/ By Kastalon / Automotive and Transport Industry • Case Studies • Polyurethane • Press Releases • Steel Mill Industry/ • / 0 Comments

Kastalon Makes Big Dollar Difference for Rewinding Coils

In February of 2007 Kastalon was called to a Steel Mill for interest in our mandrel sleeves. We were called because this particular customer was having issues with the rewinding of their steel coils, as a result of the mandrel sleeves that were being used. They had also tried a few different mandrel sleeves from different vendors without the satisfaction they were looking for. Along with the operating issues, they were just not experiencing a longevity that they felt was adequate.

This particular line was a high speed steel processing line that converted hot band to automotive/appliance grade steel. The area of concern was at the end of the line where they have two rewind mandrels, that they alternate rewinding their finish product with. Most of their steel is considered exposed steel and they guarantee to their customers, 100 % coil usage.

Kastalon met with this customer and discussed their needs and concerns for this particular problem. We obtained drawings of their steel mandrel and engineered a mandrel sleeve that we felt would meet and exceed all of their expectations. In March of 2007, this customer placed an order for one mandrel sleeve for trial. The sleeve worked right out of the box and they ran it for three months, not experiencing any of the issues they had experienced with the prior sleeves. In July of 2007, they placed an order for the second sleeve and outfitted both of their mandrels with Kastalon Mandrel sleeves. They continued to see no reoccurring issues seen from the prior sleeves so they purchased two more sleeves as spares in November of 2007and continue to run problem free. Soon after the two spare sleeves were delivered to the customer, I stopped out and met with the customer to offer them with some tips on how to store and add operating life to all four of their mandrel sleeves. Tips that were never offered to them from previous suppliers.

In June of 2009 an order was received at Kastalon, Inc. for one sleeve. We called the customer to check in and we were told that they had an operator error and that one of the sleeves was tore and that they had to take it out of use. We asked them why they didn’t call us out to take a look at the sleeve before that was determined. They responded that the operator admitted to his error. And that the sleeves were just inspected a few weeks prior and looked as good as new, other that being oily from use. In November of 2011, two more sleeves were ordered. The customer was concerned that they have never had Mandrel Sleeve last this long and wanted to add two more to their inventory in case of a sleeve failure.

Since March of 2007, Kastalon has supplied a total of seven Mandrel Sleeves to this particular line. As of April of 2012, three of the four original sleeves provided by Kastalon are still in use. Remember, one was taken out of use due to operator error. This particular line is considered a High Speed, High Tension, Dual Rewind line. This customer has averaged 1,125,000 tons of steel per year that has been recoiled on our sleeves at an average speed of 1800 feet per minute. Their steel is considered very high quality steel which also adds something to say about our sleeves. (If our sleeves had poor cut resistant properties, we could also create them quality issues with their thinner gauge steel. But they have not experienced any of that.) Our customer has worked with us and together we engineered a sleeve that would meet and exceed their expectations. To say that they are satisfied with Kastalon Mandrel Sleeves is an understatement.

Update: 8/1/14
This customer placed an order for two more Mandrel Sleeves in July of 2014. Two of the original sleeves from 2007 finally wore out. That brings the total amount of sleeves ordered to 9 since 2007. Six of the sleeves are still in working order and are in their rotation being swapped out during downturns every three months.

Total cost of the nine sleeves that have rewound 9,000,000 tons of steel since 2007 have produced an operating cost for Kastalon’s Mandrel sleeves of $0.07 per thousand tons.

/ By Kastalon / Articles of Interest • Material Handling and Logistics • Packaging Industry • Steel Mill Industry/ • / 0 Comments

Maximizing Quality and Yield by Al DiZanni

Increasingly, competitive markets are pushing tube makers to reduce costs while improving quality.

The surface and edge condition of incoming coils has a significant impact on processing cost and quality. Scratch-free surfaces are important when processing polished, plated, or painted tube. However, scratches also can lead to weaknesses in the tube wall. This can be important for pressure tubing as well as mechanical tubing. Stresses can concentrate along scratches in mechanical tubing that is bulged or formed. Scratches can also concentrate stress in pressure tubing and create a weakness in the wall. This consideration is more critical for nonferrous materials.

