DieBot V2 replaces the highest-risk, highest-variance manual task on the 84" Vertical Centrifugal Machine with a recipe-controlled automated cell — converting 9–12 minute manual mold cleanings into 30-second cycles and eliminating burn-in scrap at the single worst-performing machine at Wisconsin Centrifugal.
An operator stands over a die that is actively spinning, reaches in with a wire brush on a stick, and clears casting residue from the cavity. Wash is applied next, by hand, with a manual siphon gun — close range, open machine, elevated temperature.
Two operations, both required every cycle, both performed by hand at close proximity to rotating equipment running at elevated temperature. The result is a process that is simultaneously high-risk from a safety standpoint and inherently variable from a quality standpoint. Spray distance, angle, overlap, travel speed, temperature judgment, and coating thickness all vary by operator — and can vary within the same mold.
Manual wire-brushing inside a spinning die. Repeated every casting cycle.
Coating failures from inconsistent operator application. Direct quality and scrap impact.
Wire-brush cleaning + manual wash application. Both at close range to spinning equipment.
DieBot V2 converts die preparation from an operator-dependent process into a recipe-controlled sequence with measurable, auditable outputs. The unit performs all three between-cast operations under program control.
Motorized nozzle carrier descends into the die cavity at operator-tunable feed rates with independent high/low depth setpoints. Consistent, repeatable residue removal across the full casting surface.
Pneumatic Venturi pulls contaminated wash water out of the cavity in-process, before evaporation can leave residue behind. No mechanical pumps in the wet path. Self-draining, low-maintenance.
Programmable wash delivery lays down a consistent, repeatable film of die release. Optional integration with infrared cameras for closed-loop temperature-modulated application.
Two interchangeable modes of operation. Programmable Automated Mode runs die-specific recipes with parameters tunable per die. Augmented Manual Mode permits the operator to adjust and override in real time via sealed push-buttons and rotary speed controls without exiting the work cell. The full control package is IP67-rated for the splash-prone, elevated-temperature environment immediately adjacent to the die.
This is a working simulation of the DieBot V2 control interface. Set a target depth, choose a spray mode, and run a cycle. Every parameter shown corresponds to a real, configurable setpoint on the deployed unit.
Every interaction in this simulation maps to a real configurable parameter on the V2 unit. When deployed, recipes are saved per die and recalled by selecting a job from the unit's operator interface.
Every component is CAD-modeled, dimensioned to tolerance, and built around an IP67-rated control core. The drawings below are derived directly from the deployed unit's engineering files.
| 01 | Stepper Drive NEMA-frame · belt-coupled · top-mounted |
| 02 | Linear Rail 1300mm extrusion · ±0.05mm repeatability |
| 03 | Control Enclosure IP67 · WiFi/BT controller · sealed switchgear |
| 04 | Carriage Block Twin linear bearings · belt-driven Y travel |
| 05 | A-Frame Arm 75° diagonal compression · spray reaction load path |
| 06 | 2" Ø Mount Pin Locator pin into pre-drilled platform hole |
| 07 | Spray Head Rotating HP nozzle + Venturi wash applicator |
| — | Enclosure IP67 · sealed against dust + jet water |
| — | Controller Next-gen core · WiFi + Bluetooth onboard |
| — | Temperature Rating Elevated-temp rated for foundry-floor adjacency |
| — | Switchgear IP67 limit switches · sealed push-buttons |
| — | Speed Control IP67 rotary interface |
| — | E-Stop Mushroom-head · twist-release · side-mounted |
| Y-axis travel | Up to 59" stroke · stepper-driven · ±0.05mm rail repeatability |
| X-axis positioning | Manual lever-arm with 2" Ø locator pin · pre-drilled platform mount holes · automation-ready |
| Control core | Next-gen controller · onboard WiFi + Bluetooth · elevated-temperature rated · IP67 enclosure |
| Switchgear | IP67 limit switches · IP67 speed-control interface · sealed push-buttons throughout |
| Operating modes | Programmable Automated · Augmented Manual |
| Stage 1 — Cleaning | High-pressure water-jet · rotating conical tip · figure-8 spray pattern |
| Stage 2 — Evacuation | Venturi pneumatic vacuum · no mechanical pumps in wet path · self-draining |
| Stage 3 — Wash application | Programmable wash delivery · optional IR-camera temperature-modulated control |
| Mounting | Single-leg 2" Ø locator pin into pre-drilled operator-platform holes · no modifications to die or pit |
| Utilities required from facility | Compressed air · electrical power |
| Utilities provided in scope | High-pressure washer · fittings · plumbing · integration labor |
| Lead time | 4–6 weeks from PO to operational install |
| Service · Spare parts | Kuehl Industrial Services · stocked in Dane, WI |
| IP protection | Patents pending |
Six years of wash-related scrap data from Wisconsin Centrifugal show one machine as the single largest source of loss. The 84" Vertical Centrifugal Machine — the machine this proposal deploys DieBot on — has consumed $453,013 in wash-related scrap over the FY21–FY26 period, more than any other machine at Wisconsin Centrifugal.
