YSU foundry society pours aluminum parts for engineering class

The Youngstown State University Chapter of the American Foundry Society poured 16 aluminum parts on Oct. 1 for a Mechanical Engineering Technology class project, giving students hands-on experience with the casting process.

Students poured the aluminum into four sand molds at Trumbull Foundry and Alloy. Designed by MET students and 3D-printed at Humtown Products in Boardman, Ohio, each mold produced four parts. The A356 aluminum was heated to 1,350 degrees.

The parts are tools for measuring the bending strain of metals with a strain gauge. Students in MET 2630L, Manufacturing Techniques Lab, will machine the castings. The foundry visit allowed students to see how a design becomes a casting and gain practical experience beyond the classroom.

The AFS chapter is mentored by Brian Vuksanovich. Students involved in the pour were Ely Vuksanovich, Ben Petrick, Zach Ohlin and Kevin Otero. John Carballo teaches the class.