This is a blog about castings and austempering and economics. These three topics are intimately related, and the evidence keeps rolling in.
I have been asserting that a shortage of skilled labor from the energy boom means it is getting more expensive to do welding and machining operations in the manufacture of steel components. That means the parts designer has a financial incentive to design parts to be closer to net shape earlier in the manufacturing process. That means designing castings, and often the right cast material is ADI (hence my profound interest).
An article in Crain’s Automotive News discusses the fact that auto dealerships are competing for skilled people with the oil and gas industry. The article discusses things like signing bonuses and noncash benefits and recruiting. Supply and demand apply to skilled labor and they take no holidays.
We are all happy here in Western Pennsylvania when frackers are spending dollars and injecting vitality into the local and national economies. Real jobs are good for us all. That said, the manpower situation for skilled labor is a genuine problem for US manufacturers. Supply and demand are fickle mistresses indeed. The best win-win scenario is to bypass the welding backlog and just make your parts as castings.
You can contact your favorite domestic foundry to get started.