A major packaging equipment manufacturer had a product line in production for over four years, but when their existing supplier began falling short on quality and delivery, they turned to us to get things back on track.

Already known for our customer responsiveness and technical expertise in permanent mold and low pressure aluminum casting, our team was approached to assess whether we could help them save their product launch, meet deadlines and project objectives and solve the costly production issues. 

Aluminum castings were a critical component of the new product line and without dependable supply of parts and the quality needed for product performance the product launch was at risk of missing major targets. The customer needed a supplier to embrace the product launch performance as if it was their own. With a business relationship built over 40 years together, they knew who to call when it mattered most: Ramsden.

---

How Ramsden Stepped In

– Listening to understand.  

Our team quickly evaluated the customer needs and existing challenges. With both quality issues, delivery delays, and a lack of a sense of priority, the customer was starved of the critical parts required. The next generation product offering was at significant risk of meeting delivery timelines and performance expectations. The supply chain problems threatened both the customers internal targets and its reputation with end users. 

– Shortened delivery window

Under significant time pressure, our team worked closely with the customer and Ramsden’s supply chain to understand both the product needs and the speed to market demands. To meet the aggressive deadlines the team relied both on its decades of foundry expertise and technology to compress timelines and deliver a superior product.

Casting process simulation and 3D printed prototypes served to minimize delays and quality issues throughout the supply chain. Our dedicated in-house tooling capabilities allowed us to prioritize the project based on the customers’ urgency. With significant pitfalls avoided through   and overnight prototyping, all levels of the supply chain were able to accelerate pre-production activities.

Within 6 weeks, we were able to deliver a production tool capable of producing premium quality parts. The strength of our relationships with our customer and our suppliers allowed for efficient communication and integration of multiple production processes when parts were realized. 

– Smarter Process Selection for long term success

A key part of casting production is process selection, and often, the geometry of a part will dictate the optimal manufacturing method. At Ramsden, we offer a full range of casting options and match each part to the process that will optimize its success in the field. For this customer’s technically complex grid casting, low pressure casting proved ideal due to the part’s deep draw and heavy base. This method allowed for controlled metal flow, minimal turbulence, and consistent mold filling; all essential for ensuring internal soundness and surface finish. Process flexibility is foundational to our approach, and by applying simulation tools during early stages, we could validate our process recommendations before tooling was even complete. The plate casting, which required optimal flow and air evacuation, was a better fit for tilt pour. But it was the low pressure casting of the grid that enabled repeatable quality, which helped our customer recover from prior supplier failures and successfully launch their product line. 

– Combining expertise and technology for speed and accuracy

Bringing innovative parts to life in a foundry setting demands not only advanced technology, but the ability to apply it with precision on the plant floor. That’s where our decades of experience come into play. When the customer approached us with an urgent need to replace a failing supplier for their technically challenging grid casting, we responded by building the low pressure tool in approximately four weeks and, within 12 weeks from PO to shipment, had cast, machined, and delivered high-quality parts to their downstream coating partner. Our in-house simulation capabilities helped us identify flaws in the previous supplier’s tilt pour method, enabling us to optimize fill, reduce air entrapment, and eliminate excessive scrap rates. Our team includes hands-on experts at every level, and our organizational structure is designed to accelerate communication and decision-making. By integrating casting simulation with real-world plant execution, and by collaborating closely with external machining and coating partners, we delivered best-in-class results on an expedited timeline. The customer called these “the best grid castings we’ve ever seen” – a testament not just to our tools and technology, but to the people who know how to use them.

Your in-house foundry department

Customer focus is a way of being at Ramsden. We strive for partnerships that will endure. In doing so, our goal is to integrate seamlessly with customers so that we operate as if we are an extension of their business. This allows us to gather information, problem solve, and take action to support our customers’ success seamlessly.

Over decades we have built supply chain relationships to provide a complete solution and act as an arm of our customers’ organizations. From design, tooling development, casting operations, machining and coating, the whole system worked to deliver products on time to our customer to ensure a successful new product launch. It worked because Ramsden owned the success of the project as if it was our own.

The Impact

Instead of struggling through a supply chain failure at a critical time, the customer secured a higher quality sustainable process, with a faster turnaround, for critical aluminum components. With Ramsden, the customer secured a true partner.

As the OEM manager put it:

“These are the best grid castings we’ve ever seen.”

Smarter Casting Starts Here

When the stakes are high, you need a partner who can think faster, solve better, and execute smarter. At Ramsden, we bring decades of experience and expertise, cutting-edge simulation tools, and unmatched operational focus to every project, delivering aluminum castings designed for performance, reliability, and business success.

Have a project that would benefit from performance improvement with a dedicated team? Let’s start the conversation.