Groups

Any SFSA member can participate in any groups that they feel they might benefit from or be able to contribute to.

Heavy Section Product Group

This group concentrates on the challenges related to production of heavy section or thick-walled steel castings. Manufacturing castings with large cross-sections creates several unique challenges compared to general steel castings. Heavy section castings may require special handling, have special concerns in metallurgy such as segregation effects, use specialty sands for molding, or require different heat treatment practices. The group meets once a year to discuss issues and opportunities specific to the production of heavy section steel casting.

Future Leaders

Realizing that one of the greatest challenges facing our industry is preparing the next generation to take over the reins, SFSA held its inaugural Future Leaders Group meeting in 2008. The Future Leaders group helps prepare foundry personnel for greater responsibilities and ensure that steel casting generational knowledge is transitioned to the next floor supervisor, general manager, COO, engineer, metallurgist or VP of Technology. The group is intended for people that are new to the steel foundry industry with potential to aspire to greater responsibilities within the foundry. The Future Leaders meet twice a year with meetings typically providing four distinct benefits. One, an opportunity to network with peers to develop life-long partnerships and promote the value they bring back to their foundry. Two, a mini-seminar that typically focuses on understanding basic concepts and the history of how we have this understanding today. Three, an opportunity to learn from our industry’s subject matter experts. Four, a tour of a steel foundry, which provides enormous value as many people new to the industry have only seen the four walls of the foundry they work at.

Safety & Human Resources

This group works to promote best practices in the areas of steel foundry safety and Human Resources, and organizes a program of meetings each year covering subjects and regulatory issues relevant to safety, worker health, and employment management.