Nov 21 2002
General Motors have decided to invest $80 million into their Saginaw Metal Casting Operation, in Michigan, USA. The investment will be used to renovate part of the plant to accept the installation of a precision sand casting facility.
Research, development and installation of the new equipment is anticipated to begin before the end of 2002.
The plant will be used to produce a new generation of all aluminium engine blocks for passenger cars, sports utility vehicles and trucks. This will require converting their current production at this plant over from iron capabilities.
The precision sand casting technology utilises resin bonded sand that is cured in a solid exterior mould. The process produces excellent dimensional accuracy and allows the use of cast in place iron liners and pressurised aluminium filling.
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