The 2013 expansion of Joyworks included an 800-sq.-ft. addition.
“[Applied Process] wanted to
continue to work on conversions, and now we have Joyworks as a tool to help provide prototypes for potential conversions,” Lefevre said. “We’re work- ing to reduce the time frame while still improving our processes.” Previously, for many
conversions, Applied Process took a year and a half to two years to go from initial con- cept to a final, fully validated component. Joyworks aims to cut that gestation period to a year or nine months. “Tat represents real
benefits for our customers,” Lefevre said. “Tat’s what we are attempting to do— constantly reduce the time from concept to casting.” Joyworks has been a
fully-fledged R&D studio for little more than a year, and Lefevre is still working on streamlining the proto- typing processes. He remains focused on removing bottle- necks and choke points in producing testable castings. “I am attempting to run
this facility so that we can provide relatively low cost prototypes,” Lefevre said. “In order to do that,
I have to get things right the first time. My gating has to be good, my risering has to be correct, and the iron I’m pouring needs to be correct the first time. If I’m spending a lot of time fine-tuning, we aren’t ben- efitting our customers.” While working in close
cooperation with Applied Process, Joyworks is treated as a separate commercial entity, one Keough hopes will be self-sustaining in the near future. “For the sake of making
[ Joyworks] $1 positive, we are addressing it as a sepa- rate profit center,” Keough said. “It’s a separate, stand-alone profit center. We want it to pay for itself yet still accomplish those other things we want to get done.”
Marrying Two Purposes While Joyworks works
Justin Lefevre (left) joined Joyworks as the principal engineer in 2013.
to prove itself a viable commercial entity, the studio has not abandoned its role as a venue for mentoring and education.
May 2014 MODERN CASTING | 35
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