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astings over about 40 pounds have historically been ground manually in a booth. This was a slow, labor-intensive process using organic grinding wheels and pneumatic tools. This work was typically performed by a relatively young male crew. We’ve had as many as eight grinding booths available running two shifts.
Today, Benton Foundry operates six Vulcan Foxall robotic grinding cells. Inside of each cell is an ABB robot with a high-speed spindle using diamond abrasives. The units have an automatic tool change feature, similar to a CNC machining center. The spindles are equipped with “Force Control” which monitors the force on the spindle, allowing the robot to be programmed to run faster and helps to protect the robot from mechanical abuse. The results have been a grinding process that is faster, more consistent and we’ve experienced lower abrasive costs. With the closed capture ventilation and material handling equipment available, we also have a quieter, cleaner and less labor intensive work environment. Operator fatigue is decreased, safety has increased and fewer personnel are required. The work is now more suitable for both men and women of all ages and builds.
Benton Foundry personnel have attended ABB school and perform all of the programming, fixture building and generally perform all of the maintenance on these units.
For our fiscal year ending 03/31/2020, nearly 60% of all product shipped was robotically ground.
As we continue the modernization of our grinding room, the goal is to robotically grind 75% of all product shipped. This will include additional robotic grinding cells and trim dies for the smaller, higher volume parts.
Travel – In February, the U.S. State Department issued a Global Level 4 Health Advisory – its most dire warning – that it summarized in three words: “Do Not Travel.” Passing through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints a day later were 146,348 fliers, 93% fewer than the same date a year earlier.
The coronavirus has grounded even the most avid travelers this year. In a survey by market research firm Longwoods International, 67% said the pandemic had affected their travel plans for the next six months.
So what’s a globe-trotting, nature-loving, house-bound culture vulture to do? Plenty. You can still visit museums and marvel at their great works of art, tour historical landmarks and stroll through foreign cities. You can do it all from home as a virtual sightseer because these sights can be toured online for free.
Fine Art:
If you like fine art, for example, you will love Google Arts and Culture (artsandculture.google.com). The website, which the Paris-based Google Cultural Institute launched in 2011, has organized more than 3,000 professionally curated online exhibitions of artifacts, photographs and paintings from museums around the world. Now you can get up close to view famous master-pieces like Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” or lesserknown works like Claude Monet’s 1875 portrait of his fellow Impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
Landmarks:
Social distancing won’t keep you from virtually visiting some of the world’s famous structures. On the same Google Arts and Culture site discover what it’s like to stand atop the Taj Mahal or stroll through the rooms of the Palace of Versailles, enjoying 360-degree views of both places and a zoomed-in look at the details.
Elsewhere online, take a hot-air balloon ride over the Buddhist templecomplex (http://youtube.com/watch?v=8epwUR6BBos&feature=youtu.be) in Bagan, Myanmar, or walk through Petra (youtube.com/watch?v=me1XapGR9Wl&feature=youtu.be), the Jordanian city of palaces, temples and tombs carved out of sandstone 24 centuries ago.
History:
In the U.S., the National Women’s History Museum (womenshistory.org/womens-history/online-exhibits) has exhibits on women’s suffrage as well as the considerable contributions black women have made to the civil rights movement and as mathematicians for NASA and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.
The Museum of Flight (museumofflight.org/Explore-The- Museum/Virtual-Museum-Online) in Seattle offers virtual tours on aircraft from long-range bombers to Alaskan bush planes. Not surprisingly, Boeing, which used to be based in Seattle, dominates the museum’s lineup. It includes a pair of World War II bombers, the B-17F and B-29, the Boeing VC- 137B that was the first “Air Force One”; an Antonov An-2, the largest single-engine biplane; and the supersonic Concorde airliner.
National Parks:
When you are tired of being stuck indoors, explore the great outdoors. The National Park Service (nps.gov/yell/learn/photosmultimedia/virtualtours.htm) is creating a library of virtual assets depicting some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world.
