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PRECISION MACHINING // One of the CNC mills in our Engineering Department creates a match plate of our new ASSEMBLAGE Grip Handles.
Stories.
Get an inside view — Stories from the Foundry. Each piece of Sun Valley Bronze hardware is made to order, created and assembled by hand in our studios and foundry in the beautiful mountains of Idaho.
ATTENTION TO DETAIL // The final stage of the Sun Valley Bronze production process involves patination, hand waxing, buffing and final assembly. All of these steps are performed in the Sun Valley Bronze finishing studio. If specified, the bronze hardware is dipped into a patina bath to create a desired finish. Assembly is completed with our stainless steel components and Teflon coated springs which bring our pieces together for flawless function. Each piece, whether it be custom made or one from our collections, does not leave our shop without a final inspection.
LEAN MANUFACTURING // Sun Valley Bronze is proudly a Lean Manufacturing facility which means that we have created an environment that eliminates waste, optimizes processes and boosts innovation, with the goal of sustainably delivering value to our clients.
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PRECISION MACHINING // Precision machining is an important step in the Sun Valley Bronze production process. Computer operated CNC machines cut intricate detail into the bronze parts while maintaining uniformity among all pieces of each style. Precision machining ensures that each piece of Sun Valley Bronze hardware functions perfectly and meets our specifications.
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POURING BRONZE // Bronze ingots are melted at 2200 degrees in a clay graphite crucible with an induction furnace. The crucible is lifted and aligned over the mold with an overhead boom crane. Technicians pour the molten bronze into a gate so that it flows smoothly into the small channels leading to the parts. Any bronze that is left in the crucible is recycled for the next round of casting. Molds are cooled and the flasks are removed. The molds are broken apart, and a bronze part tree is revealed. The green sand is recycled for future use.
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MOULD MAKING WITH GREEN SAND TECHNOLOGY // Sun Valley Bronze chooses to utilize a cleaner, greener sand-casting process which is water based and completely reused from one casting to the next. Green sand is composed of olivine sand, bentonite clay and water. The patterns are placed in flasks and this mixture is compacted around them in preparation for the pouring. After the pour, the sand is dried out and reused.
RECYCLED MATERIALS // Our art-grade bronze and all of the bronze scrap from our manufacturing process is recycled. The bronze used in Sun Valley Bronze products contains a minimum of 85% pre-consumer recycled bronze content. All of the scrap metal used in the production of bronze ingots comes directly from recycling yards and/or the general public. All of the bronze used in our machining and casting operations is reclaimed and reconstituted into art grade bronze, which we reuse in ingot form.
CRAFTSMANSHIP // Our hardware has been hand-crafted by skilled artisans since 1992. From design concept to hand-finishing, our team at Sun Valley Bronze controls every phase of production. From just a sketch on a piece of paper, handcrafted patterns and 3D computer models are developed, prototypes created with a 3D printer, and a client’s vision begins to take shape.