Casting Mold Design Services

Casting can be a complex process, so try to work with a casting specialist as early in the design process as possible. Each company may have specific methods and material requirements, and often will only be able to work with certain file types and CAD platforms. Working with your vendors cast engineers not only saves time, but you get a better part often at a lower cost.

Complex geometry of a cast part design is rarely dimensioned or created directly from drawings. Drawings serve as a guide of what the part needs to look like, and generally has only a few basic dimensions, material the casting will use, and a volume for general reference. Manual lay-up is not considered here because it uses a physical part to create a cast pattern, and does not require a 3D model.

The casting engineers make final decisions on material, method of casting, and processing requirements. Any additional machining will be taken into account as well. Based on the above factors, the casting engineer will decide if the mold will be machined (CNC), printed (3D printer), or utilize a hybrid/specialized method based on part complexity.

All of these processes usually require revisions to a CAD model, with each process needing specific adjustments. The 3D model we deliver is the “reference” part. It is used to extract measurements and geometry, and used as a guide to refine any alterations that are required to design the mold. It serves as a digital prototype—and represents what the part should look like as the final product. The casting firm has many steps it will take in-house to get from this model to a finished product.