So far, this includes Yellowstone National Park and Devil’s Tower National Monument in Wyoming, and Denali National Park in Alaska. For a more interactive experience, Google Arts & Culture (artsandculture.with-google.com/en-us/nationalparks- service/parks) takes you on 360-degree tours of Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah and Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico.
Street Life:
Often, the best and most relaxing part of a vacation is the time spent strolling through a city or rambling in the countryside. There are stay-at-home options here as well. You can, for example, watch streaming videos of what it is like to wander through Seoul’s Myeong-dong shopping district (youtube.com/watch?v=YB432zUEMpY&feature=youtu.be) on a busy day or appreciate the sophistication and skills of the Incas who built Machu Picchu (youvisit.com/tour/videos/machupicchu/80561?id=16601) in Peru.
Mark A. Stein, Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, June 2020
B
enton Foundry is located in a rural part of Sugarloaf Twp. in Columbia County Pennsylvania. As such, we have no public sewer, water or natural gas. From 1975 to 1997, Benton Foundry used a septic tank to dispose of waste, etc. As we grew, we needed something larger and more modern to meet our needs. We worked with an engineer who designed a more up-to-date alternative. The Sewage Treatment Plant, that now sits on Benton Foundry property, won awards for its design. The 10,000 gallon per day capacity system is enclosed in a building which is somewhat unique. The building is made with pressure-treated marine-grade plywood rafters and stainless-steel nails. There is a sink with hot water and table area to do the tests needed to stay in compliance with our DEP permit. In addition, a small amount of heat is required to keep the building in the 50°F range. The “bugs” that process the waste, work much better when they are warm. These “bugs” are the same bacteria that is in our digestive tract. By controlling temperature and airflow in the liquid, these bugs clean the water. A small amount of fluid, that requires additional cleaning, is separated and cleaned again. The clean water is then treated with chlorine to kill off any bacteria left. The chlorine is then removed and the water is discharged to Coles Creek. The water is supposedly clean enough to drink.
We have an outside consultant who is a Certified Operator in the field of Waste Water and Sewage Treatment. He and Kevin Trychta, our Environmental Engineer, work closely in preventing malfunctions and together they keep the system working well.
In addition, Benton’s QC Lab does daily and monthly testing on the effluent. We have installed flow meters that monitor the number of gallons discharged per day. That is about 3200 gallons/day or 32% of capacity. The tank is periodically emptied of solids that will not “digest.” An outside vendor then takes the material to a Certified Municipal Sewage System for further processing.
As local trout anglers know, there are native trout in Coles Creek. This stream is a Class A, Wild Trout Stream which is designated as a High-Quality Cold-Water Stream. Thus, we are very careful with the operation of our plant. If you notice, we keep all the trees over the stream to enhance the environment for the fish, by keeping the creek water cool. The existence of the native trout speaks to our operation in general. Trout have to have clean, cool water to flourish.
JT Hand, COO with the York Water Company, talks about the 1816 wooden water main recently extracted during a water main replacement project around Continental Square. The piece is on display in the lobby of the York Water Co. on East Market Street. (Photo: Paul Kuehnel, York Daily Record)
I
n 1816, when pedestrians, mules and horses traveled the streets, the newly founded York Water Company installed a wooden water pipe around the Colonial Courthouse, at that time located in the center of the city square.
In February 2020, construction crews uncovered that 204-year-old wooden water main in Continental Square while replacing the current water main along George Street in York.
It was a find that no one expected.
Crews were digging when they broke through the wooden pipe, said JT Hand, chief operating officer with the York Water Company. Initially, the workers thought they hit old trolley ties, but then they discovered it was an abandoned wooden water main.
A freshly cut 2-foot section of the main now sits inside the York Water Company office. The hallowed out log has a four-inch diameter hole in the middle for the water to flow through. The original water pipe will be on display to help tell the company’s story.
The water company had 35 customers in 1816. Today, the business serves more than 70,000.
In the early years, the water system was mainly for fighting fire, Hand said. The structures in York were built of wood, and many fires broke out. The domestic use for water would come later.