Incoming material with a poor edge condition can lead to increased cost because of additional reprocessing, reduced yield, inspection cost, and the general inconvenience of returning the material and seeking credit for defective material from suppliers.

Producing, rolling, and processing coils influence its surface and edge condition. Surfaces and edges can also be compromised when they are handled during basic processes such as slitting, painting, annealing, and rolling.

Coil handling and protection also influence surface quality. This article examines typical problems in coil handling and how to maintain quality stock on the warehouse and mill floor.

Coil Handling Challenges and Answers
Beginning with the final stage of production, the finished metal surface is vulnerable to damage. Worn bridle, passline, pinch, tension, or other rollers that contact the metal as it is rolled can scratch surfaces. Slippage through or across rollers also contributes to scratching. To prevent slippage, these rollers can be covered with materials that provide traction and are softer than the metal, including rubber, polyurethane, and plastic .

Winding. Another potential source of damage is the expanding mandrel used to hold the coil while it is unwound and rewound during processing. These mandrels open and close when loading and unloading coil. To make this movement possible, the mandrel has segmented leafs that have gaps between them when expanded. The edges of these leafs can mark the inside of the coil.

When the metal is wound, it may bend at the edge to wind in a straight line to the next leaf edge. This is a condition called reel break. These breaks can print through many wraps before they soften enough to stop deforming the metal. In some severe cases, breaks can cause damage extending as much as 1/2 inch into the coil, potentially resulting in the loss of a 1-inch thick portion of metal out of the coil eye.

Excessive mandrel wear causes the leafs to get out of level and exacerbates reel breaks. Rubber or polyurethane sleeved (also call boots) can be used to minimize or eliminate this damage. A mandrel sleeve cushions the edge of the leaf and distributes the bending force over a wider area, helping to eliminate plastic deformation of the metal.

Storage and Transportation
Once the coil is wound, it must be removed from the mandrel, moved to storage, stored, and transported. Large, basic coil producers and processors generally have automated handling systems, coil cars, and conveyors. These units remove the coil from the mandrel and transfer it to a station, where more traditional equipment, such as C-hooks, ram trucks, and coil tongs, are used to move the coil.

Various flat pads or cushions may be attached to the coil contact areas. These are usually made of rubber, polyurethane, plastic, or some other material that is softer than metal.

When the coil is removed from the conveyor, forklift/ram trucks, C-hooks, or tongs are usually used to transport the metal. These devices can damage the coil’s edges. One mishap, such as a bump, can severely damage the entire edge of the coil. The only way to correct this damage is to slit the coil to a narrower width. However, this requires additional processing and wastes material. This waste can be substantial, depending on the amount of trim required to reach the next usable coil width.

The best method of protecting the metal during these operations is to cushion the areas contacting the coil, such as the sides and the back sides of the transport devices.

When coils are stored, stacking is not recommended. However, when space limitations make stacking a must, coils should be stored not more than three high because the weight on the bottom coil can deform it and make it square. This usually renders the deformed coil scrap.
Prepainted, coated, polished, or soft metals may need further protection when stored.
Coils can be stored in pads or racks when floors are wet, dirty, debris-covered, uneven. These devices isolate the coils from the floor and help prevent damage caused by hard set-down or placing coils on debris (which can dent the material).

Cost of Quality
Whenever and wherever coils are handled, damage can occur. Incurring or repairing damage, either at a vendor’s facility or at a tube mill, adds cost and compromises quality.
When reviewing processes or auditing suppliers, tube manufacturers should consider these problems and their simple resolutions. Excess cost anywhere in the supply chain adversely affects everyone’s bottom line.

Al DiZanni is a Field Sales Engineer specializing in steel handling and steel processing from Kastalon, Inc., 4100 W. 124th Place, Alsip, Illinois 60803, phone 708-389-2210, fax 709-389-0432, Website: www.kastalon.com

Kastalon is a manufacturer of polyurethane coil storage, handling, and protection products.
This article originally appeared in an issue of TPJ, a FMA Communications, Inc publication.

/ By Kastalon / Articles of Interest • Custom Engineering • Window and Door Manufacturing/ • / 0 Comments

Field of Springs

In the same city where Astroturf made its debut, another material technology Wrings Houston a new baseball marvel.

When the Houston Astrodome, baseball’s first indoor stadium, opened in 1965, it had a natural grass field. The grass required a translucent roof, which produced glare and caused fielders to lose track of fly balls. To solve the problem, the stadium’s roof was painted and the grass replaced with the newly invented artificial surface that we now call Astroturf.

No matter what you think about baseball on artificial turf, it is commonly agreed that Houston was at the forefront of baseball stadium innovation in the ’60s. It continues that tradition today. The Astros still play ball under a roof but only when necessary. That’s because the city erected Enron Field, a stadium with a retractable roof that makes natural grass possible. Although Enron Field is not the first stadium with a retractable roof, it does boast a special suspension system that is engineered to open and close the roof without glitches.

Bart Riberich, vice president of engineering at Uni- Systems, the Minneapolis-based firm that designed the roof travel mechanism, says that operating problems occur when the suspension system relies on bogies. They concentrate the load at a single point when the wheels hit a high spot on the rail, thereby thwarting smooth movement. Instead of bogies, Uni-Systems engineers turned to independent suspensions for each of the 142 wheels that carry the three huge roof sections atop Enron Field. To make the independent suspensions work, the engineers needed a suspension spring that would compress when the wheels met a high spot on the rail.

Finding the materials to make the springs was about as easy as hitting a Randy Johnson fastball. Almost from the start, Uni-Systems eliminated conventional metal springs because they couldn’t achieve the targeted 25-year lifespan. The designers turned their attention to elastomers, which are not only highly resilient and durable but also able to handle heavy load capacity.

The Uni-Systems design team, along with engineers at Kastalon Polyurethane Products, Uni-Systems’ partner on the project, selected Adiprene urethane prepolymer from Uniroyal Chemical to make the springs. “The springs had to be compact to make the design work,” says Bruce DeMent, president of Kastalon. “The versatility of Adiprene urethanes allowed us to compound an elastomer that would give us the required performance.”

The patented cylindrical springs installed at Enron Field consist of alternating layers of steel and urethane around a central shaft. Only 8 in. in diameter and 9 in. tall, the assemblies support a normal load of 125,000 lbs and peak loads up to 325,000 lbs. Now, the Astros can play ball come rain or shine.

More information on polyurethanes is available by contacting Kastalon Inc. , 4100 W. 124th Place, Alsip, IL 60803 or calling (708) 389-2210.

/ By Kastalon / Articles of Interest • Energy Engineering and Design • Marine Industry/ • • / 0 Comments

Kastalon Lands Assist as Spawning Traffic is Restored

Kastalon products help to restore the natural migration of spawning fish in the majestic rivers of the Cascade Mountains, while maintaining the source of green energy from the dams.

Alsip, IL–Looking down from the Cascade Mountains at the three majestic rivers rambling through the picturesque countryside in central Oregon, no one would ever suspect that the salmon and steelhead were swimming their way up those rivers for the first time since 1968.

Although a series of dams, built in the early 1960’s, created a dynamic resource for hydro-power, the fish passage system built into the design proved unsuccessful for the fish to find their way downstream for migration.

Through a unique partnership, the co-owners of the dams, Portland General Electric (PGE) and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, spent several years developing a plan to improve the habitat for the fish.

The Barnard Construction Company and a team of engineers from CH2M Hill were commissioned by PGE and the tribes to design a system that would allow fish to be redirected for successful spawning migration without disrupting the source of green energy from the dams.

The unique solution involved constructing a 273-foot underwater tower and floating bridge from the floor of Lake Billy Chinook above the Round Butte Dam.

This massive structure’s one-of-a-kind design modified the current and temperature to mimic the natural conditions of the river for successful fish collection while maintaining water flow for power generation.

With the new collection station, the fish are efficiently transported downstream so they can continue on to the Columbia River and out to the ocean.

A key element of this project was determining a design for equalizing/dampening connectors that would join the floating apparatus with the stationary structure. These arrestors had to allow a full range of motion but provide predictable stability that could absorb storm forces and withstand seismic pressure.

After an extensive search, the engineers found Kastalon Polyurethane Product’s long-standing reputation for engineered to fit solutions to be a good choice to partner in the design and development of these unique polyurethane arrestor connectors.

Kastalon, a second generation family-owned business located outside of Chicago, accepted the challenge of providing a unique design and chemistry of polyurethane with the mechanical and physical properties that would give the strength and life expectancy the project required.

