The standard sand-casting process involves mixing silica sand with water and clay binder. This mixture is packed tightly around a model of the object to be cast. The sand mold is then removed and molten metal poured into the cavity. The sand and the casting are removed for further processing.

The V-Process (vacuum molding) is a new development that allows a vacuum to hold very fine sand in the shape of the object to be cast. The benefits of this new technology are thin walls, unlimited pattern life, zero draft and tight tolerances.

The advantages of the V-Process are:

• Thin Walls: The V-PROCESS allows wall thickness of 0.125" over large areas and as thin as 0.09" in small areas

• Unlimited Pattern Life: because the pattern is not affected by the molding process it is guaranteed to last the life of your product

• Zero Degree Draft: this is a unique feature of the V-PROCESS, which reduces weight and machining

• Tight Tolerances: The V-PROCESS produces castings approximately twice as accurate as typical sand castings

• 150 RMS Finish: Compared to 250-550 for sand and 200-500 for permanent mold, V-PROCESS offers a considerable advantage

• Excellent Casting Integrity: With our automated molding line, the casting dimensions are repeatable

First, we heat a thin plastic film and place it over a pattern. A vacuum tightly draws the film over the pattern, which is then surrounded by a flask. We fill the flask with dry, unbonded, extremely fine sand and vibrate the sand so that it tightly packs the pattern. After a second sheet of film is placed on the flask, a vacuum draws out the air, and the completed mold is then stripped from the pattern.

Each half of the mold is made in a similar fashion, then aluminum is poured directly from the furnace into the closed halves. The mold is held under vacuum to retain its shape. After the mold cools, the vacuum is released and the sand and completed castings fall free.

Simple in concept and far reaching in impact, V-PROCESS produces quick turn-around, high-value castings. In order to provide the highest quality product, we continually strive to improve our systems and raise the level of our performance. To achieve these standards, we maintain ongoing training programs that teach our employees to accept responsibility and to act on their knowledge. The caliber of our people and the quality of our V-PROCESS make it possible for us to create a vision for the future, and to establish our company as a leader in the casting industry.