The firefighters would cut a hole in the water main and use a hand pumper to pull the water out of the pipe to fight a fire. After the fire was out, they would drive a wooden plug into the water main. That’s why fire hydrants are often known as fire plugs, he said. In 1816, the wooden logs cost two cents per foot. Hand said he thought the pipes were made of oak or locust, but the section that was just removed from the square smells like pine.
The company is currently working on its fourth water main replacement. Wooden pipes were used from 1816 to 1840. Cast iron pipes followed from 1840 to 1890. Larger cast iron pipes were installed in the late 1800s.
These pipes are expected to last 100 years, Hand said.
York Daily Record
Feb. 26, 2020
*There were some of these wooden pipes at Harrington Foundry, now Benton Foundry. These pipes would have served three businesses, the mills and houses that were here in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They were discovered by Harry Thomas, former maintenance manager, during one of our building projects. The pipes delivered water from the springhouse across the street.
- The world’s major ocean currents are migrating toward the poles by half a mile a year.
- Albatross outfitted with radar detectors are tracking down illegal fishing boats in the Indian Ocean.
- The temperature in Antarctica hits a record 69 degrees Fahrenheit. An iceberg twice the size of Washington, DC calves off a glacier there.
- As many as 10,000 koalas perished in wildfires in New South Wales, Australia. Overall, the country lost 20 percent of its forests.
- Light pollution is overwhelming fireflies’ mating signals.
Sierra Club 2020
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n lieu of recent events, Benton Foundry purchased an Athena’s Elevated Body Temperature Detection System to help detect fevers. This system provides fast, accurate mass screening using an infrared-thermal camera. It is a non contact system that identifies the face of the subject, ignores hot spots such as lights, cell phones, hot coffee, etc. The person looks at the camera, and the system finds the hottest point on the face, near the eyes, called the inner canthus. Near the eyes is the area that most closely correlates with basal body temperature, so the subject needs to remove glasses and look at the camera.
This system automatically calibrates and adjusts based on ambient temperature conditions and continually self-calibrates for a near-zero drift.
The temperature setting is based on the 100.4 F – CDC guideline. If an elevated temperature is detected, an alarm will sound. The system can only detect elevated temperatures that may be a fever and does not diagnose any virus or disease.
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our temperature fluctuates throughout your day – and your life. What’s a “normal” human body temperature? That question is a little harder to answer than you might think. Most people probably grew up being told it was 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. That widely accepted number originated from a study done in the mid-1800s. Newer studies suggest the average person today actually runs a little cooler than that – somewhere between 97.5 F and 97.9 F.
The reality is, there isn’t one exact “normal” body temperature, says family medicine physician Donald Ford, MD, MBA. Everyone has their own normal and it’s more of a sliding scale than one set number.
“We’re cautions about saying what a normal temperature is, because the truth is there’s a whole range of them,” he says. “Typically anything in the range of 97 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit is considered normal, but there are times when a perfectly healthy person might have a body temperature that’s slightly higher or slightly lower than that.” Keep the following in mind the next time you take your temperature.
Your body’s thermostat
A temperature check is usually part of a routine visit to your healthcare provider and probably something you do at home, if you’re not feeling well. Temperature is one of your vital signs and it’s an important indicator of your health.
A healthy body, generally, is pretty good at keeping its temperature at a comfortable level, Dr. Ford says.
“For example, if you go outside on a very cold day, you will notice that your skin temperature is going to go down, but your core temperature inside will stay in the normal range, he explains.
A part of your brain called the hypothalamus is responsible for this. When you get too cold, it signals your body to preserve heat by shrinking the blood vessels, and to produce heat by shivering. When you get too hot, it signals your body to make sweat to cool off. However, it’s normal for your temperature to change within that healthy range as you move through your day and your life. For example, your temperature is usually lower in the morning than it is in the afternoon
Why is my temperature higher than normal?
A temperature that’s higher than 100.4 F is considered a fever, and it’s usually something you should bring to your doctor’s attention, Dr. Ford says. Oftentimes, a fever is your body’s reaction to an infection.
Why is my body temperature low?
Studies show that core body temperature decreases with age. Hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid, can also slow down metabolism, which can lead to a drop in body temperature.