Wash-related scrap on the 84" VCM only. Kyle Eckert's V2 justification methodology — conservative, defect-code-isolated, easily defendable. Scrap only; castings reworked and saved are excluded, so true cost is meaningfully higher.
The 84" VCM produces the largest castings in Bay 5. When wash application fails on a die of that size — burn-in, coating adhesion failure, thickness variation — the resulting scrap is proportionally more expensive than any other machine at Wisconsin Centrifugal. The failure modes are also the ones DieBot is specifically engineered to address.
Defect code B02 — "casting burned into die" accounts for 82% of wash-related scrap facility-wide. Burn-in is the failure mode driven by inadequate, uneven, or improperly-temperature-matched wash application — the exact conditions DieBot's recipe-controlled system is engineered to prevent. On the 84" VCM specifically, this is the primary loss mechanism.
Wash-related burn-in is driven by four controllable process variables. Manual application cannot hold any of them to spec across a shift, across operators, or across the surface of an 84" die. DieBot delivers all four by design.
DieBot's thermal camera integration ensures wash is applied at the correct die surface temperature. Manual application on a cold die causes gassing-off of the wet coating; on a hot die, poor adhesion. Both produce burn-in on the next cast.
A fixed carrier holds the nozzle at exactly the design distance from the die surface. Manual application varies — too close causes drips and saturation; too far causes wash to dry in the air before contact, producing little or no adhesion.
Programmed travel speed plus consistent applicator distance produces an even coating thickness across all corners and surfaces. Every square inch of the die gets equally protected from erosion during casting. No thin spots, no thick spots, no bare corners.
DieBot's articulating nozzle can coat features that are currently uncoated in the standard process — including flange undersides. Today those require removing the die from the machine, suspending it in the air, and spraying with fall protection deployed. That process introduces overspray, ergonomic risk, and coverage inconsistency. DieBot eliminates it entirely.
Wisconsin Centrifugal has logged two die-related safety incidents directly on the 84" VCM in the period reviewed. At Wisconsin Centrifugal's own average cost per die-related incident of $69,956 (OSHA SafetyPays estimator, conservative 1.1× multiplier), that represents approximately $140,000 in avoidable incident cost. Industry-standard indirect-cost multipliers (3–10×) would put the true cost meaningfully higher.
DieBot eliminates operator exposure during the two highest-frequency tasks in die preparation on the 84" VCM: wire-brush cleaning of the spinning die cavity and manual wash application at close range.
Trial-tested performance of the DieBot V2 platform, applied to the 84" VCM deployment. The 70% wash-defect reduction is a projected outcome — calculated as 85% of wash failures attributable to controllable process variation × 80% expected solution effectiveness — pending validation against production samples.
9–12 min manual cleaning → 30 sec DieBot cycle. Per mold. Every cycle.
From 116 min to 99 min per 3-cast cycle. Measured in trial testing.
