WHITEWATER, Wis. – In an art studio, not an engineering lab, Dan McGuire has come up with a new twist on an ancient metal-casting process that could help save U.S. foundries.
By using an additive similar to a floor-sweeping compound, foundries could make metal castings five times faster. That change could lower their costs and attract customers who need metal parts right away, rather than waiting for cheaper parts from overseas.
He worked with Eric Hellstrom, a University of Wisconsin-Madison materials science and engineering professor, to modify it.