Cleveland Clinic
March 31, 2020
Family Medicine
Congratulations to Dave McLucas (above), Benton Foundry’s 1st shift Employee of the Quarter. Dave works in our Production Office and he has been employed since 1996. Dave lives in Benton with his wife of 40 years, Cheri. They have two sons, three grandsons and one granddaughter. Dave enjoys sending his grandchildren cartoons and jokes almost daily. He plays acoustic guitar and enjoys listening to all genres of music, but mostly enjoys Classic or Southern Rock. Dave also enjoys trivia, especially music or film trivia; however, he usually loses.
Congratulations to Tim Shepherd (below), Benton Foundry’s 2nd shift Employee of the Quarter. Tim has been employed at the Foundry since 2013. He works in our Molding Department as a machine operator and has also worked in our grinding room and core room. Tim lives in Sweet Valley with his wife Tanya and three children. Tim enjoys hunting and spending time with his family when he isn’t working.
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eborah (Deb) Martz is retiring after almost 20 years with Benton Foundry. She started in October of 2000 in the core room on 2nd shift. Deb worked on both the core cleaning line and in core assembly. In less than a year, she moved into the Lab and became a cornerstone of the department. She commented that she liked working in the lab because of the structure and organization.
During her time in the quality department, she has trained over 30 personnel (both technicians and managers) on proper QA and QC activities.
Over the last few years, Deb has been heavily involved with auditing in support of our ISO/Quality system. Deb has been voted Employee of the Quarter three times and Employee of the Year once. Deb currently lives in Benton with her husband, Bob. Deb and her husband plan on spending part of their time on some home improvement projects. They are also looking forward to doing some traveling in their spare time. We wish Deb a happy and healthy retirement and thank you for your dedication and hard work.
T
im Brown, Benton Foundry’s Vice-President was just elected the Vice-President of IECPA. IECPA is a trade organization formed in 1982 by large, energy-intensive customers with one or more facilities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. IECPA regularly monitors Public Utility Commission (PUC) activities, participates in the PUC regulatory process, and participates in the legislative process at the General Assembly on matters impacting large energy users.
IECPA plays a critical role in shaping energy policy in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for all consumers, especially large energy-intensive businesses and industry. IECPA is the recognized voice of large energy consumers in Pennsylvania and played a critical role in the restructuring of both the electric and natural gas industries.
IECPA supports and promotes competitive energy markets and regulatory structures that facilitate consumers’ use of these markets. Where competitive supply conditions do not exist, IECPA supports regulated monopoly service rates that are based on cost of service principles that reflect the embedded costs of serving individual customer classes.
It is the goal of IECPA to help companies strengthen and improve their competitive positions through a greater understanding of energy issues. IECPA accomplishes this goal by providing member companies with current PA regulatory, legislative and energy market information that can directly affect their bottom line.
Congratulations Tim, we are sure you will serve the group well in this position.
Harry Fry III – Thank you for helping out in our Quality Department when needed. Our apologies to Harry Fry III, we previously misstated his name as Harry Miller.
John Harvey, Rob Smith and Sue Hanna from our Sales Department have completed E-learning modules offered through the American Foundry Society. They were all in the top-5 students participating in June.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Cody Snyder for passing his “Fundamentals of Engineering” exam. Cody is pursuing his PE certification.
Our sincere condolences to Ray L. Bills’ family. Ray worked in our grinding room from 1987 until his retirement in 1997. Ray also worked at Hallstead Foundry for 34 years, until they closed in 1987.Save the Date: August 14, 2021
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n the era of Covid-19, video-chat programs are having a heyday as friends and relatives reach out to each other to stay connected. We put five popular programs through their paces and rated them on a five-star scale based on accessibility, security, privacy, and bells and whistles. All the programs are free and easy to use, and all encrypt calls, unless otherwise noted.
