Briggs & Stratton recognized for innovation by NADCA

Briggs & Stratton Corporation’s commitment to innovation across all products and brands has continued to garnish recognition amongst industry leaders. Recently, Briggs & Stratton was the proud recipient of a 2014 International Die Casting Design Award, presented by the North American Die Casting Association (NADCA) in the 1- to 5-pound category. For the past 41 years, NADCA has sponsored this competition to showcase outstanding die cast designs while acknowledging the continuous contribution die casters provide to the manufacturing industry.

“The winning castings are a snapshot of the advancements made in die casting capabilities,” said NADCA President Daniel Twarog. “Every die caster has pushed the limits of the process and demonstrated that geometric complexity, quality and cost savings can be accomplished.” For each entry category, there are four equally weighted criteria: ingenuity of casting and/or product design, overall quality, cost savings as compared to other manufacturing processes, and the part’s contribution to expanding the market for die castings.

The new engine base design is made from a modified 383 aluminum alloy and cast from a three-cavity die design. The design reduces the weight of the engine base by nearly 40 percent. This innovation not only increases manufacturing productivity and efficiency, but also reduces the weight of the overall engine which ultimately enhances the consumer’s mowing experience. “Our design engineers did extensive structural and solidification computer modeling on the part and die design that contributed to the overall success of this product,” emphasized Dave DeBaets, vice president of Briggs & Stratton’s North American operations. “These die castings are proudly manufactured by our team in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, in our small-engine focus factory.”

Briggs & Stratton was honored at NADCA’s annual luncheon in Milwaukee, Wis., in September. Every year, NADCA hosts a luncheon to recognize significant advancements and leading innovators in the die casting industry. Briggs & Stratton continues to be a leader in innovation, continuously evolving outdoor power equipment engine expertise in new ways and embracing technology to improve all products for all customers, suppliers and communities.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *