Materials Performance

AUG 2017

Materials Performance is the world's most widely circulated magazine dedicated to corrosion prevention and control. MP provides information about the latest corrosion control technologies and practical applications for every industry and environment.

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70 AUGUST 2017 MATERIALS PERFORMANCE NACE INTERNATIONAL: VOL. 56, NO. 8 NACE NEWS Western Area San Francisco Section Members Tour Brass and Iron Foundry NACE San Francisco Section members attending the AB&I; Foundry tour. T hirty members of the NACE San Francisco Section attended a tour of the AB&I; Foundry on March 13, 2017. AB&I; Foundry is a cornerstone indus- try in Oakland, California, having been es- tablished shortly after the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake by Swiss Italian im- migrant Joseph Boscacci to provide brass and iron castings for the renovation of San Francisco. Boscacci had previously worked in a San Francisco foundry, but had also es- tablished a family-operated foundry in Oak- land that became his focus after the 1906 earthquake. In the 1920s, Boscacci's sons Arnold and Eugene formed the Boscacci Brothers Foundry and expanded the largely ornamental product line to window sash weights and stovetops. With the post- World War II housing boom, the Boscaccis expanded their product line to cast iron soil pipe and fittings, and renamed the com- pany AB&I; for American Brass & Iron. In 2006, AB&I; became part of McWane Plumbing Group, a subsidiary of McWane, Inc., one of the largest iron works and plumbing manufacturers in America. AB&I; Foundry is dedicated to the Oakland com- munity. The Foundry gives donations to Oakland schools, provides a training facility for first responders, and has melted over 50,000 weapons from the community to im- prove public safety. AB&I; focuses on being an industry leader, being environmentally sensitive, and investing in its workforce. The facility tour showcased AB&I;'s manufacturing process. AB&I; is a major iron recycler in the San Francisco Bay Area. The iron scrap is carefully inspected before it is sent to a cupola melting fur- nace to provide molten metal for the pipes, fittings, and specialty castings. The molten metal from the cupola is sent to a holding furnace that dispenses it to two DISA casting machines that feed numer- ous molds. Centrifugal spin casting machines are used to manufacture pipe. Specialty castings, fittings, and pipe are cleaned, coated as required, and trans- ported to product storage or shipping bays. These procedures are standard industry practice. However, AB&I; Foundry distinguishes itself by focusing on recy- cling metal, adhering to environmentally sound practices, and investing in employee development. AB&I; staunchly supports a diversified workforce, and takes pride in its Oakland roots. AB&I; is also dedicated to its role as a foundry industry leader, constantly adjusting to customer needs by embracing the technology required to improve process efficiency, product quality, and consumer satisfaction. The tour was preceded by an introduc- tion and presentation summarizing the history and evolution of the foundry. The plant tour took the group to the scrap screening process, the cupola melting fur- nace, the holding furnace, the pipe centrif- ugal casting station, the mold and core fabrication shops, and the DISA specialty casting machine. Post-casting vibration cleaning stations, dip coating vats, metal chemistry and testing laboratories, order packaging, and the product storage and shipping yards were also visited. AB&I; staff entertained questions from the group after the tour, followed by a lunch hosted by the NACE San Francisco Section. The NACE San Francisco Section sin- cerely appreciates the staff at AB&I; Foundry for organizing and conducting the tour of their facility. Special thanks go to Gary Wickham, senior sales manager ; Dave Robinson, vice president engineer- ing; and Carlos Gonzales, project engineer, for taking time from their busy schedules to escort the group through the foundry, for describing the plant manufacturing processes, and for showcasing AB&I;'s strong commitment to the Oakland community. The San Francisco Section acknowl- edges Section Chair Mongkol Mahavong - trakul for arranging the tour with AB&I; personnel and providing the lunch, Sec- tion Editor Patrick Byrne for preparing and distributing the tour flyer and regis- tration form, and Section Secretary Michelle Anderson and Treasurer Larry Wong for handling the registration and tour fees. (—Dan Day)

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