Today, after nearly two years of design, testing, and construction, the massive underwater tower and fish collection station rises from the floor of Lake Billy Chinook. For the first time since 1968 the migratory cycle for the fish has been restored without disturbing the hydro-power being provided to the region.

With improved habitat and downstream passage, the juvenile Chinook salmon and steel head can now return to their native spawning grounds and complete their natural cycle.

/ By Kastalon / Steel Mill Industry • Success Stories/ / 0 Comments

Filler Plates – Cargill Steel

Challenge/Problem/Issue
As the global demand continues to grow for light gauge metals in the automotive, appliance and building material markets, the metal coil processors must adapt to the unique challenges of producing surface-sensitive materials.

Because the pre-finished metal surface is more susceptible to scratches or damage, they must pay extra attention to the equipment and the handling of the coils.

Solution
Cargill Steel, East Chicago addressed their desire to successfully process light gauge materials by purchasing a new re-coiler reel for this application. Unfortunately, they continued to experience creasing, “head-in” damage, and marks on their finished product. They made several process changes as well as modifications to the reel but could not obtain an end product that they believed would be acceptable to the market that they were trying to attract. As a result, they moved away from those customers.

Cargill Steel started investigating ways to eliminate the damage they were experiencing and sought the assistance of Kastalon Polyurethane Products , who are well known for their coil protection solutions. After many months of design and engineering reviews, Kastalon made the recommendation to outfit the reel with a multi-segment bolt-on set of engineered polyurethane filler plates.

Once the filler plates were installed and put into service, several different gauges were run. The first was a .070/.071 thickness. This coil ran twice through the line and re-coiled twice on the filler plates. No markings could be felt. The second coil run was considered light gauge at .017 thickness. This coil also ran through the line and re-coiled twice on the filler plates. Again, the Quality Control Supervisor reported no marks.

Customer Value
The success of these coils has since allowed Cargill Steel to go after the light gauge market. In addition to the added business opportunity, the Kastalon Polyurethane Filler Plates are far lighter than steel, thereby allowing for faster change-outs and reduced maintenance costs have further improved operating efficiency.

/ By Kastalon / Automation Industry • Automotive and Transport Industry • Conveyor Systems • Food, Beverage and Tobacco Industry • Material Handling and Logistics • Success Stories/ • • • / 0 Comments

Koat-A-Roll® – Doncaster Gear Products

Challenge/Problem/Issue
Doncaster Gear Products specialize in forging and machining their own gears. As part of the forging process, they blast many different parts. For this process they make steel fixtures to set the parts on as they are fed into the automatic blaster. These fixtures represent a significant investment as hundreds are made annually, however, the blaster wears them away over time.

Solution
Attempting to find a way to give these fixtures a longer life, Doncaster Gear purchased Koat-A-Roll® polyurethane sleeves to put over the fixtures. Although not a standard application for Koat-A-Roll conveyer roller sleeves, the exception wear properties of the material and the cylindrical shape made it a perfect fit.

Customer Value
Within the first year, Doncaster realized a $2,000-$3,000 savings in material and machining cost. According to Dave Quarnstrom, “Although this is an unconventional use of the product, it was a great investment.”

/ By Kastalon / Success Stories • Window and Door Manufacturing/ • • • / 0 Comments

Fork-Kushions® – Siding Manufacturer

Challenge/Problem/Issue
A quality control supervisor of a globally recognized manufacturer of engineered wood siding was continually experiencing significant damage caused by their forklifts picking up bundles of siding. Unique to the industry, their siding boards are denser and more rigid than traditional strand board siding, however, this rigidness also makes the sharp edge more susceptible to damage when coming in contact with the back of a lift truck. As a result, the supervisor searched for possible solutions.

Solution
Upon investigation, the supervisor learned of a revolutionary forklift bumper system called Fork-Kushions® that had proven to provide impressive damage control. Due to the sharp edge of the siding, it was determined that the “cut-resistant” style with its durable outer surface and it’s shock absorbent center would be the best fit to test against their application.

Customer Value
After 2 weeks of putting the Bumper into service they saw a 30% reduction in Broken Board. There was also a reduction in Siding interlocking with itself when the forklift picked up the tiers of newly milled siding. Although this was not a defect, it did cause safety and ergonomic issues and was greatly reduced by using the bumpers. The only concern they had was that they were going to have to purchase a longer fork for the forklifts to make up for the 1-1/2″ they lost for the bumper and it’s bracket.

