 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Our Casting Process Workflow: Build Required Tooling
< back to main Casting Process page
Building a tool is a collaborative effort between your design engineer, our tooling engineer and the patternmaker. The process starts by transforming the CAD model of your part into a tool design using a Solid Works® CAD workstation. The final tool design is reviewed and in some cases tested using mold simulation modeling software to assure performance of mold and integrity of casting design. Once the design is approved our pattern maker converts the CAD file of tool design into a CNC program used to machine the tooling.
If you have a complex casting design, we may recommend additional tooling (Core Box) to make cores. Cores are solid inserts made of sand and a binder that are "set" into the mold to form complex or difficult interior features that cannot be created by the mold alone. The Core boxes are designed and built at the same time as your other tooling.
Production Tooling Comparison Table
| Process | Lead Time (Typical) |
Cost W/O Cores (Typical) | Cost With Cores (Typical) | Life (Typical) |
Volume (Typical) |
|
Automated Precision Green Sand |
4 to 6 wks |
$2000 to |
$3000 to $7000 |
100,000 to 1,000,000 cycles |
1 to 2 million parts per year |
 |
Manual Precision Green Sand |
2 to 6 wks |
$800 to |
$3,000 to $8000 |
100,000 to 1,000,000 cycles |
1 to 100,000 parts per year |
 |
Precision Dry Sand |
4 to 6 wks |
$800 to $4,000 |
$3,000 to $8000 |
100,000 to 1,000,000 cycles |
1 to 100,000 parts per year |
 |
Permanent Mold |
8 to12 wks |
$5,000 to $40,000 |
$15,000 to 70,000 |
1 to 2 million cycles |
$5000-$40,000 |
 |
Pentz also accepts tool transfers. We are often able to covert existing tooling with minor modifications. Read more information about tool transfers.