History

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HISTORY

For the past 15+ years, the Joyworks studio has provided a platform for research, teaching and creative endeavors relating to metals. Everything from alloy development to prototyping to casting handmade sculptures have been, and continue to be, created at Joyworks. It provides an outlet for Chip to share his passion for the art (and science) of metal casting. All in all, Joyworks puts a new spin on the continuing development of one of man’s oldest professions.

Joyworks has its roots in Applied Process, Inc, which John Keough started with his family in 1978. Applied Process is a heat treater specializing in the Austempering process. They help their customers to replace one material/process combination with a better, faster, cheaper one. From when we built Joyworks in 2005, we have maintained a strong partnership with Applied Process, aiding them with research and development. Joyworks was spun off from Applied process in 2013 to continue and expand upon this tradition. John Keough sold the majority shares of Applied Process in October 2014. We still share the same goal of “growing the pie” for ADI and work closely together to do so. To learn more about the “Home of Hostile Duck Iron”, please visit their website.

Today, Joyworks maintains its original mission of providing educational opportunities to engineering students while focusing more heavily on design and prototyping for clients ranging from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), foundries, suppliers, and trade organizations.

Meet the Team

Joyworks Studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan was founded in 2005 by its proprietor, John R. (Chip) Keough, PE, as a creative outlet for his passion for metals and, particularly, for metal castings. He and the Joyworks Studio Staff share a combined:

  • 40 years in metal casting related businesses,
  • 40 years of active involvement in casting related technical associations (AFS Award of Scientific Merit, ASM Fellow),
  • 10 metal casting related patents,
  • Collaboration on over 800 ADI casting conversions (not counting the families and left-right combinations)

John Keough, Founder and Proprietor

Chip has degrees in Metallurgical and Mechanical Engineering and is an Adjunct Professor and the Foundry Educational Foundation Key Professor with the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the University of Michigan. He teaches a metal casting laboratory module at the studio annually.