From engine blocks and cylinder heads to connecting rods and machine components, shell molding is used to make a range of different products. Also known as shell casting, it’s a relatively new molding process with origins dating back to the … Read More

Statistics show steelmakers in the United States produced over 95 million tons of the iron-carbon alloy in 2018 — the industry’s highest level of production in over a decade. Consisting mostly of iron with about 0.03 to 1% carbon, it’s … Read More

While most commonly associated with doors, hinges are used in a wide range of applications, some of which include cabinets, windows, briefcases, gates and storage containers. With their rotating axis, they allow two joined objects to move freely. On a … Read More

Compression molding is a molding process that’s characterized by the use of a heated mold that’s exposed to pressure. Like other molding processes, it involves placing a material, typically plastic or a similar polymer, in a mold cavity. After the … Read More

A lathe is a turning machine used to perform a variety of machining operations, including cutting, knurling, facing and drilling. The workpiece is secured inside the lathe, at which point it’s exposed to a rotating tool bit. As the tool … Read More

Dip molding is a process used to create a layer of plastic, usually polyvinyl chloride (PVC), over a metal object. Whether it’s steel, iron, copper, brass or aluminum, metal has different properties than plastic. Unlike plastic, for example, must metal … Read More

Wall plugs, or what’s more commonly known as wall anchors, are fasteners used to support another fastener like a screw that’s driven into a weak or brittle surface. As the name suggests, they are most commonly used in walls, such … Read More