Quote:
Originally Posted by JayJay
I think it's a bit more nuanced than just price. A significant issue was the size of the run.
|
It always comes down to price. Companies will do one part or a million. There is a foundry in LA that will pour a few parts. The 1% uses them to produce parts to restore their million $+ cars.
Sand casting prices don't change much with volume. You create a new mold for each block. If you expend the dollars to create permanent molds the price comes down because you're saving the labor cost to make a new mold for each engine. They foundry doesn't care what they are pouring. It's based on pounds per hour they can pour into the molds. You can buy a fully machined ChiCom sand cast Chevy V8 block for $800 -
https://sjzjialiya.en.made-in-china....d=1ija4nue2175
There are plenty of foundries still in the US that can pour a sand cast engine block and companies that can machine them.
The problem wasn't they couldn't but that they were not able to compete with the ChiComs on price. With tariffs we may get more Made in the USA stickers on stuff.
Here a a few foundries that can do the job.
Quaker City Castings: A foundry that uses sand casting to create complex metal parts
RMC Sand Casting Foundry: A foundry that uses green sand casting, pre-coated resin sand casting, and furan resin sand casting
Northfield Manufacturing: A foundry that specializes in low-volume production
Sioux City Foundry: A foundry that has been operating for over 140 years
Lemfco, Inc. A gray iron casting foundry in Illinois
Taylor Fenn: A foundry that works with over 100 different grades of iron and steel
Clinch River Casting, Inc. A foundry that manufactures low to medium-run iron castings