New Magnesium Die Cast Facility
IMEG provided engineering design and services for Spartan Light Metal Products’ new die cast manufacturing facility in Mexico, Mo. The 133,000-sf stand-alone facility is located on Spartan’s existing site and was completed in 2019.
Engineers are providing structural, civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and technology design for the new state-of-the-art facility, which has room for up to four 3,500-ton or larger die cast machines with the ability to cast either magnesium or aluminum. The facility also includes:
- A fabrication area
- 19,000 square feet of office space
- 6,000-sf Customer Center of Excellence with training facilities for Spartan’s global client base
- 35-foot-high walls and a 53-foot-high bay space for the die casting manufacturing area
- 60-ton and 30-ton cranes
The die cast cells have vent-less hoods and require approximately 12 infrastructure systems, including tower cooling water, natural gas, argon, compressed air, and multiple lubricants. The facility design included ventilating the plant and providing extensive exhaust systems. The cooling tower’s unique design is driven by the process work, to the exact standards specified by Spartan. The facility also has a medium voltage (12,470 volts) electric service sized to accommodate a 10 MVA load.
The building’s sustainability features include LED lighting throughout the plant and office with sophisticated lighting controls; the use of photovoltaic panels is being investigated as part of four different overall facility design packages being vetted.
The facility will help Spartan launch a new business avenue to meet their customers’ demands to increase fuel economy by using lighter weight materials.
