Melling Unlocks the Power of the FBMX
February 18, 2025
Sinto America continues to lead the evolution of the foundry industry with cutting-edge technology and the integration of Industry 4.0 into manufacturing plants across North America. Melling Engineered Aluminum Castings (MEAC) is the latest foundry to directly benefit from Sinto’s innovative solutions by installing the high speed 20×24 FBMX flaskless molding machine, integrated with SINTO SMART FOUNDRY®.
Melling Engineered Aluminum Castings, located in Battle Creek, Michigan, is an engineering driven company, focusing on producing the parts that others cannot. Their mission is to be the leader in complex, heavily cored, thin walled, highly engineered aluminum castings, ranging from ounces to 40 pounds. Today, MEAC is focused on exceeding customer expectations with quality castings delivered on time at a competitive price. This is achieved by utilizing its engineering strengths in product/ process development, equipment/ automation/ controls integration, and maintaining a high value on its business relationships.
Melling’s previous mold machine was a 20×24 FBN Sinto molding machine that had been in operation for over 20 years. In 2020, they began exploring options for replacing this machine. Shane Sovia, Melling’s Engineering Manager, explained, “We were in the market for a new machine and did our research. After looking around, we couldn’t find anything that offered the type of process the FBMX offers.”
Their new FBMX was installed in 2023 and is the first of its kind in North America.
The top and bottom blow of the FBMX differs from other molding machines, such as the FBO, which blow sand in from the side of the flask. Shane noted, “If you have complicated pattern geometries, big impressions, deep draws. Those side blows can be limiting.”
The FBMX also offers aeration technology, allowing for smooth and uniform delivery of the sand. Shane stated, “We were very aware that Sinto is the only provider that has aeration technology. This technology allows us to essentially fluidize the sand, and that allows it to defy gravity even better and then we can fill that mold impression more effectively.”
Additionally, the FBMX provides a high-speed molding rate of up to 163 molds per hour, without coreset. Other features include squeeze pressure balance control to ensure stable molding and prevent pattern distortion, as well as mold height feedback control to reduce sand consumption.
Service and Support was also a critical deciding factor for MEAC in their search for a replacement machine and vendor. With Sinto’s headquarters and manufacturing plant located domestically, in Michigan, Melling has been able to receive the support they desired. Levi Koebbe, a Manufacturing Engineer at MEAC, shared, “The Sinto service team has been very helpful. If they need to contact Japan, we get a response the next morning.”
Melling also purchased SINTO SMART FOUNDRY®, an Industry 4.0 data and analytics cloud platform. Kyle Beyer, MEAC’s Equipment and Automation Engineer, explained, “SINTO SMART FOUNDRY® collects all of the data and allows us to analyze it in one location. This has helped us see a tremendous improvement in the quality of our castings, not only in surface finishing but also in reducing sand inclusion and scrap.”
Levi added, “With SINTO SMART FOUNDRY®, you can see the live movements of the hydraulic cylinders, pressure outputs, voltage outputs, and aeration data for each mold. You can monitor sand compactability for every single mold in every cycle. Being able to track these details in real-time has been invaluable for both production and quality control.”
Since implementing SINTO SMART FOUNDRY®, Melling has been able to identify issues immediately and catch potential problems before they escalate.
Shane added, “Sinto, with their support and innovative technology, has done nothing but bolster our ability to produce highly complex castings.” By embracing these advancements, Melling Engineered Aluminum Castings has enhanced their operational efficiency, precision, and overall production capabilities, setting a new standard for foundries in the industry. Their success story serves as a testament to the power of modern technology in driving growth and improving manufacturing processes.
From the initial stages of the project through installation and startup, the teams at Sinto and MEAC have worked closely together to ensure its success. Ron Hammond, Sinto Regional Sales Manager, commented on the collaboration, saying, “The team at Melling Engineered Aluminum Castings has shown exceptional expertise. They had a clear understanding of their needs when selecting the new advanced automated mold machine, and their foresight is already producing positive results. It’s been a pleasure working with them, and I look forward to continuing our partnership.”
Sinto is grateful for its partnership with Melling and is excited to see the tangible benefits the new equipment has already brought to their foundry. Melling also has a FBO-II, two 455 Barinders and an IDST sand tester. Shane concluded, “Our relationship with Sinto has been strong, and it’s only gotten stronger since the installation of this new machine. It has been a great transaction, and we couldn’t be happier with the machine.”
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