical considerations for best clay activation and green sand property development for the foundry. AFS TWIN CITIES PAGE TWO

“Green Sand Seminar” March 9th, 2021 continued

Sara Joyce, Strategic Leader of Product Innovation at Badger Mining Corporation (BMC), received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Sara began her career with BMC in 1984 as a lab technician at the Fairwater Plant. In her 37-years at BMC she has held various positions including Statistical Process Control Team Leader and Quality Control Manager. Currently, Sara coaches the foundry sales, environmental, quality, and engineering teams. Sara has received numerous foundry industry awards including an AFS Service Citation in 2004, the Ezra Kotzin award in 2012, and has been a member of the Club for many years. In 2017, Sara was the first woman to receive an AFS Gold Medal for service to the industry.

Neil Kniseley, Sand Sales for Badger Mining Corporation graduated from

Winona State University with a degree in Business Administration. Neil started working at Badger Mining in 2009 as a sand plant operator and joined their sales and business development team in 2011. Neil has been an active member of the AFS Twin Cities Chapter since 2011 and is serving on their board of directors.

Sara and Neil will discuss working with your vendors on developing parameters and process controls for your sand grades. By fine tuning the sieve distribution and catering to each individual needs, quality will improve, and scrap will decline.

Al Jacobson graduated from University of Wisconsin Platteville with a degree in Industrial Engineering. He has worked for Grede Foundries for 32 years, and has held various roles in the foundry including Project Engineer, Mold/ Superintendent . For the last 20 years he has been a Process Engineer in charge of Sand Lab and Green Sand Control at Grede’s plant in St. Cloud., MN. Al has been an active member of Twin Cities AFS Chapter and most recently served as Chair in 2018-2019.

Al’s presentation is entitled “Controlling a Green Sand System”. His presentation is going to cover practical methods and philosophies that he uses to tightly control 3 key variables in his 2 green sand systems at St. Cloud. The ideas that Al is going to discuss can be applied to most any green sand systems without large capital expense or demand for additional labor. He hopes to help generate ideas that can be applied in your sand systems to improve the stability of your process.

Register online at www.afstwincities.org by noon on Monday, March 8th. A link to sign on to the online meeting platform will be emailed to the registrants on Monday, March 8th. We are offering certificates for four (4) Professional Development Hours for registrants who need to verify their attendance for the March 9th virtual “Green Sand Seminar.” To receive a certificate for the Professional Development Hours, request it after the seminar by emailing [email protected]. AFS TWIN CITIES PAGE TWO

Serve on the AFS TC Board of Directors

“Have you said ‘yes’ yet?” There are openings for volunteers to serve on the AFS TC Board of Directors. During the pandemic, the members of the board agreed to stay in their current positions until we are able to conduct an in-person Business Meeting (tentatively in May), electing the incoming officers and directors. While we currently have Travis Bodick, Carley Foundry, as Chair, the following are the openings and the tentative slate of officers and directors for the election:

2021-2022 Executive Officers: 2022 Directors 2023 Directors 2024 Directors Chairman: Steve Burch Josh Jaycox Pat Badzinski *** Vice Chair: OPENING Neil Kniseley Joe Kranz *** Asst. Vice: Steve Coozennoy Shawn Conners Clint Potter *** Sec/Treas: Joy Clifford Past Chair: Travis Bodick *** Ideally, the chapter has 3 directors per term. If you are interested in serving the chapter as a 2024 director, please contact [email protected].

How to Support AFS Twin Cities

Be an active AFS member by registering and attending our virtual monthly meetings. In addition, you may contribute monetarily to our chapter. Our sponsors and website/newsletter advertisers continue to be an important part of the chapter’s ongoing operations during the unusual pandemic times. If possible, please support us, and continue to patronize the following companies and thank them for supporting the and the Twin Cities Chapter.

PLATINUM American Colloid (Minerals Technologies, Inc.), Badger Mining Corporation, Carpenter Brothers, Inc., Grede - St. Cloud, Joest, Inc. GOLD Craft & Mold SILVER Fire Brick Engineers, HA - International, Northern Iron, Pier Foundry, Refractory Insulation Supply, Smith Foundry Co.

 $ ______Donate a charitable contribution to AFS Twin Cities 501c(6).

 Platinum Advertiser $500 Premium web ad logo “sidebar” links to your website. Newsletter ad in all issues, logo in golf program.  Gold Advertiser $400 Logo on sponsor page links to your website. Newsletter ad twice per year, logo in golf program.  Silver Advertiser $300 Company Name on sponsor page links to your website. Newsletter ad twice per year, logo in golf program.

Mail to: AFS TWIN CITIES, 438 147TH LANE NE, HAM LAKE, MN 55304

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