By the late 1970s, Jack Dameron and his staff had already quickly developed the means of producing investment cast products for the glass industry in the original “HR Series” nickel base alloys. This was done through the utilization of specialized computer systems, software, and a host of other time saving techniques (as documented in previous newsletter issues) that set the standard for fast deliveries to the glass industry.

Those systems and supporting improvements were continuously upgraded and enhanced many times in the years since they were installed. The company was, and still is, driven to always have an eye on reducing the time it takes to produce castings… and that they did via every avenue available.

However, it became very clear that offering extremely fast deliveries was not going to be enough to support the ever-changing glass container industry. This industry had an appetite for change including the need for improved glass container production equipment. While Dameron did not actually produce glass machine manufacturing equipment, they did make the blank and mold component equipment that was used on them.

Dameron answered this critical on-going call for change by introducing the concept of “lightweighting” the cast products they produced. Spearheaded by Jack Dameron and with the devoted support of his staff (particularly Clarence “Red” Matthews), Dameron Alloy Foundries began a new program in approximately 1980. That program involved a vigorous contact sequencing by phone and direct visits with every glass manufacturer and corporate engineering division. With key individuals at each engineering division, they began to redesign every part that could be cast. The goal: Focus on how to remove weight from the casting and thereby have these Dameron cast components perform even better on the glass machine by reducing wear of machine mechanisms, increasing speed and, ultimately, improve the glass plant profi tability.

Many hours were spent visiting with mold engineering departments, follow-up conference calls and CAD work. The results of that effort over time were superbly designed, light-weighted cast products. Mr. Dameron recalls long hours into the night that he and Red worked (usually over the phone) on how weight could be taken out of the customers’ designed components while not compromising the parts function. In a phone conversation with Dan Corbett before his retirement from Saint Gobain, he recalled his fi rst introduction to Dameron and this effort. At the time, he was working for the Chattanooga Glass Company. Dan recalled how great it was to have someone, like Dameron, out there that was willing to come to your facility and work with you to enhance your products and thereby improve your processes which, combined together, increased your profits.

There have been other comments on how the glass plant seemingly just had to identify a problem they were having on the machine to a Dameron representative. Within a short period of time, there was a solution delivered by Dameron that not only solved the problem, but improved other aspects of the glass making operation including profit margins.

That type of feedback was repeatedly received from across the industry giving testimony that Dameron had met its goal: Lightweight the customers’ products and provide better performance. The standard had once again been set by Dameron!

That light-weighting standard developed by Dameron can be seen today in nearly every casting produced by the company for the glass industry, as well as for other industries the company serves. In the photo on page 1, readers can see the results of these efforts in the coring of the internal cavity of baffl es and blow heads, the ribs on funnels and cup
molds, minimally stocked contoured PB plungers, slots and exhaust holes on guide plates, air passages on take outs, cooling fi ns on blanks and blank inserts and the contoured cooling cavities on baffl e inserts and valves just to name a few.

In addition to these light-weighting, standard-setting achievements, Dameron introduced a “combination tool program” for all customers in the glass industry. This “tool pool” program offered a means to make changes to existing designs simply by a modifi cation to a portion of an existing tool. An example of this would be if a customer needed a blow/blow plunger with an additional .250 in tip length, all that needed to be done was for Dameron to produce a new tip extension to the tool, and not the whole tool. This program saved and still saves the glass industry thousands and thousands of dollars.

The strides made by Dameron in assisting glass container manufacturers
have been credited many times over with not only enhancing a great cast product, but also with assisting in reducing the overall cost of blank and mold equipment. That is something that Mr. Jack Dameron, who celebrated his 88th birthday this year, is extremely proud of.

The entire Dameron staff stands ready to work with its customers (both in the glass industry and all industries it serves) on any type of problem, challenge or concern. We are always willing to help. We “Will” Fill Your Needs. Give us a call and let us know how we can be of assistance.