After a full 3 months in service, the Fork-Kushions combined with the hydraulic carriage dampers for the fork lifts resulted in about an impressive 60% reduction of in process damaged board.

/ By Kastalon / Glass Manufacturing • Success Stories • Window and Door Manufacturing/ • • / 0 Comments

Fork-Kushions® – Masonite

Challenge/Problem/Issue
Exemplifying manufacturing excellence, one of the a world’s leading manufacturer of interior doors, entry doors, french doors and glass doors felt it important to address the scratches and dents being caused by the forklifts transporting their product throughout the production facility and shipping area. The challenge was to find a process improvement that could realistically and economically prove effective, and increase the volume of quality going out the door.

Solution
Having heard of the new innovative bumper system developed by Kastalon , the plant management enlisted our assistance in matching the right bumper for the application. Kastalon recommended a soft grade Fork-Kushion® to absorb the doors impact while providing a non-scratching, non-marring surface for the doors to rest as the load is shifted back on the forks.

Customer Value
Customer immediately saw a reduction in their damage. The improvement not only saved significant dollars in the time and material used to touch-up and repair the damage, but it also improved the shipment times. Within 30 days, the reduction in damage was so significant that management issued a mandate that all forklift trucks be outfitted with a set of Fork-Kushions.

/ By Kastalon / Steel Mill Industry • Success Stories/ • • / 0 Comments

Expanding Mandrel Sleeves – Titan Steel

Challenge/Problem/Issue –
Titan Steel was not satisfied with the scrap rate they were experiencing on the coil processing lines and wanted to find a way to maximize their output.

As one of the worlds largest distributors of tinmill and an important distributor of steel plate including pressure vessel plate, hot and cold rolled steel, coated steel products including galvanized steel and prepainted steel, efficiency are extremely important.

Solution
Kastalon engineered expanding mandrel sleeves made from specifically formulated Kastalon Polyurethane® with exceptional wear properties and expansion capabilities. The mandrel sleeve not only increased the diameter of the mandrel but significantly reduced the damage and reduced the manpower required for change-outs.

Customer Value
According to the Plant Manager, “Kastalon’s Expanding Mandrel Sleeves virtually paid for themselves the moment we unwound our first coil. With coil prices at a premium, every effort to maximize our output must be made and we look to Kastalon to help design products such as Mandrel Sleeves. An initial investment on our part has optimized our production, giving our customers an excellent finished product while maximizing our operating profits.”

Running 180,000lbs per day, Titan Steel calculated a yield of 50-75 more sheet-per-coil on their blanking line using Kastalon’s Expanded Mandrel Sleeves. At a estimated cost of $2.00 per sheet, that represents a savings of $800-1000 per day, which does not include the huge cost savings in the manpower required to scrap the previously damaged sheets.

/ By Kastalon / Automation Industry • Automotive and Transport Industry • Can Manufacturing Industry • Food, Beverage and Tobacco Industry • Press Releases/ • / 0 Comments

Fork-Kushions® – New muscle takes the Floor

New patent pending Coil Saddle takes safety and stability to a whole new level.

Alsip, IL – Kastalon, Inc. has blended portability and stability to create the Coil Saddle , a revolutionary coil storage device for any application. The deep cradle fits virtually any size coil and takes up minimal floor space. The unique design offers the versatility of using it as a moveable fixture in staging areas or affixed permanently to the storage area floor.

Made of bright safety yellow polyurethane and reinforced steel frames the Coil Saddle surprisingly only weighs 45# and can be easily moved out of the way when not in use, thus avoiding tripping hazards.

With the cost of metal continually increasing, the cost of scrap becomes a greater factor to your profitability. Coil Saddles is your front line weapon in scrap management by protecting surface sensitive metals from floor irregularities and contamination.

Kastalon has been a leader in the design, engineering and manufacturing of high quality, innovative polyurethane parts and products to protect metals. From the time metal is rolled, coated or processed Kastalon roller coverings, mandrel sleeves, filler plates, coil handling pads, fork truck bumpers and coil storage products are in service providing outstanding protection and increasing yields.