At first glance, the corporate office of GIW Industries in Grovetown, GA, looks like the residence of a gentleman farmer. The columned structure sits atop a rise at the end of a lane that runs through a rolling field, past a herd of grazing cattle. But looks can be deceiving. This little gem is an industrial powerhouse that designs and manufacturers the world's premier slurry pumps.

The pumps are manufactured in two facilities -- one in Grovetown and the other in Thomson, GA. Together, they cover 300,000 square feet (27.000 square meters).

Let's tour the larger production facility, adjacent to the corporate office, and see how GIW makes high-performance slurry pumps used in mining, dredging and other industrial applications.

It all starts with an assortment of innovative ideas generated in GIW's Design Engineering Department. Here, engineers, drafts people and metallurgists -- armed with revolutionary hydraulic and structural design programs, one of the world's largest databases of information on slurry systems and an intuition born of years of experience -- create three-dimensional, finite-element models that duplicate the flow of slurry within a pump case. By incorporating technology garnered from hundreds of GIW lab, hydraulic and wear tests, they design pumps that sustain production, decrease downtime and lower energy consumption.

In a carefully orchestrated give-and-take, they optimize efficiency, avoid pitfalls and select just the right material for each pump. To ensure that their designs can be turned into high-efficiency pumps, they consult GIW's Manufacturing Engineering personnel, who serve as a liaison between design and production.

The drawings then go to manufacturing, where quality control technicians monitor every stage of the production process.

Actual production begins in the pattern-making department. The engineered drawings are reviewed and specifications are written for the pattern construction phase. To maintain their high standards of quality, GIW has invested over $6 million in pattern equipment alone. Gating and risering techniques used by GIW provide assurance to customers that their product will be sound and provide the ultimate wear performance expected. GIW’s "First Casting" inspection policy is a proven tool that insures predictable product flow and lowers costs by avoiding unnecessary scrap. An advanced computer system statuses and edits the order flow using integrated programming that encompasses all manufacturing work centers.

As the product moves through the shop, this generated output is used for process issue feedback improvement, quality inspections and documentation. Only after the GIW specifications are met and reviewed by Quality Control personnel will the production order be released for further processing. ISO 9001 certification and related procedures throughout GIW’s manufacturing process creates diligence in process control, traceability, and predictability.

Upon release of the pattern equipment to the production floor, a full set of work instructions are attached to the product. These instructions include the engineered gating and riserings system, molding process specification and materials required to produce the casting. The instructions foster tight process controls and a more refined corrective action and follow up program for enhancement of product quality.

The molding application uses a number of chemically bonded sands that were specially developed in conjunction with GIW suppliers to meet specific material requirements. Daily sand testing and Statistical Process Controls assure superior mold quality casting techniques. Environmentally conscious, GIW recycles about 90% of the sand used in the process through mechanical reclamation.

To ensure that "promise date" requirements are met, GIW utilizes a comprehensive scheduling software package to optimize product flow and assist in controlling cycle times and delivery performance. The system integrates pattern information, flask, combination equipment, engineering revisions and capacity to produce a schedule that is predictable and reliable.

To begin, the molding process patterns are placed on the molding floor. This floor was specially designed to insure dimensional integrity. The pattern equipment is then encapsulated in an iron box called a Flask. The specific gating, risering and runners used to carry the molten metal into the mold cavity are set up above the pattern. Calibrated mixing equipment, moving sand at a rate of 1500 pounds per minute, fills the flask with the chemically bonded sand. A blender system uses the latest technology currently available in the market.

This real-time system allows for superior sand quality at a reduced cost by controlling the chemical flow and calibration during the mixing process. Real-time software has learning capabilities that controls the mold fill process. The system adjusts the calibration sand mix beginning with a mix, close to the pattern equipment, that provides optimum mold stability followed by a leaner mix, called backing sand. This information is stored in memory and recovered the next time this same job moves into production. This lowers the cost of the operation without sacrificing the quality of the mold cavity.

Once the mold has cured, the pattern equipment is removed and returned to its designated storage bin. The mold cavity is cleaned and sprayed with a mold wash recipe developed by GIW technical staff. This material uses a zircon-base material and has proven to be an ideal mold surface protector providing excellent casting surface quality.

Next the prepared mold is moved to the close-up area, where the core and mold assembly takes place. Final dimensional checks are taken and verified for accuracy as the mold is sealed for pouring.

Go to Part 2