June 2013
| Business World Magazine | 159
nies to rely on welded fabrications. In one
case, Palmer Foundry was able to produce a
single casting of a component that formerly
relied on more than 85 welded pieces. This
capability has been especially successful in
food processing or slaughterhouse opera-
tions, where the welded seams and grooves
in a mechanismwould otherwise capture de-
bris and serve as a breeding ground for dirt
and bacteria such as E-coli.
As an ISO 9001:2008-certified organi-
zation, Palmer Foundry makes no compro-
mises when it comes to quality, nor does it
clients. Palmer Foundry ensures the qual-
ity and integrity of the components it pro-
duces through a state-of-the-art, laser-based
methodology which was totally new to the
industry when they adopted it. The technol-
ogy significantly improves the accuracy and
efficiency of quality control inspections, and
enables the comparison of both solid model
and casting in three dimensions.
Any differences between the solid model
and the casting can be immediately identi-
fied. The differences are then illustrated in
an output that includes 3D imagery, detailed
data sets, graphs and narrative. The system
also helps identify the origin of problems,
making it possible to ascertain whether the
issue comes from design specifications, the
solid model or the pattern. The technology
has empowered Palmer Foundry to provide
enhanced design assistance, rapid prototyp-
ing and capacity to recreate complicated
