Devlieg Plant Location

[gregfortin]

i think there is some interest in seeing the old DEVLIEG plant. It’s located in Royal Oak Michigan. Within the property is FAIR Street.
I worked there doing outside maintenance work when I was 14 years old. When I walked through the plant 50 years ago, I saw these huge behemoths and had no idea what they were. Now I own and operate a 2B-36. Funny how life turns.

 

[Elwood1968]

Thanks for posting that photo. As an ex-Detroiter, I've always wondered where the former DeVlieg plant was located (Fair St. doesn't show on the Royal Oak maps, and the Fair St. in Ferndale isn't the right one).

Interesting that the facility is now occupied by Comau, the automation subsidiary of Stellantis.

 

[gbent]

I have a 1953 brochure listing the address as 450 Fair Avenue, Ferndale Detroit 20, Michigan. In a 1956 brochure the address has changed to Fair Street, Royal Oak, Michigan. A large building shows up on goog maps at 450 Fair Avenue in Ferndale.

 

[FJsapper]

Are they still in action?

 

[Mebfab]

Long gone.

Bourn and koche owns the rights. Supposedly they have built 1or 2 new ones.

 

[Brian@VersaMil]

I can't see how it's possible to build one or two "NEW" ones, as in a a NEW Devlieg jigMil. It may be one thing to have the drawings, it's another entirely different realm to have the casting patterns. But making a one or two off machinery run, with literally thousands of parts- just can't be done without the new machine costing millions of dollars. Now grabbing an existing machine and rebuilding it to new tolerances is doable. I can't imagine there's many foundries left in America that could pour the columns and bases for these machines. I THINK the last ones made they had gone to metal fabs rather than castings.

I have an entire library of Devlieg manuals and advertising brochures. One of the more impressive machine tool builders, from when America really WAS great!

 

[lucky7]

Can confirm Brian’s comment. I was in B&K plant a few years ago and saw fabrications being machined for 4K sized machines (and I think a bigger size). They also had a fair stock of old machines waiting their turn for rebuilding. Same for larger Blanchards.

 

[SIP6A]

(Fair St. in Ferndale isn't the right one)

Fair Street in Ferndale is the right one

Its the building marked P & M lighting

The northern most building is the original building from the 1930's This is the building that's in there 1930's catalogues.

Fair St · Ferndale, MI 48220

Ferndale, MI 48220

www.google.com

The building in Royal Oak MI is at: 2800 W 14 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48073 its now has Comau in it. There a Italian Co. that builds all kind of special machinery for the automotive industry.

 

[EmGo]

Can confirm Brian’s comment.

Yes and no ... nc machines have a lot fewer parts, actually, and with lost foam you can do some one-off stuff that's big. Been maybe ten years now but when wind was gonna be huge, the place we rep built several brand new 3 meter gear cutting machines. All new everything. Price should have been 1.3 million, the story has a sad ending but anyhow, they did like six .... it's possible.

Not from B&K though. Not enough blood in the turnip for them.

 

[memphisjed]

Lost foam is old school. Now they just print sand molds. Also mill sand molds. See patternless casting. Kind of cool for onsee twosee work.