Just the FAQs, ma’am

At the C.A. Lawton Co., our team of customer advocates receives similar questions about our capabilities, metrics, and processes from current and prospective clients. To serve as an educational resource for readers, we’d like to answer some of these common questions in today’s post:

Castings

What kind of castings does Lawton produce?

• Lawton pours gray iron and ductile iron castings. We are also proficient in running low temp ductile and austempered castings.

What casting methods are available at Lawton?

• Lawton uses a no-bake airset sand casting process. Using this airset method, sand molds are created using a foam, wood or urethane pattern. Sand is then mixed with a catalyst and binder using a high-speed mixer. It is then discharged into a flask enclosing the pattern, gating, risers, and chills. The mixture hardens, and the mold is removed from the pattern. Lawton’s airset method creates molds with outstanding dimensional strength. It is one of the most cost-effective and advanced sand-casting processes available.

What size castings can Lawton pour?

• Lawton produces castings ranging from 400 to 15,000 lbs.—and sometimes even heavier, depending on the part geometry. Lawton will also take on smaller castings if they are part of a larger package.

How many furnaces does Lawton have?

• Lawton’s facility houses two electric furnaces.

Does Lawton heat treat?

• To provide our customers with castings that meet and exceed requirements in terms of mechanical properties, Lawton utilizes a heat treat partner to provide a full range of heat treat capabilities.

How many pounds per day does Lawton run?

• Lawton runs 75-130k pounds daily, depending on demand and complexity. We can add hours and shifts as projects require.

Does Lawton run high nickel parts?

• Yes, up to 4 percent.

Does Lawton produce Meehanite?

• Lawton can match Meehanite properties.

What factors contribute to the overall cost of a Lawton casting?

• To provide you with a quick and complete casting quote, please provide us with: current drawings (casting and machining), material specifications (including type of iron, painting, heat treating, etc.), estimated annual usage, tooling transfer or quote new tooling, and whether or not pattern, machining, or other services are requested

The Lawton Buying Experience

Within what industries are Lawton’s large castings and machined components used?

• Lawton has produced castings and machined components for a wide range of industries including but not limited to agriculture, HVAC & compressors, oil and gas, off-highway, paper, power (gas turbines and wind), mining, water, specialty machining and general industrial.

What geographic area does Lawton service?

• Lawton is located De Pere, Wisconsin and serves clients worldwide.

What are typical production lead times?

• Lawton prides itself in on-time deliveries above 95 percent based on customer requested dates.
• Quotes on average are 4 days or less.
• Lawton’s foundry is working on a 3-6 week delivery.  Shorter lead times are available upon request.
• If you have a pattern shop or machining-based project, please ask your customer service representative for current lead times.

What is Lawton’s on-time delivery record?

• Lawton has consistently achieves above 95 percent on-time delivery.

Can Lawton accommodate rush orders?

• Rush orders are sent to our planning group for priority scheduling.  Planning fits the order into the schedule as close to the customer-requested date as possible.  Rush orders may incur an expedite fee.

Does Lawton provide facility tours for prospective clients?

• Yes, we welcome the opportunity to have customers and prospective clients tour our facility (although we do ask that you please call to schedule a tour as we are currently limiting visitors due to COVID-19). We encourage customers to contact us about our Iron 101 Course which explains everything you need to know about iron castings including pre-production, patternmaking, foundry, and machining.

Certifications

What certifications has Lawton been awarded?

• Our commitment to superior products, communication, and industry expertise has allowed us to achieve high-level certifications and accreditations, including ISO 9001:2015 certification and ABS certification. We’re also registered with the National Board for our production of ASME pressure vessels.

If we haven’t provided the information you are looking for, please contact us at any time!