"Die casting is the process of forcing molten metal under high pressure into mold cavities (which are machined into dies). Most die castings are made from non-ferrous metals." (source: Wikipedia). It's known as "pressure die casting" in Europe.

"Gravity casting" (a.k.a. "permanent mold casting" in USA and Canada) uses gravity to fill the mold.

Here are some basic design guidelines for die casting parts:

1. Even wall thickness.
2. Rounding of all edges and corners.
3. Smooth blending and continuity of all the features.

We will provide additional design modification suggestions to make sure your parts are casted successfully.

Yes, we can put PEM studs, nuts, Southco fasteners, or hardware like McMaster-Carr components or inserts to the casted parts.

You can start by providing the part's 2D and 3D drawings to us. We can provide Design For Manufacture (DFM) service for you—plese see our Design for Manufacture Tips for Die Cast Parts article.

Please provide us with the part's 3D CAD drawings (such as IGES, STEP, or X_T). We can also quote based on 2D drawings (in DWG, DXF, or even PDF format [but with weight information]). We can also import CAD files directly from popular CAD software, such as Pro/ENGINEER, UGS, Catia, and Solid Edge. In addition, we need the production information listed in our request for quote form. Quoting turnaround is typically within a week, and can be even sooner if there is special timing constraint.

Magnesium has a density of 1.74 g/cm³, and is the lightest structural metal in common use. Aluminum has a density of about 2.71 g/cm³, and is the most widely used alloy for castings worldwide. Zinc offers a wide range of excellent physical and mechanical properties, and can be used to achieve thinner sections in the parts. Please see the page on material properties .

You can specify your color by using RAL or Pantone color codes. If you don’t have the color code, you can send us a color chip or a color sample for us to come up with a matching color chip.

Due to our specialty in short run orders, we are very flexible in order quantities. Our quotes always break down pricing by MOQ's: e.g., there might be a price premium if orders are below 3,000 pcs., and another one if orders are below 1,500 pcs. (these numbers vary and are just for examples).

Magnesium is: among 1) the lightest of all metals (63% of aluminum, 38% of titanium); 2) stronger than engineering plastics; 3) 100 times better in heat dissipation than plastics; 4) electromagnetic-shielding; 5) best in vibration absorption of all metals; 6) environmentally safe (non-hazardous and recyclable); 7) easy to machine; 8) abundant in supply (sixth most abundant on earth).

We support NADCA standard tolerance for die castings.

Die casting process produces smoother surface than other casting processes:

• the surface roughness value of die cast part is 0.5 Ra, whereas
• the surface roughness value of machined parts is 0.43 Ra.

Note that the general buffing sander has a roughness value of 1.6 Ra, therefore general sanding does not provide smoother surface than die casting itself already produces.