Lean manufacturing helps manufacturers improve efficiency by eliminating waste in the production process, but what exactly is lean manufacturing? Is it a product, a procedure, a religion?

None of the above. Lean manufacturing is an adaptable set of “tools” that can be applied to any system of manufacturing–whether that system produces spring coils, jet engines or blog posts. It starts with identifying waste in a production process, and then focuses on eliminating that waste bit by bit until production is as streamlined and efficient as possible.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is becoming more and more important in the manufacturing industry. Businesses around the world are taking a more active approach to supply chain management, resulting in smoother process integration, higher profits and more transparency.

Your supply chain is much more than just where your business sources raw materials, parts or other inputs. It's a long list of interactions, starting before raw material is even removed from the ground, and ending only when the end customer has a product in hand.

If your business is ignoring the supply chain, you could be left in the dark when it comes to supply chain disruptions, leading to unexpected losses.

The shell mold process is unique and exhibits many advantages over other metal casting processes, but many people don’t fully understand its benefits.

In this installment of the Introduction to Shell Molding blog series, we will compare and contrast the shell mold process with investment casting and greensand casting methods.  It is important to keep in mind that all processes have their own appropriate applications. 

Based on your part's needs in terms of tolerances, production volume and surface finish, any one of these processes could be the ideal match.

This blog was updated on July 16, 2024.

You might have heard from politicians, journalists and even investors that American manufacturing is on the decline. There have been claims that globalization has weakened domestic manufacturing (1) and that businesses will continue outsourcing to low-cost countries. Some people even go so far as to say that manufacturing jobs won't be an option within a generation or two. But you know what? They’re wrong.

Those who currently work in the American manufacturing industry understand that this outlook—that manufacturing is on the decline—is far from the truth. In reality, an increasing number of American manufacturers are coming back to the U.S. from lower cost countries. They recognize the cost advantages diminish as other risks associated with low-cost countries increase.

Manufacturing in the U.S. reduces risks significantly and is an attractive option for keeping operations domestic, with numbers to back it. The United States currently has a thriving manufacturing sector, with an annual output of more than $4 trillion (2). Manufacturing in the United States is thriving and will be for a long time to come. 

Below are five key reasons why American manufacturing of cast products can’t be replaced.

We've already covered the history of shell molding, as well as a list of need-to-know terminology, so now it's time to start exploring how shell molding works. Keep in mind that this post presents a brief overview. We'll describe each step in more detail as we move along in the Introduction to Shell Molding blog series.

If you're familiar with metalcasting processes, you probably already know a lot of these words. Feel free to skip to the next post if you're feeling confident. But if you ask me, the same credo that applies to metal casting applies to learning about metal casting: "Better safe than sorry."

On the other hand, if you're knee-deep in casting terminology and can't seem to tell your risers from your ejector pins, this is the post for you. Read on for a primer on the terms and ideas involved in shell mold casting. We'll cover all of these concepts in more detail in later posts from the Introduction to Shell Molding series. Or, click below to download our printable Shell Mold Process Whitepaper.

In this blog series, Introduction to Shell Molding, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about shell mold casting, from history to process and beyond. Whether you’re a student, a manufacturing professional, or just curious, this blog series will answer that burning question: What is shell molding?

Interested in learning all of the details of the shell molding process? If so, this white paper is for you!