Mankato, MN – October 17-19, 2007

Meeting attendees were treated to a tour of the Dotson Company in Mankato, Minnesota

DOTSON PLANT TOUR

The second Technical and Operating meeting of the year was held on October 17-19, 2007 in Mankato, MN.  The host foundry was Dotson Company located in Mankato.  Thank-you to all the employees at Dotson for the time taken to organize a well planned tour.  The personnel at the Alltel Center and the Hilton Garden Inn did a superb job of keeping things running well and comfortable for all the attendees. 

If you missed this meeting, you missed a tour of a well organized foundry and 9 excellent presentations.  Thank-you goes to Denny Dotson and his staff for assisting with all the arrangements.

Here are some facts about Dotson Foundry,

•       Single location on 100,000 square feet of land

•       Ductile/Gray iron jobbing shop

•       200 Active customer base

•       ISO 9001 Certified

•       137 employees, 90 union, 47 support staff

•       Pour 24 hours per day, 5-6 days per week

•       2-8000#, 1500 KW induction furnaces

•       Sinto FBQ-35 with autopour, Hunter XL, Hunter 20C – all 20X24 flask

•       2 Laempe core machines – L10 and LB25

•       Shakeout via Didion rotary drum – degating via hydraulic wedge

•       Shotblast using 14 cubic foot SST drumblast and 14 cubic foot Wheelabrator

•       Inspection/BHN inline on conveyors

•       Grinding-40% done on 4 Barinder CNC grinders set along the inspection lines, the balance done by a subcontractor on traditional grinders.

At the meeting in Mankato there were 106 members and 11 guests in attendance.

Please watch the DIS Website for more information on our Spring 2008 Annual Meeting in Milwaukee, WI from June 18-20 with a tour of Kohler Industries.

 James Wood

               DIS Executive Director