1.55 → 1.82 castings per hour. Same cell, no additional headcount.
Engineering projection from recipe-controlled wash application. Methodology: 85% controllable × 80% effectiveness.
HP cleaning captures particulate at source. Venturi vacuum extracts before evaporation.
No manual operator contact with the spinning die during the cleaning or wash cycle.
Defaults reflect the 84" VCM's actual historical performance: ~8 wash-scrap events per year, ~$75K annual scrap cost, ~2 die-related safety incidents in 2.5 years, and Wisconsin Centrifugal's demand-strong casting environment. Move any input to test scenarios.
$2.2M investment payback: —
Reading the math: Added throughput is shown as top-line revenue at the 84" VCM's average casting price — not profit. Profit contribution equals this figure minus incremental production cost. Throughput conversion assumes 50% of new capacity converts to sold revenue; on demand-strong programs (military, aerospace) conversion approaches 100%. Safety savings use OSHA's conservative 1.1× indirect-cost multiplier; industry-standard 3–10× would yield materially higher figures. Kyle Eckert's conservative approach means porosity, inclusions, and O.D. surface defects — also wash-related — are excluded from this model. True value is likely 2–3× higher.
One machine has cost Wisconsin Centrifugal $453,013 in wash-related scrap over six years. DieBot's projected 70% reduction on that trajectory alone returns roughly $53,000 per year — and that figure excludes porosity, inclusions, O.D. surface defects, safety incident avoidance, and throughput gains. Kyle Eckert's own note calls this a conservative floor. The true return is likely 2–3× higher.
One dedicated V2 DieBot unit for the 84" VCM in Bay 5, delivered on a 4–6 week timeline from PO. Payment milestones tied to demonstrated performance. Delivery, integration, and service all under a single point of contact at Kuehl Industrial Services.
One V2 DieBot engineered and configured for the 84" VCM in Bay 5. Includes high-pressure cleaning, Venturi wash-water evacuation, recipe-controlled wash application, thermal camera integration, and coating thickness measurement. 2" locator-pin mount preserves operator flexibility to reposition if operations require.
DieBot V2 is a mature engineered product. Delivery includes on-site installation, integration with MetalTek air and electrical service points, operator training, and commissioning. Working proof-of-concept has already been demonstrated at the KIS test cell.
Payment tied to demonstrated milestones: 50% at PO and design lock, 30% on delivery and installation, 20% on commissioning acceptance. Each milestone payment due only upon successful demo of that milestone's deliverables. R&D component available as separate line item for the Baker Tilly tax credit process.
KIS is the designer, manufacturer, and integrator of DieBot. Post-installation service is provided directly by KIS — no third-party service contract required. Spare parts stocked in Dane, WI, within same-day drive of Wisconsin Centrifugal.
Three issues we expect will come up. Addressed directly.
DieBot deployment maps cleanly to the IRS Four-Part Test for federal R&D credit eligibility. KIS will document the qualifying engineering activity as a separate line item on the $2.2M invoice — enabling MetalTek's tax team to work with Baker Tilly (or the tax advisor of MetalTek's choice) to recover a portion of the investment as tax credit, materially improving effective cost.
DieBot V2 deployment activities at Wisconsin Centrifugal would be evaluated against each criterion below. We've mapped the work to the test:
Based on mechanical and electrical engineering, control systems, and pneumatic process design.
New process development. Improvements in quality, durability, cost reduction, and performance.
Methodology, design, and capability uncertainty addressed through iterative engineering development.
V1 → V2 iteration with trial testing, hypothesis refinement, and measured performance evaluation.
MetalTek's tax advisor (or Baker Tilly's R&D credit practice) can confirm specific eligibility and quantify the credit. KIS will support documentation of the qualifying activities as part of the standard deliverable.
Approve the $2.2M single-unit deployment to place a dedicated V2 DieBot on the 84" VCM in Bay 5. Delivery in 4–6 weeks from PO. Payment 50/30/20 against milestone demonstrations. R&D component available as a separate line item for the Baker Tilly tax credit process.