Sheffield Forgemasters and Newby Foundries Forge Knowledge Exchange Through Reciprocal Visits

In a spirit of collaboration and knowledge sharing, Sheffield Forgemasters’ foundry team has undertaken a series of exchange visits with Newby Foundries Ltd, based in the West Midlands. The initiative has provided a unique opportunity for both companies to explore and compare vastly different casting techniques, from ultra-large bespoke components to high-volume, smaller-scale production.

Earlier this year, a delegation from Newby Foundries visited Sheffield Forgemasters’ Brightside Lane Foundry to observe the intricate processes involved in casting components weighing over 350 tonnes. In return, Sheffield Forgemasters’ team, including apprentices, shopfloor operators, and technical staff, visited Newby’s facilities to gain insights into their methods of producing thousands of repeat, smaller castings.

The reciprocal visits allowed both teams to identify potential technologies and processes that could be transferable, despite the contrasting scales of production.

Paul Ashcroft, Operations Lead (Foundry) at Sheffield Forgemasters, said:
“The initiative to host exchange visits with Newby Foundries was a great way to see the different processes that can be adopted for the manufacture of castings in vastly different sizes. We took a team to Birmingham including apprentices, shopfloor, and technical staff to look at how Newby manufactures thousands of repeat, smaller castings, as opposed to the low-volume, bespoke work we carry out at Sheffield Forgemasters.”

Paul highlighted several innovative technologies at Newby’s facilities, including core shooters, 3D sand printing, automated fettling, co-ordinated measuring machines, and moulding track systems. While these technologies are currently tailored for smaller-scale production, Sheffield Forgemasters is keen to assess how some of these innovations could eventually be adapted for large-scale manufacturing.

Newby Foundries specialises in iron and steel sand casting, rapid prototyping, and investment casting, with production volumes and methods that contrast starkly with Sheffield Forgemasters’ large-scale, heavy engineering focus.

Mark Duncombe, Metallurgist at Newby Foundries, reflected on the exchange:
“The difference in scale between Sheffield Forgemasters and Newby Foundries manufacturing is vast, and it was great for us to see how that scale of casting is managed. All of our team have worked with parts that can probably reach 40 to 50kg each, and for us, that would be classed as a ‘big job’. We were all in awe at the sheer size of the parts Sheffield Forgemasters produces.”

The exchange visits mark a valuable collaboration between two companies at opposite ends of the casting spectrum, fostering mutual learning and potential innovation opportunities.