THE L.E. JONES COMPANY

Depending on their size, more than 6,000 new inserts can be cast and set during a single heat - all in about 15 minutes.

The resin-bonded shell mold process we use for the majority of our foundry operations is ideally suited for high volume production of valve seat inserts. Because it is a near-net shape process, only minimal stock is removed in machining. In fact, some surfaces can be used as cast - without machining. That helps keep our costs down... as well as yours.

The amount of sand used to create each mold iscarefully monitored, and any excess is conserved by our cost-saving recovery system. At L. E. Jones, the molding process is fully automated. Automation in this area improves efficiency in several ways. Sand is conserved by controlling the amount used to create the molds and recovering any excess. This keeps material costs in check. In addition, mold production is safer, faster and more consistent.

Once the molding process is complete, the molds are stacked into assemblies and are read for pouring. After the molds are completed, they are stacked into assemblies and then filled with molten metal. When cool, the insert castings are removed from the gating system. The newly formed inserts then go on to be processed through our in-plant heat-treating facility.

One of our most recent additions is our new green sand foundry, a short-run facility that even further improves our full range of services.

If the customer requires quantities that make the shell process cost prohibitive, our short-run green sand facility is designed to accommodate those smaller production runs. Its ideal range is 100-500 pieces. This facility can be used for prototypes, samples or service parts.

Our fully automated, high-production molding line helps to improve efficiency, employee safety and product quality.

The reasons this process is so economical are its fast changeover and low pattern cost. The green sand is also reusable. This reduces waste, making the process less costly and more environmentally sound. This facility is a major investment for L. E. Jones. It is complete with molding, melting, pouring, and shakeout operations. This addition further improves the full range of services we provide our customers.