Possibly, but not usually. We may be able to make very small changes to the design of your aluminium extrusion for an additional fee. But, if you’re after more significant alterations, it’s more than likely that you’ll need a new die designing and creating.
It’s a question of batch volumes. Plastic injection moulding is a great way to manufacture medium to large volumes of plastic components. It’s a highly repeatable process that becomes cheaper as more components are produced from the same mould. However, because plastic injection moulding uses one set mould, there is no room for flexibility. If your design isn’t finalised, or you’re not sure you want to go ahead and produce the component in large numbers, then our 3D printing service is a good way to produce prototypes and test batches.
Plastic injection moulding is a simple, highly repeatable process that’s well suited to medium and large production runs. The plastic injection moulding process involves small granules of plastic being melted under pressure. When the molten plastic is soft enough to be moulded, it is injected into the cavity of a bespoke mould and, as it cools, it takes on that exact shape. Once completely cool, the mould is opened, and the plastic component is released.
Yes, we can supply plastic injection moulding services. We work with a global network of casting and moulding experts, and combine their expertise with our own in-house capabilities to design, source and supply injected moulded components on our customers’ behalf.
As with any industrial process, the only real downsides to sand casting are if it’s used incorrectly or inappropriately. Sand casting is less accurate than some other forms of moulding and casting, and isn’t ideal for:
- Small, intricate componentry
- Components with precise, predetermined size and weight specifications
- One-off components, prototypes and test runs
If you’re considering getting a prototype made before moving on to a small batch run, take a look at our CAD and Prototyping services.
Sand casting involves using synthetic sand to create moulds in which molten metals are shaped and hardened. Sand casting has a number of specific advantages as a moulding process:
- It allows for a certain degree of shrinkage as a component cools, reducing the risk of damage
- It’s relatively inexpensive in terms of materials and process
- It’s suited to small and large components
- It can be used for ferrous and non-ferrous metals
- It reduces the amount of expensive, labour-intensive tooling required
Sand casting isn’t right for every project, so if you’re unsure which casting or moulding service will suit your project best, please contact us and we’ll be happy to advise.
Yes, sand casting is one of the die casting services we’re able to offer via our expert partners. We also supply gravity die casting and injection moulding services. If you’re unsure which casting or moulding service suits your project best, our technical team is happy to advise. Contact us for further details.
Yes, we offer gravity die casting as part of our range of casting and moulding services. We work with experts across the globe to design and create bespoke castings for customers in a huge range of industries.
Die casting is a relatively inexpensive manufacturing process due to its high levels of repeatability. Once a bespoke cast has been made for your component, it’s simply a case of using this cast over and over to create identical parts. While the initial tooling costs will need to be paid before your die can be created, money is saved during the process, and through a reduction in waste material, mistakes, and post-cast machining.
