V8 Nascar block wins top UK casting award.

A V8 cylinder block made for General Motors first purpose built NASCAR racing engine has won the UK’s Casting of the Year Award 2010.

Cast in Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) by Grainger & Worrall the thin walled, complex casting won for a combination of technical achievement, including +/- 0.75 bore concentricity and ability to withstand thermal loading on the core which is 2.4mm between cylinder bores, and the role the component has played in GW’s success dominating the sector as the majority suppler of its cylinder for the NASCAR grid.

“The judges recognised in this remarkable casting that Grainger & Worrall had managed to achieve the exacting standards they regularly achieve in the development of Formula 1 cylinder blocks, but this time in iron – an astounding technical achievement!” said John Parker of the Cast Metals Federation who organise the annual awards. “Cast using the Sintercast process control which Grainger & Worrall has championed since 2004, the success of this casting is the culmination of investment, commitment and development by the company in all stages of production.”

“Winning the UK Casting of the Year Award is an affirmation of the hard work that has gone into this component,” said Keith Denholm of Grainger & Worrall. “At every stage of its development it has challenged the team, from material to casting, measurement to performance, tooling to consistency, the requirements of the project were met and resolved. It is a component of which we are justly proud and to receive this award is a recognition from the UK foundry industry of what we have achieved.”