Here at Joyworks studio we are, most often, experimenting on, or creating with metals. Just recently the Joyworks team (aided by some University of Michigan MSE’s) did some alloy development work on Austempered Ductile Iron (ADI) for Applied Process (www.appliedprocess.com ). Coming up next is some proprietary work on cast steel. (I can’t wait to see if AP can Austemper it….I digress)
We do, however, get out from time to time. I recently had the good fortune to visit an AWESOME manufacturing shop. My friend, Dr. Bill Dobbins’, Caster Concepts shop is tucked in along a quiet bend in Michigan Avenue in Albion, Michigan USA. These guys do it all; engineering, prototyping, testing and build-to-order manufacturing. (www.casterconcepts.com). I love their slogan, “Beyond Standard”. I wish I’d thought of it.
Awesome website: www.addictomatic.com (You cannot beat that name).
I was pre-programmed to be an engineer. I started taking things apart as soon as I could walk. (Okay….I was a “hard to handle” child). But I remember another piece of sage advice from my father. He said that if you pay somebody to do a task for you, you simply get the task done in exchange for cash. If (at least once) you buy the tool and do the task yourself you get a three-fer. You save some money, you get to keep the tool and you learn how to do that task yourself. You should see my toolbox!