HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1991-05-29, Page 5RA/is/NE is
Mold reconditioning an explosive business in Huron Park
Times -Advocate, May 29,1991
BisA&,LeRay
�HURON
41F\\'PARK - Sci-
entists say that
the formation of
the universe
G was caused
by the big
bang. Whether or not it's
true may never be known, but
there is one thing that is certain.
Huron Park's big bang has created
an explosive business in more
ways than one.
Accumold, native to the area
since 1978, is a subsidiary of Con -
cast Canada. The modest crew of
20 manufactures and reconditions
copper molds for continuous billet
casting machines. They do what?
You thought they made fibreglass
hulls for boats, didn't you?
Steel companies pour liquid
steel through the molds and, as
water cools 1t, the mold forms the
steel into its required shape.
When the molds become worn,
they are returned to Accumold for
reconditioning, with the help of a
few explosives.
Donald Lorento is the plant's
general manager, but acts in all
facets of the company's operation;
on this occasion, tour guide.
"You have to be acquainted with
everything," laughed Lorento.
Following a preliminary inspec-
tion to determine whether or not a
mold is worth salvaging, it is
placed in a bath of hydrochloric
acid to remove the inner lining of
chrome. It then goes through a
process called tumbling. The mold
is filled with steel nuts, sealed and
placed on a machine which slowly
rolls it along its longitudinal axis.
This effectively shot peens the in-
side, hardens the copper and re-
moves 90 percent of the defects.
Defects which are not removed
are then hand sanded or ground out.
The mold is returned to the tum-
blers where this time it is filled
with stone and, believe it or not,
Palmolive detergent which cleans
and polishes the mold.
Workers carefully inspect the
piece for shallow depressions
which are now visible, and mark
OPP report
two accidents
out various areas where explosi0e The explosive strips are arranged
charges can be laid to correct the in such a way that when detonated,
problem. The mold is fitted over a the copper is rolled over the arbor
steel arbor which has been ma- by the force of the blast. The ex-
chined to exact specifications of the plosion happens so fast that even
conticaster from whence it came. the water is fooled. Instead of act-.
The mold then travels to the ex- ing as aliquid, the water behaves as
plosives building where the proper a solid and the high pressure creat -
charges are put in place and, after ed helps to crush the copper to the
being immersed into a large tank of shape of the arbor. It causes the
water, the object is detonated. ground -out hollows to be pressed
Accumold uses adhesive strips of flat.
PETN explosive or DATA sheet "It's not really an explosion at
made by Dupont, which is the same all," said Lorento. "It's an implo-
explosive used by the US Army. In sion because the steel macer is
fact, Lorento has at times run short forced to collapse."
of the commodity due to the needs The mold is taken from the tank
of the army. and returned to the plant for further
"Three times I've almost run out inspection. Should any flaws re -
because the army wanted it," said main, Lorento says the mold is put
Lorento. "Especially during the throuh the entire process once
Persian Gulf when they were using again. Should the mold be
perfect
it to remove mines." it is sent to be elecroplated and re -
chromed on the inside, before being
sandblasted and returned to its
owner.
Accumold currently supplies
molds to mills all over North Amer-
ica, mostly in the US, but they also
supply molds to other parts of the
world including Europe and Asia.
Currendy, the company is mak-
mg changes within itself to become
more self-sufficient. Accumold
used to ship the molds to one of
two Hamilton electroplating shops
to have the old chrome removed,
but now it is done in-house. Like-
wise, they purchased their own
milling machine for manufacturing
arbors.
Lorento is very pleased with the
company's progress from both a fi-
nancial and technological stand-
point. Last year, Accumold did
over three million dollars worth of
business and in addition, has im-
proved molds to last more than
twice as long.
EXETER - The Exeter detach-
ment of the Ontario Provincial Po-
lice investigated tworaccidents this„)
week.
On Sunday, a vehicle driven" by
Wayne O'Brien of Centralia was
involved in a collision with a
parked vehicle on County road
#21, Huron Park. No injuries
were sustained and damage was
light to both vehicles.
On Tuesday, vehicles operated by
Julia O'Rourke of Dashwood and
Kenneth Larmer of Parkhill collid-
ed on County road #2 south of
Dashwood. Damages were listed
as moderate and there were no inju-
ries.
Over the past week, 76 charges
were laid by the Exeter OPP and 63
occurrences were investigated.
Building starts
slightly behind
The molds are now made thicker
and can better withstand the affects
of the thermal distortion. A hander
copper is also used to increase re-
sistance to abrasion.
Because the molds are so much
better, customers don't return than
for repair as often. But this doesn't
worry • Lorento, because although
Accumold makes fewer repairs for
existing�iclients, they are steadily
aqui g new ones.
recession doesn't seem to
have bothered Accumold either.
Perhaps it's due partly to the atti-
tude visible between employees
and management alike, and to the
philosophy put forward by Lorento
�hii"Youlcan't be like some places
and just give up, say there's a reces-
sion and lay off all your employ-
ees," said Lorento. "You're paid to
do something."
He said the key is to keep your
employees busy and so long as you
are able to do that, everyone is hap-
py. He agrees it may take some
cultivating, but it's worthwhile.
In Lorento's case it's meant trav-
elling right across the globe to open
new markets. And he's been suc-
cessful. Accumold is one of the
few companies in the area not to
have had layoffs, and Lorento says
sales are in step with last year's.
"When you've got a good prod-
uct, people want it."
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Refreshments served
Risky business - Steve Towle wraps explosives around a continuous
billet casting machine mold which will be lowered Into a tank of wa-
ter for detonation.
EXETER - If it is any indicator
of the state of the local economy,
then Exeter's building statistics
show the town is holding its own
these past few months.
While the building rate is still be-
hind in month -by -month compari-
son with 1990's record year that
showed $8.2 million wonh of con-
struction in town, the $1.8 million
recorded as of the end of April is
still only slightly off last year's
pace, even though the first month
of 1991 was far behind the year be-
fore.
Building official Dave Moyer
said his analysis of the statistics is
inconclusive, but "we're relatively
stable for the state everyone says
the economy's in".
However, Moyer notes that while
Exeter did see a surge in construc-
tion in the boom years of the mid
and late 1980s, it was still not as
dramatic as the large urban centres.
"As a result, the decline in con-
struction will not be as great," said
Moyer. "I think what you will see
is figures close to last year."
Moyer said this year has seen a
steady interest in new housing
starts, but said commercial devel-
opment is slower. Retail develop-
ment is definitely in the doldrums,
explained Moyer, especially since
there is already a surplus of empty
storefronts on Exeter's Main Street.
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