A 50 YEAR-OLD SHAKEOUT

In early 2018, a aluminum foundry in the United States was looking to purchase a vertical shakeout. Referencing the current General Kinematics shakeout that was running very well at their plant, the foundry was looking for the exact same design. The surprising fact? The vertical shakeout that was running 10 tons per hour at the facility was almost as old as General Kinematics itself.

Designed and installed in 1968, the shakeout was well maintained and still running well. This foundry has witnessed the quality of GK equipment over the course of five decades. With different vibratory units throughout their processes, it is no wonder when they were expanding the foundry, they chose a second GK shakeout in their facility.

General Kinematics takes pride in the critical production equipment that we engineer, manufacture, and ship to facilities around the world with the confidence that our equipment will outlast others on the market. Often lasting 20-30 years in the field, we occasionally see units like this that have withstood over 50 of service in tough working environments.

The GK engineer involved with the new shakeout commented, “We are asked why our equipment is a higher initial cost on some projects when compared to others. This is exactly why.” He explained, “Often customers will spend $80,000 on a unit that runs for two years before needing to be replaced. If you spend $100,000 on a GK unit, that unit will be in place for 20+ years. Of course, you will need to keep up with maintenance as with any piece of equipment; however, we build to last, and this unit is proof of our accomplishments.”

The shakeout is still in use at the facility today with plans for the new unit to be installed later this year. If you are interested in learning more about how GK designs vibratory equipment with this lifespan, give us a call for more details! Follow #GKFoundryRated to see other stories like this.

source: Foundry Planet

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