For immediate release
Contact: Thomas Collins, NYSERDA
(518) 862-1090 ext. 3250
Massena, Oct. 4: General Motors (GM), the New York State Energy Research
and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Clarkson University's Center
for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP), and the U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE) announced today the completion of the first phase
of a $1.37 million endeavor to improve the lost-foam casting process
used at the GM Powertrain (GMPT) Massena plant. GM received the first
payment from a $500,000 DOE grant that NYSERDA authored on GM's behalf.
NYSERDA also provided an additional $125,000 in funding for this project.
"Funding for improvements in the lost-foam casting process at
GM's Powertrain plant is evidence of NYSERDA's commitment to high-tech
industrial solutions. Our goal is to improve efficiency, enhance productivity,
and keep industrial jobs in New York State," said NYSERDA President
William M. Flynn. "I commend GM, Clarkson University's CAMP,
and Buffalo Wire Works, as a team, for seeing this project to fruition,"
Flynn said. "It's important to note that NYSERDA is seeing its
earlier development work with Buffalo Wire mature into a product being
applied to this project. The reputation for technological leadership
of the Massena plant, and the security of its current and future workforce,
are furthered by these types of industry-government-academia cooperative
endeavors. These are the results that Governor Pataki seeks to achieve
through energy efficiency, while at the same time improving our economy
and protecting our environment," Flynn said.
"We are pleased that NYSERDA was selected as one of 13 agencies
in the nation to receive DOE funding under its National Industrial
Competitiveness through Energy, Environment, and Economics program
(NICE3)," said Hugh Saussy, Director of DOE's Boston Regional
Office. "The efforts of GM in Massena in demonstrating the commercial
use of energy-efficient and clean production technologies in its industry
have great potential to reduce dependence on foreign oil, improve
the environment, and create more jobs through increased competition
of U.S. manufacturers.
"With support for such initiatives from key officials and community
leaders, the far-reaching benefits of this innovative federal, state,
and industry partnership can help increase awareness and maximize
adoption of energy-efficient technologies across multiple industries,"
Saussy noted.
"We are extremely excited to complete our first phase of this
project," added Ross Johnson, manufacturing engineering manager
at the GMPT Massena plant. "Our team has done an intense search
of available high-tech measurement equipment and is enthused to start
the analytical testing needed to advance the understanding of the
coating parameters and the role each one plays in improving casting
quality."
Through NYSERDA's funding, and Clarkson's CAMP process development,
Buffalo Wire Works was able to launch a start-up company, VisionWorks
LLC. "We are pleased this new optical analysis technology is
assisting GMPT to realize their goals of casting quality and efficiency,"
said Buffalo Wire Works president Joseph Abramo.
Technology innovator, Dr. Dayakar Penumadu, and technology commercialization
specialist, Erich Steadman, are working extensively with GMPT Massena
plant to continue the evolution of the VisionSizer unit to meet the
goals set by NYSERDA and General Motors.
State legislators also praised the teamwork. "Attracting substantial
federal funding to match our New York funds offers us the chance to
show our North Country innovation, technology and skills. With much
of this coming from our own Clarkson University, this is truly a North
Country project that holds great promise for GM and the people of
St. Lawrence County," said Sen. Raymond A. Meier.
"The future of GM's Powertrain plant in Massena is brightened
by this project. NYSERDA, DOE, and Clarkson are teaming to produce
very positive trends for our Northern New York Region, and we appreciate
this progress," said Assemblyman Chris Ortloff.
The New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research
(NYSTAR) provides major annual funding to CAMP. In addition, NYSTAR
provided an $81,000 technology transfer grant to Clarkson University
to enable it to partner with Buffalo Wire Works to develop the prototype
for the optical analysis technology being used in the lost-foam casting
process.
Russell W. Bessette, M.D., Executive Director of NYSTAR, said, "When
Governor Pataki announced the funding for the development of Buffalo
Wire Works prototype project, he did so in full realization of the
economic potential the technology could offer manufacturers. The development
of a process to automatically analyze the particle size of materials
is a significant manufacturing advancement, and it signals the success
of the Governor's efforts to enable the creation of new technologies
to build the economy of Upstate New York."
Lost-foam casting involves the use of polystyrene foam, similar to
the kind used to make coffee cups. The foam is used to make a molded
pattern in the shape of the part to be cast. In the case of GM's Massena
plant, the foam is used to make engine block and cylinder head castings.
The process includes the placement of the foam mold into a box of
compacted sand. Molten metal is added, and the heat of the metal vaporizes
the foam. Once cooled, the metal takes the shape of the mold. This
process uses 25% less energy than the traditional casting technique,
and also requires less metal.
Since the patterns or molds can be designed in very complex shapes,
the high-tech process used in Massena eliminates many of the downstream
finishing steps at the machining plants, which saves additional energy
and natural resources.
Today's initial $192,000 payment to the partnership marks the achievement
of the first milestone involving the acquisition of sophisticated
measuring equipment used to check the quality of both the coating
applied to the molds and the sand packed around the coated patterns.
A portion of the equipment was developed by Buffalo Wire, who received
funding through NYSERDA to lend its expertise to this project.
NYSERDA worked with General Motors and Clarkson University's CAMP
team to author a highly competitive grant proposal to the DOE National
Industrial Competitiveness through the Energy, Environment and Economics
(NICE3) Program. The NICE3 Program provides funds for key improvements
in industrial process energy efficiency. Specifically, the GM/CAMP
project will improve the lost-foam casting process through the use
of in-process controls resulting in higher quality, lower scrap rates,
and a reduction of aluminum re-melting.
Since 1998, NYSERDA has funded 49 projects totaling $1.08 million
in St. Lawrence County. Total value of these projects, including the
co-funding of partners, amounts to more than $3.57 million. The projects
range from energy-efficiency upgrades for local dairy farm equipment,
to public facility improvements for area schools and hospitals, to
efficiency assessments of fuel cell operations in remote areas. Detailed
information may be obtained at www.nyserda.org.
NYSERDA, a public-benefit corporation, helps develop new energy and
environmental programs and products, including the New York Energy
Smart program. NYSERDA's funding comes from the State's investor-owned
utilities, voluntary contributions from the New York Power Authority,
Long Island Power Authority, and limited NYSERDA funds.
Clarkson University, founded in 1896, is an independent technological
university in Potsdam, New York, offering majors in the sciences,
engineering, liberal arts, health sciences and business. At Clarkson,
2,700 undergraduates and 350 graduate students learn in an academically
rigorous, collaborative culture that emphasizes hands-on team projects
and real-world multidisciplinary challenges. Clarkson's Center for
Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP) is dedicated to developing research
and educational programs in high-technology materials processing,
and to transferring newly developed technologies to business and industry.
General Motors (NYSE: GM), the world's largest vehicle manufacturer,
designs, builds and markets cars and trucks worldwide, and has been
the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM employs about 355,000
people around the world. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.
VisionWorks, a western New York based company, continues to work
with NYSERDA and Clarkson University's CAMP to offer alternatives
to traditional testing methods and change the industry as a whole
to more efficient computerized methods.
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