In March 2013, representatives from MAGMA Foundry Technologies used the Foundry in a Box, donated by AFS, to teach the Racine, WI Sea Scouts, Ship 5750, about metalcasting. Sea Scouting is a division of the Boy Scouts of America for young men and women between 14 and 21 years old.
The group focuses on developing future leaders through maritime skills, both on and off the water. The Scouts devote their summer activities to sailing; in winter, activities include learning manufacturing skills needed to produce useful items. Projects have included land sailing vessels, a pig roaster, and rebuilding engines for use in boats.
Introducing Metalworking Skills
During this past winter, the Scouts focused on developing their metalworking skills by making wind vanes using welding, grinding, machining, and plasma cutting technologies. This project created excitement about metalworking and a great opportunity to expose young people to metalcasting technology, where Magma is a leader in casting simulation and process optimization for foundries worldwide.
The March meeting kicked off with a short presentation about metalcasting and how this 6,000-year-old process relates to products the Scouts use every day. The Scouts then got started with a hands-on project, with each Scout creating a mold, melting the metal, pouring the casting, and cleaning the castings.
Some Scouts used the standard patterns that came with the Foundry in a Box, while others were more adventurous and tried making their own patterns, including sea shells. A final presentation tied this age-old process with today’s advanced casting process simulation technology to show what occurred inside the mold during the making of the Liberty Bell casting.
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