SSM/Squeeze Casting| 2013 Safety Awards| MAY 2014 SEMI�SOLID METAL CASTING TO MEET CAFE STANDARDS �CORPORATE AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY� ALSO INSIDE: 2013 SAFETY AWARDS NORTH AMERICAN DIE CASTING ASSOCIATION VOLUME 58 NUMBER 3 NADCA® and the NADCA logo above are both registered trademarks of the North American Die Casting Association. MAY 2014 FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 02 Chairman’s Note Introducing an Improved Process for Semi-Solid Metal 16 03 Letter From the Editor Casting of High Integrity Parts 04 Washington Insights – A. Koch, K. Tenzek 08 NADCA Reports 10 Dr. Die Cast 12 OSHA + EPA Awareness Update 20 Fire Incident Prevention for NADCA 15 Ask the Experts – R. Block 47 New Corporate Members 48 Corporate Member List 22 Energy Conservations in Die Castings Industry 52 Chapter News & New Members – Some Practical Examples 59 New Products, Services & Solutions – A. Pari 60 Industry News & Information 62 People in Die Casting 64 Classi�ed Advertising 28 The Role of Temperature During Semi-Solid Metal Processing 64 Advertising Index – Dr. F. Czerwinski 33 NADCA’s David Laine Scholarship Program Awards Record-Breaking 17 Students – D. Hutchins 38 Wage & Bene�t Survey – Executive Summary 40 2013 Safety Awards 41 2014 Exhibitor Spotlight The NADCA logo was hidden here this month. Did you find it? PUBLISHER Daniel L. Twarog Die Casting Engineer (ISSN 012-253X ) is published bimonthly, six times per year, by the North EDITOR American Die Casting Association, 3250 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Ste. 101, Arlington Heights, Illinois Andrew Ryzner 60004. Periodicals postage paid at Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004 and at additional mailing ADVERTISING & PROMOTIONS MANAGER office. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to address listed above. Athena Catlett GRAPHIC DESIGNER Non-member subscription rates: $60 one year U.S., Canada & Mexico; $135 one year other countries Kristen Castillo (international airmail). Single copies $15 each, except for Suppliers Directory, $35 (Single issues EDUCATION & MEETINGS MANAGER available in North America only). Melisa Ryzner, CMP EXECUTIVE OFFICES All material copyright 2014 by the Nor th American Die Casting Association. All rights reserved. 3250 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Ste. 101 Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004 or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. NADCA is not responsible for any material Phone: 847.279.0001 published in this magazine unless it has been explicitly approved by the NADCA Board of Governors. Fax: 847.279.0002 Email: [email protected] Web site: www.diecasting.org/dce Chairman’s Note Mark Your Calendars Te 2014 Executive Conference was held in late February in Marco Island, Flor- ida. And what a conference it was. Te overall attendance of 110+ was believed Eric Treiber, President & CEO to be the highest ever (though there was some debate that back in the 1990’s, the Chicago White Metal Casting Inc. CEO conference attendance was even higher). Tose who did attend were treated NADCA Chairman to a world class conference at an amazing venue. If you did not have the opportu- nity to attend this year, please mark your calendar now for 2015 - February 22-25 at the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Marco Island, FL. Te presentations were excellent, and included topics such as: pricing trends in aluminum, magnesium and zinc (with a spirited discussion on the status of the LME and NASAAC aluminum); navigating the Affordable Healthcare Act as a small business owner; political, regulatory and legal updates from Washington; and “This is typically a preliminary view of the 2014 NADCA die casting benchmarking survey. Again, these were just a few of the informative presentations given. a sign that I was able to talk with most of the conference attendees, including a number of individuals for the first time. Repeatedly, I was told that there seemed to be a “buzz” business levels about this year’s conference, and many indicated it was the best NADCA Executive Conference they had attended. are growing and Te North American die casting industry is healthier today than it has been in quite a few years, as evidenced by a number of indicators. Te strong attendance at management this year’s Executive Conference is certainly an example. In addition, so far in 2014, NADCA members are registering for various education offerings at double the rate is training new that was forecasted. Tis is typically a sign that business levels are growing and management is training new associates, while also making sure that existing team associates.” members are exposed to additional training. So let’s strike while the iron is hot. What’s next on the horizon? Te Plant Man- agement Conference is scheduled for May 21-23 in Charlotte, NC. Included as part of the conference will be a plant tour of Cascade Die Casting’s world class facility in High Point, NC. You won’t