AFS Corporate Member TEI (Livonia, Michigan) has been named the winner of the prestigious 2023 AFS/Casting Source Casting of the Year Award. The award recognizes TEI's innovation and excellence in casting technology and design for its aluminum rear rail for the Cadillac CELESTIQ electric vehicle.
The winning casting is a first-of-its-kind component that combines the rail, shock tower, and wheel well into a single casting. The design replaces many stamped components, resulting in considerable savings for the manufacturer. The aluminum rear rail's complex design and contribution to casting market expansion were key factors in it being named the 2023 Casting of the Year.
TEI President Oliver Johnson accepted the award on behalf of the company on April 25 at Metalcasting Congress 2023 in Cleveland. This is the second time TEI has won Casting of the Year.
The selection process for the award involved a panel of experts selected by the American Foundry Society and Casting Source magazine who evaluated entries based on technical achievement, complexity, and contribution to the metalcasting market. In addition to Casting of the Year, six other design awards were presented:
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Newcomer of the Year: K&H Precision Products (Honeoye Falls, New York), aluminum sensor pod
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Best Example of a Casting Conversion: Metal Technologies Inc. (Auburn, Indiana), ductile iron burner box
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Achievement by a Small Business: Morris Bean & Co. (Yellow Springs, Ohio), aluminum ground turbine air inlet
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Best Prototype or Innovation: Virginia Tech - Kroehling Advanced Materials Foundry (Blacksburg, Virginia) and Eck Industries (Manitowoc, Wisconsin), metal-ceramic lattice structure
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Outstanding Achievement: O’Fallon Casting (O’Fallon, Missouri), aluminum engine mount casting
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Outstanding Achievement: Meridian Lightweight Technologies (Strathroy, Ontario, Canada), magnesium alloy rear support bracket
“This year’s incredible Casting of the Year entries perfectly illustrate the skill, creativity, and ingenuity of North America’s metalcasters,” said Casting Source Editor Shannon Wetzel. “We congratulate TEI and our other winners for their excellent castings.”
The American Foundry Society is a dynamic technical and advocacy organization that serves and represents the $46 billion metalcasting industry. AFS is the only association serving the entire industry, including all metals and processes, with a three-part focus on advocacy, education, and innovation. AFS also publishes Modern Casting and Casting Source magazines and presents Metalcasting Congress and CastExpo, the largest metalcasting trade events in North America. Founded in 1896, the organization is based in Schaumburg, Illinois, with an advocacy office in Washington, D.C. More information is available at afsinc.org.