Now, this blog discusses casting conversions and austempered ductile iron (ADI) and economic things ... so it is clearly a place to discuss the latest session of AP University, which occurred earlier this week at sites in Livonia and Ann Arbor, Michigan. I write this post with a profound sense of thankfulness and humility at the trust and goodwill shown to me and my colleagues this week by the attendees at the most recent session.
We hosted 29 guests who wanted to learn about casting conversions in ductile iron and ADI. Component designers from a variety of industries attended, such as heavy truck, agricultural, rail, and light vehicle. Foundry people also attended to learn more about this type of metallurgy and to contribute their knowledge in a non-commercial setting. Attendees came from as far east as Philadelphia and as far west as Alberta, Canada. People at AP are thankful for their participation, and this week’s event was our best session yet.
This photo shows the new purpose-built classroom at Applied Process the day before the attendees arrived. That’s Chris and John checking out the new projector. The next two days featured a progression of speakers discussing casting design, metallurgy, and examples of casting conversions.
Day 3 of AP University happens at Joyworks Studio in Ann Arbor. AP’s Henry Frear is shown here with Mark, a very sharp designer from Amerequip just prior to that flask being filled.
Here we have a photo of a mold being made at Joyworks. There are some VERY smart and industrious interns at Joyworks who will no doubt be high-performers in the engineering world.
John Keough of Applied Process describes a casting to some friends who design heavy truck components. Weight surely matters in that business, and ductile iron allows the designer to readily put material where it is needed and to remove material from where it is not needed. The natural flowability of ductile iron allows for some intricate shapes indeed.
A great time was had by all, and I think we all taught each other a few things. I cannot wait until the next session! If you have an interest in attending then let me know as the spots are filling up fast!