want to miss out on an opportunity to tour this S 16949 registered facility. Te Government Affairs Briefing will be held June 10-11. For those who attended the Executive Conference and heard the presentation by Te Franklin Group (NAD- CA’s Washington Representatives), you know that there is much going on in Wash- ington that warrants our attention and requires our voices to be heard on Capitol Hill. And finally, mark your calendar now for the Die Casting Congress & abletop that will be held September 22-24 at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee. Not only is this expected to be a very widely attended event due to the Midwest location, but with the Wisconsin Center being located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, attendees will never be far from a cold beer and a brat! From the Editor’s Desk NADCA Launches Its New Website NADCA has recently launched a new, updated website at www.diecasting.org. Several months in the making, I think that the improvements that you can see are substantial. You will notice updated sections on the front page – News & Head- lines, Quick Links, Featured opics, Upcoming Events, Classifieds, and updated Advertisements and Ad sizes for those of you who advertise with us. Overall I think it makes for a much more aesthetic experience to better match current web standards – and as you know those standards can and do change every few years. I Andrew Ryzner feel it is important to evolve with those trends. Editor North American Die Casting Association Tis issue of DCE magazine includes NADCA’s yearly Safety Awards for the year 2013. Safety in the workplace is not only important for the obvious reason of keep- ing your employees free of harm, but it also makes your facility a more attractive place to work. Te Safety Awards honor NADCA Corporate Members that both “I feel it is exceed and meet the average U.S. national safety standards for all of the manu- facturing industry in a given year. Congratulations to all the companies that were important to awarded the Perfect and Outstanding Safety Awards. evolve with Finally, be ready for the next issue (July) of DCE magazine, as it includes the Suppliers Directory, which is only printed every other year, and serves as the Show those trends.” Preview for the 2014 Die Casting Congress & abletop, which will take place September 22-24, 2014. Te city for this year is another Midwestern location – Milwaukee, WI at the Wisconsin Center. Make sure to mark the date on your calendar. I hope to see you there! NADCA Government Affairs Three Aluminum Price-Fixing ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish energy Cases to Move Forward efficiency best practices for commercial tenants rent- ing space in commercial buildings and creates a new A U.S. District Court Judge ruled three plaintiffs groups ENAN SAR certification program, which the bill may move forward for now with separate class-action law- models on the existing ENERGY SAR certification suits against Goldman Sachs Group Inc., JPMorgan Chase program. he provision establishes a voluntary, cost- & Co., their warehousing businesses and the London free certification and recognition program to promote Metal Exchange (LME) for fixing aluminum prices by energy efficiency during design and occupancy of conspiring to reduce the supply of aluminum. leased space. he bill also directs federal agencies to On March 6, 2014, U.S. District Judge Katherine implement strategies to increase the energy efficiency Forrest directed purchaser plaintiffs, commercial end- of federal data centers, remove a regulatory barrier to user plaintiffs and consumer end-user plaintiffs to file manufacturing large scale water heaters, and would separate complaints seeking class-action status. Te establish a benchmarking and disclosure process for defendants will have the right to object to the filings. energy consumed in federally leased buildings. In her order, Judge Forrest designated the law firms Te bill, introduced by Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) that will act as co-counsel for each plaintiff group and and Rep. Peter Welch (D-V), is the first significant appointed nine other law firms to a “steering commit- bipartisan energy initiative approved by the House in the tee” for the direct purchaser plaintiffs. 113th Congress. “It is important that U.S. manufacturers have access Te House also passed H.R. 3826, Te Electricity to globally priced raw materials in a timely manner,” said Security and Affordability Act, by a vote of 229-183. Rep. NADCA President Daniel warog. “Long lead times, Ed Whitfield (R-KY) developed the bill in response to supply shortages, outmoded contract terms, and illogical Environmental Protection Agency’s new greenhouse gas pricing contribute to instability in the aluminum market. emissions standards. Te standards, as introduced by the Tis drives down manufacturing productivity and encour- EPA, are unattainable with currently available technology ages customers to seek overseas suppliers,” said Mr.