The Part as Art

          

 

A display case of sample parts is typical for contract shops. D1 Mold & Tool in Daleville, Indiana goes much further. As these photos show, the whole shop is the display case. Whenever this die maker finishes a die, the shop keeps a casting from the die in order to ornament the wall.

 

The benefits go beyond just fresh and interesting décor. To customers who tour the shop, the wall hangings provide an ever-present reminder of where this shop’s focus lies, and what kind of work it does well. A display case is easy to pass by, but not the walls of the shop.

 

To employees, the walls are a source of pride. Each die consumes hours of employees’ attention, and almost any die presents special challenges. With the wall display, the accomplishment isn’t forgotten after the die ships. Instead, the work becomes another part of the shop’s history, visible to all of the employees every day.