It's March - Time to Talk Brackets!
March is the time of year where everyone is talking brackets, and that includes Superior Aluminum (and a special guest)!
Every year when the calendar turns to March, talk of brackets, basketball, and the upcoming spring building season proliferate through the Superior offices. In the spirit of the March bracket recently released with “madness” about to ensue, a discussion regarding the bracket seems to be in order.
NOPE, NOT THAT BRACKET
There are plenty of places on the internet discussing this bracket:
Instead, we are going to focus on the brackets that hold high importance in the railing game, specifically the ones built at our sister company Francis Manufacturing Company. Through their sand-casting process, FMC manufactures some of the highest quality brackets and other castings in the industry.
In order to do that discussion proper justice, we have Mary Jo High, a Francis Manufacturing Company administrator, here to assist us. Take it away Mary Jo!
BALL'S IN MY COURT
Thanks, Dustin! Bracket castings are just one of the many different castings that we make for Superior Aluminum Products. From column bases to decorative caps, plates, bases, swivel joints, fittings, and adaptors, we do our very best to give Superior the quality castings they deserve.
Creating castings is a highly involved process that can best be described by watching our video. A mold is created using customer-owned tooling. Depending upon the size of the casting, there may be 1 impression on a “matchplate”, or several impressions. Each impression will be a casting.
A typical Francis Mold
If a void or “hole” is needed in the casting, a core is used to create the void in order for the aluminum to flow around the core to create the casting. During the cleanup process, castings are separated, cores are knocked out, and then castings are ground and finished.
Secondary operations may be required such as powder coating, machining, anodizing, heat treating, and polishing to create the final finished product.
Francis mold with core
We are pleased to “assist” by acting as a supplier to help build the high-quality railings at Superior Aluminum. In fact, our “home court advantage” is being located right across the road! Whether it is brackets, fittings, housings, or bases, we think we can be your teammate too! Contact us for your casting needs today! Now I will pass it back to Dustin!
Thanks for that Mary Jo! Everything discussed here is merely scratching the surface of the capabilities of the Superior-Francis partnership. As a fully custom aluminum railing manufacturer, we are constantly working to develop new product designs. There is no limit to accessorizing your railing, as our partners at Francis Manufacturing will design custom inserts, crests, or logos for your project. So, after you finish filling out that tournament bracket, feel free to contact us and let us know how we can help you. Alternatively, if you are ready to take the next step, check out our new railing quote tool to submit your project for a quote right away!
FURTHER READING
Understanding 20 Common Aluminum Railing Terms
The Big Game Without Manufacturing
