Tiny particles may make huge difference at Eck Industries

Manitowoc foundry part of federal nanocomposites project

By Chalire Mathews, Herald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — An iPod Nano easily fits in one's hand and has helped dramatically transform how one listens to music.

The silicon carbide particles put into nanocomposite castings at Eck Industries are far smaller — impossible to see with the naked eye — and may be just as revolutionary.

"We're putting 30-nanometer particles in aluminum," said David Weiss, vice-president of sales and engineering at the foundry, 1602 N. Eighth St., founded in 1948.

A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter (39 inches) so these particles are incredibly small — tinier than a cold virus particle, Weiss said.

But when part of different aluminum alloys, the silicon carbide nanoparticles may help create castings with the potential of twice the strength at half the weight.

That can translate into huge cost savings if the casted part is, for example, part of a diesel engine that may be in a mass transit bus or a military tank or other vehicle.

"To get a gallon of fuel into the back country of Afghanistan may cost $400," Weiss said. The more fuel-efficient the vehicle — with lighter weight a major contributing factor — the lower "delivered fuel cost in war theater."

Eck Industries is part of a federally funded project team titled, "Transformational Casting Technology for Fabrication of Ultra-High Performance Lightweight Aluminum and Magnesium Nanocomposites."

In a university news release, Madison professor Xiaochun Li, said, "If successful, the commercial-scale production of these metal nanocomposites will enable transformative changes in multiple industries.

"(Nanocomposite technology) will directly address the critical national needs of reducing oil dependency, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and maintaining U.S. leadership in manufacturing," Li said.

'Think outside of the box'

Tyler Eck, is the fourth-generation in the privately owned family business begun by G.E. William, then run by Robert W., with Phil, 59, the current president.

"It has been exciting times, especially to see the transition of the company over the past 35 years," Phil Eck said. "Future challenges will be even greater."

Tyler Eck graduated from Marquette University five years ago with an industrial engineering management degree.

He is spearheading energy reduction efforts in the foundry, with Eck Industries a federal Energy Star partner and a participant in initiatives undertaken in conjunction with the American Foundry Society.

In addition to the experience and expertise of foundry production workers, Tyler Eck said it is critical for the company's engineers to "think outside of the box. Nothing here is cut and dry."

"The foundry or cast metals business has been described as a 'mature' industry but these new technologies gave us a different outlook," said Tom Gass, vice president of materials-purchasing and one of a few key nonfamily employees with minority equity.

Gass said foundries not on the cutting edge that don't have distinctive strengths risk extinction when confronted by manufacturing projects that may go overseas to China with cheaper labor and state government subsidies.

"Our competitive edge is the ability to pour alloys the average founder cannot do or has difficulty with," Weiss said.

Phil Eck said the company also has stressed customer diversification to reduce risk if a major account goes elsewhere.

Eck Industries continues to cast motor mounts for Harley-Davidson's Sportster model but the Wisconsin motorcycle manufacturer no longer represents the majority of the foundry's revenue.

The foundry markets its capabilities through face-to-face meetings with prospective customers by staff engineers or manufacturers representatives, its Web site, and participation in American Foundry Society conferences where they can talk about Eck Industries' capabilities.

"The key to our future success will be continual investment in the best technology and innovation on the materials front, like nanocomposites," he said.

"We're part of a number of programs looking to enhance the mechanical properties of aluminum alloys," Weiss said.

Advancements in mold and core making as well as even more sophisticated computer aided design will be crucial.

Weiss said Eck Industries works with customers' design engineers to develop the proper way to manufacture a casting in the most cost-efficient way that will meet increasingly tight specifications.

Gass said Eck Industries benefits from having several excellent, local machine shops including Manitowoc Tool & Machining, Stecker Machine, and Manitowoc Pattern that may punch, bore and do other tasks necessary to complete the casted part prior to delivery. Classic Coatings can powder paint.

"These partners are our outside manufacturing cell group and we can draw on ea ch other's expertise," Gass said.

But the casting comes first and Weiss believes the nanocomposite technology may have eventual application in heavy-duty trucks and automobiles, possibly taking a couple hundred pounds out of the vehicle's weight.

"As we transition to electric vehicles, with heavy battery packs, we'd like to get equivalent weight out of the structure," Weiss said.

It may be many decades before any electric vehicle can race around a NASCAR stock car track at more than 200 mph.

Eck Industries will continue to produce aluminum casting that are part of intake manifolds, oil pump components, cylinder heads and clutch housings in the cars set to race at Daytona next Sunday.

"I am very proud of the family and how far (the foundry) has come," Kiley Eck Hayon, administrative manager and daughter of Phil.

top of page