TC-CCAI BEGINS 2009 PROGRAM YEAR WITH A PLANT TOUR of
 WHIRLTRONICS, INC
 Thursday, September 17, 2009

 Whirltronics, Inc. utilizes a four gun reciprocating automatic powder gun/booth system with IR oven for coating its OEM lawn mower blade product line. The existing powder system is an upgrade from a used system purchased back in 1997. The updated powder system is now placed into a compact 950 sq. ft area.

Since installing the new powder system, Whirltronics has reduced powder usage by 30 percent and realized energy savings by a 15 to 20 percent reduction in electricity consumption. Production throughput capabilities have increased 10 to 12 percent with the new powder coating system. A presentation was given at our March Minnesota Paint & Powder Expo on the Whirltronics powder system upgrade and now you have the opportunity to see the system in person.

Whirltronics manufactures 4 million lawnmower blades a year and 1.5 million of these blades are powder coated. We will learn that there is much more to producing lawnmower blades than just stamping them out...think “austempering”. Whirltronics has implemented lean manufacturing to its manufacturing process for efficiency and cost savings and is an ISO standards company.

In addition to powder coating its lawn cutting products, Whirltronics also offers its customer base complete metal stamping services, hot and cold forming and heat treating capabilities. All of this will be viewed during in our tour.

Due to meeting room size limitations at Whirltronics, this tour will be held to a maximum of 30 attendees.

WHIRLTRONICS LOCATION is just northwest of Minneapolis at
208 Centennial Drive in Buffalo, MN 55313

10:00 a.m. Registration
10:30 a.m. Company Presentation & Tour –
11:30 a.m. Whirltronics Q & A after tour with pizza & soft drinks

TOUR COST:
Members $10.00
Non-Members $25.00

TOUR RESERVATIONS are a must (Remember tour is limited to 30 attendees).
Call/e-mail Phil at 320-230-6282 or ccatc@charter.net by Monday, Sept 14th.

RESERVATION GROUND RULES: Due to space limitations, please note that paid up TC Chapter members will have first call preference to sign up for this tour through Friday, Sept. 4th. Non TC Chapter members may make tour reservations anytime after Friday Sept. 4th up to the tour call-in deadline of Monday Sept. 14th. There will be a limit of two (2) people per company for tour attendee reservations.

 

 

WHIRLTRONICS TOUR GOES WELL

Other than a couple of signed up NO SHOWS, We filled out our roster of attendees for a tour of Whirltronics, Inc. in Buffalo, MN. Lee Schultz, the Whirltronics Manager of Metallurgical Services started out with a presentation on Whirltronics background and what it takes to produce a lawn mower blade. Lee told us how Whirltronics began with a used powder coating system before installing a complete new system in 2007.

 

After the meeting room presentation, we toured the manufacturing floor in three groups. Of interest was the coil and bar stock forming capabilities at Whirltronics. In addition to the four gun automatic gun powder spray system, the tour attendees found the close up view of the heat treating process of particular interest.

 

      

Attendee registration held outside                                                                 Steve Born won the Pot of Money drawing receives check from Jim and Kris

   

TC-CCAI V P Jim Henningsen presents award plaque to                               Whirltronics' Lee Schultz leads one of the tour groups

Lee Schultz & Jennifer Lindquist 

           

Whirltronics' Jeffiner Lindquist shows the heat treating process                                Whirltronic lawn mower blades enter 4-gun automatic powder booth

The powder coating system gets attention