When customers demand more of what they like, suppliers sometimes need to rethink their processes. In the case of a frame assembly used in commercial donut baking, increased sales meant a need for a process better suited for higher production. Originally the frame was produced via sand casting, but when more volume of the frames was needed, LA Aluminum, an AFS Corporate Member foundry in Hayden, Idaho, was awarded the job to convert the part to the permanent mold process. This process, which features reusable metal molds, offers excellent productivity with better surface finish and dimensional tolerances compared to sand casting, as well as generally better as-cast properties due to higher cooling rate for the same section thickness.

Click here to view the full column in the November/December 2022 digital edition.