SMI Leads the Way in Cost-Effective Contract Manufacturing of Precision Castings


Sensible Metals Inc. (SMI) is a single-source contract manufacturer of precision investment castings and sand castings from ounces to 500 pounds in many different ferrous and non-ferrous alloys.

Using our extensive engineering and process development experience, we identify and utilize the best materials and production methods to produce the quality components you need.

We can meet your most demanding applications from short runs to high volume production which require immediate delivery of JIT components with using methods such as KANBAN systems or blanket order systems in which we would warehouse products in our Chicago, IL facility.

Products & Services

Precision Investment Casting

> Casting Weight : Ounces to 110 pounds

> Steel & Stainless Steel

> Aluminum and more...

Sand Casting

> Casting Weight : Ounces to 500 pounds

> Cast Iron, Ductile Iron

> Stainless Steel

Foundry Raw Materials

We stock and sell the following alloys.

> FerroSilicon (FeSi 72%) 

> Ferromolybdenum FeMo

Value Added Services

> Plating & Coating
> Heat Treatment
> Finishing
> Machining
> Welding
> Assembly
> Packaging
> Warehousing

Case Study

Cost Saving solution by converting Metal Fabrication to Casting

As it is know, sheet metal fabrication limits the designer to the relatively small number of alloys that are available as sheets, bolts and filler metal. Also lead times to obtain special sheet or tube alloys or dimensions can be long and expensive. Such designs call for assembling metal sheets by riveting, bolting, soldering, brazing or welding. Therefore, they are often inherently restrictive, complicated and costly, issues that casting can address effectively.

At Sensible Metals, we believe innovation is more than just a trendy word. It means consistently striving to create innovative processes, products and solutions for our customers. As we both manufacture castings and fabricated components, we have advantage to offer our customers with other cost effective production methods available for them. In this case we had opportunity to provide them our new designed casting solution with shorter lead time and reduced cost.

The new design and process yielded a better, lower cost (as much as 40% reduced piece part costs depending on production volume) part with more alloy flexibility

Unlike sheet metal fabrication techniques, SMI Casting methods combined with our re-engineering and design expertise can:

> Produce thin walled parts that are not subject to such design compromises and restrictions
> Be designed to almost any shape and form
> Be of uniform chemical composition and have no weak joints
> Be faster to produce
> Be more cost effective
> Provide longer service life
> Yield higher integrity
> Be more aesthetically pleasing

You can trust SMI to approach your project with one goal in mind: Helping you get the highest part performance possible at the lowest cost possible when you need it.

Industry Links

The American Foundry Society, Inc., is the leading U.S.-based metal casting society, and assists member companies and individuals to effectively manage all production operations, profitably market their products and services and equitably manage their employees.

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is the world's leading professional society for advancing manufacturing for knowledge, influencing more than half a million manufacturing practitioners annually.

The NAM’s mission is to advocate the competitiveness of manufacturers by shaping a legislative and regulatory environment conducive to U.S. economic growth and to increase understanding among policymakers, the media and the general public about the vital role of manufacturing in America’s economic and national security for the present and future.

The Investment Casting Institute is a nonprofit corporation whose purpose is to promote quality standards, collect and disseminate information about the industry and provide industry education opportunities to members.

Contacts

SMI Sensible Metals Inc.

Address

5659 W Taylor St Chicago IL 60644

Location

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