/ By Kastalon / Automotive and Transport Industry • Case Studies • Heavy Equipment Manufacturing • Metal Processing Industry/ • • / 0 Comments

Tesla Motors aluminum process and assembly for their Model S

We are proud to be just a small part of the Tesla Motors aluminum process and assembly for their Model S, located in California. The Tesla aluminum coils weigh up to 20,000 lbs and rest easily on Kastalon’s yellow Coil Floor Storage Pads. The assembly shop found that if they create production staging areas near their lathes, they are able to protect the working surface of the aluminum rolls while they wait to be a bigger part of the automotive production.

At Kastalon, we specialize in finding effective solutions that will improve yield, quality and production efficiencies, literally from the ground up. As a roller shop keeps evolving, they are finding that at times their racks are full during production and they have nowhere to set their large steel work rolls, backup rolls or roughing rolls. That’s when Kastalon’s Coil Floor Pads come into use.

Made of bright safety yellow polyurethane, the patented deep cradle fits virtually any size roll and takes up nominal floor space. The unique design offers the versatility of using it as a movable fixture in staging areas or affixed permanently to the storage area floor.

Contact a Kastalon Sales Representative today!

Mandrel Sleeve
/ By Kastalon / Metal Processing Industry • Millwork Industry • Polyurethane • Steel Mill Industry/ • / 0 Comments

Protecting Coils with Polyurethane

Originally posted January, 2021 By Beth Gainer on Jan 22, 2021, Metal Center News:

Protecting coils is vital to Bruce DeMent, CEO of Kastalon Polyurethane Products, Alsip, Ill. The company manufactures polyurethane products to protect coils’ surfaces. “The surface finish is critical and needs to be protected,” he says, adding that Kastalon’s mandrel sleeves protect the coated coil from metal-to-metal contact with the mandrel drum. Furthermore, the company’s mandrel sleeves help prevent common processing damage, such as reel breaks and head-end damage.

“Our sleeves help prevent coil slippage and increase the overall efficiency of the processing line,” says DeMent. “Our proprietary chemistries and manufacturing capabilities allow for Kastalon mandrel sleeves of virtually any size and hardness, and specific to each customer’s requirements.”

Kastalon coil floor pads protect coated coils during storage as well as serve an organizational function for the production floor.  The pads are available with and without fluid-collection capabilities. In addition, rollers used in uncoilers or surfaces that support the coil are covered in polyurethane so the surface where each coil is resting upon doesn’t dent the coil.

Kastalon also manufactures polyurethane devices in coil material handling and storage. “Everything that touches that coil can be covered with polyurethane – from a c-hook to the [forks] of a forklift truck,” says DeMent.

While polyurethane is more expensive than rubber, the former lasts 10 to 20 times longer than the latter. In addition, polyurethane requires less maintenance than rubber, according to DeMent. The equipment is operating longer and doesn’t have as much maintenance, resulting in cost savings.

“Polyurethane is extremely durable and yet cushions the coil so that it doesn’t get edge damage,” says DeMent. “The polyurethane floor pads protect coils by keeping them off the floor.”

“Everything is protected.”

 

/ By Kastalon / About Kastalon • Automation Industry • Food, Beverage and Tobacco Industry • Marine Industry • Material Handling and Logistics • Metal Processing Industry • Millwork Industry • Mining Industry • Packaging Industry • Paper Coverting Industry • Plastics Industry • Press Releases • Printing Industry • Roller Sleeves • Steel Mill Industry • Wood Products Industry/ • / 0 Comments

New Summit Lathe Roll Grinder

July 2020, Kastalon has purchased and installed a new Summit roll lathe to further enhance our large roll manufacturing and repair capabilities. Kastalon now offers the most comprehensive roller services in the industry.

The Summit lathe/roll grinder allows Kastalon to not only machine metal, but to turn, mill, groove, and grind polyurethane and rubber covered rollers to ultra-precise diameters, geometric finishes, and straightness specifications. This CNC machine has a capacity of 48 inch finished diameters x 20 feet CC (1.22 x 6.1 meters) and almost 50,000 lbs with full CNC grooving. Simple to highly complex and precise grooves and finishes can be produced with this state-of-the-art equipment.

Kastalon’s roller capacity ranges from fractional diameters and face lengths to 62 inches in diameter x 30 feet overall length (1.57 x 9.1 meters). Kastalon’s polyurethane roll coverings are available from 20 Shore A to 75 Shore D (baby’s skin soft to bowling ball hard, and anywhere in between) with surface finishes and groove patterns to optimize your roller’s performance.

We’ve combined chemistry and mechanics just for you. Contact Kastalon today and bring the Kastalon’s advantage to your operations.

/ By Kastalon / Custom Engineering • Metal Processing Industry • Polyurethane • Press Releases • Steel Mill Industry/ 0 Comments

What does a dead blow hammer have to do with success at a Tube Mill?

Heavy duty polyurethane Dead Blow HammerAccording to Wikipedia “A dead blow hammer is a specialized mallet helpful in minimizing damage to the struck surface and in limiting peak striking force, with minimal elastic rebound from the struck surface.”

So here is the STORY…
A tube mill’s high performance automated systems are designed to keep things moving, however, one tube mill had an issue with their pipe bouncing back too far when they impacted their adjustable pipe stop bumpers. The bumpers were designed to stop the tube and prepare them to be fed into the next area of the line.

The bouncing of tubes was causing misalignment and jams. The line then had to be shut down until the jam could be cleared. This was a continuous issue so the mill staff assumed that the hardness of the bumper needed to be adjusted, however, that was not the solution. The problem was so severe that the bumpers were causing a bounce back as far as 18 to 24” on large pipes and 8 to 12” on smaller pipes.

Fortunately, the mill contacted a representative from Kastalon to get a second opinion. Kastalon’s expertise in chemical engineering was able to determine that the hardness was not the issue, the physical and mechanical properties of the polyurethane bumper needed to be adjusted to allow the bumpers to absorb the energy rather than rebounding it. What they needed was a “dead blow bumper”.

polyurethane dead blow bumperOnce the bumpers were replaced by a proprietary Kastalon polyurethane bumper, the results were immediate and dramatic. The bounce of large pipes was reduced to 4-5 inches and the small pipes were only bouncing back about an inch.

Regardless where polyurethane is used, the secret is not just the hardness of the material, but how the material needs to work to its optimal performance in that application and environment. This is where Kastalon’s “engineered to fit” philosophy puts the emphasis on the desired result and the environment that a part is operating in. Even if it is a simple bumper!