Skype www.skype.com
Skype was one of the first video-chat programs, and it’s still one of the easiest and safest to use. Download the app to your smartphone or computer and, once you have a Skype account, you can start a video meeting and invite Skype contacts or share an automatically generated URL via text or email. You can video chat with up to 25 people and view either a split screen of callers or a screen that automatically displays the primary speaker. Mobile and desktop users can screen-share and record and access subtitles of the conversation. Security is top-notch: Skype notifies participants when a call is being recorded and generates default file names that aren’t easily searchable should the video be posted on the web.
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nce again, Benton Foundry, Inc. has participated in the Adopt a Highway Program where we patrol route 487 from 118 to the PA DOT shed, cleaning up any litter. This is in cooperation with PA DOT who provides supplies like signs, visibility gear, and garbage bags. Benton Foundry supplies the labor to keep this stretch of road clean. Unfortunately, this year was a heavy year for trash on the road. Utilizing five guys for a full day of work we managed to collect 39 bags of trash and 5 tires. Some of you may have seen the pile near 118 which will be picked up by PA DOT personnel. Thank you to Albert Phillips, Mike Machuga, Ken Moss, Chris Newhart, and Paul Oteiza for doing a fine job. Great job!
Google Hangouts https://hangouts.google.com
If you’re looking for a program that can meet both social and professional needs, consider Google Hangouts. You’ll need a Google account, but you don’t have to be a G Suite customer in order to access group video chats with up to 25 people. During the call, you can toggle among users to choose which person has the largest display at any time. There is also a text feature on screen, so you can type to chat during the call, but there’s no video-recording feature. Download the Hangouts app of iOS or Android (also available at Google Play).
Facetime
Facetime, which is included with Apple devices, is a quick and easy way to connect with family and friends, and it supports video chat with up to 32 people. The speaker’s image enlarges automatically during a call, which can help you keep track of who’s talking. The downside: You’ll need an iPhone 6s or newer, or another newer-generation Apple device, to participate in group calls with video. Older devices that support iOS 12.1.4 will join group FaceTime calls as audio participants.
House Party https://app.houseparty.com
Popular when it launched in 2016. House Party has made a comeback in the era of social distancing. You can video chat with up to eight people and enjoy such features as on –screen games or screen sharing. Ellen DeGeneres even partnered with House Party to connect her popular game, Heads Up. The program displays only a grid view, and the privacy policy doesn’t state whether calls are encrypted. You can download House Party for iOS or Android or go to the website.
Zoom – https://zoom.us
Zoom may come to symbolize the zeitgeist of our shelter-athome moment. Anyone can sign up for Zoom on its website and download the software to participate in video calls with as many as 100 people. The display is versatile, supporting both grid and primary speaker views. We gave Zoom few stars because the free version has a 40-minute time limit on group calls. Zoom has had trouble with hackers (known as zoombombers), who have added embarrassing content to group chats. Plus, hosts can record without users’ consent – although the program does notify users when they are being recorded. Thousands of Zoom videos were recently discovered online because saved videos are easily searchable. Encryption is available but must be enabled.
Emma Patch
Kiplinger
Adolfo Barrientos
Felix Lopez
Jaydin West
Steve Lappan
Tina Bizup
Beth Litwhiler
Tom Boatman
Dustin Burke
Connor Switzer
Chris Gordner
Roger Green
Eric Piatt
Billy Ribble
Boyd Lore, Jr.
Nathan Steinruck
Mike McAndrew
Ed Evans
Walt Lutcavage
Lee Ray
Mike Mengine
Homer Chapin
Shawn Nevel
Tim Kepner
George Bagdoyan
Dave Travelpiece
John Volansky
Dan Snyder
Tyler Hartman
J.R. Peterson
Mark Brown
Bill Keefe
Eric Malcein
Nichole Mickel
Ruth Dawson
Andrew Ritinski
Casey Swisher
Ana Ponce Contreras
Dale Yerger
Tim Schechterly, Jr.
Chris Newhart
Tom Vandine
Luis Cruz Luquis
Gordon Gottshall
Rosa Reyes
What is the diameter of the earth?
Answer will be in 3rd Quarter 2020
Answer from the 1st Quarter Question:
Oxymoron
Bad Leadership is an Oxymoron
~ Joseph C Rost
“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.”
~Thomas Jefferson
