Prototype Casting Process Selection
Pentz expert engineers will collaborate with you to identify the best prototype approach for your casting to move through all phases of casting development, casting prototyping, CNC machining and through manufacturing efficiently.
Advantages of Rapid Prototype Casting:
- Create opportunities for product improvement quickly and efficiently
- Full exploration of design options quickly with minimal risks to cost and schedule
- Building “real castings real fast” enhancing sales and marketing of new products
- Provides actual castings for full testing, delivery of actual product, immediate use
- We can build protype tooling to build prototype castings
- Proves out design, tooling and manufacturing processes effectively efficiently
- Accelerates the “time to market” of new product
- Building “real castings real fast” gets it into your hands quickly!
- SLA, LOM, FDM, CNC machined 3D printed Molds & Cores, REAL cast prototypes
- Process Comparison link to Resources & Engineering
- Reverse engineering, Metrology Scan, CT Scan Link
- Prototype Process Comparison chart
3D Printed Sand Molds
We use customer designed CAD files or reverse engineer castings with digital scanning processes to create CAD data. Our engineering experts collaborate closely with customers to make casting adjustments to improve casting engineering design. We add the casting shrink, machine stock and rigging to build great castings to fit customer needs fast. This allows customers to concentrate on product development as Pentz takes care of the casting side of things. Pentz TEAM is there to aid customers in all phases from concept to product realization in effective efficient aluminum castings be it prototype, short run or high production automated molded products. Pentz helps customers bridge the gap between proto processes and production needs as requirements develop over time.
Pentz utilizes methods of building rapid tooling / patterns for prototype tooling to build prototypes SLA, FDM, CNC, Plastic, Wood ect.
Prototype Process Comparisons
| Prototype Method | Description | Application | Lead Time |
| Rapid Tooling/Casting | Utilizes rapid tooling made from CNC machine, SLA, LOM, or FDM prototyping methods to build patterns for sand cast molds. The parts are molded using automated precision green sand molding process. Highly accurate, inexpensive and easy to modify through iterative design changes. | Excellent for almost any size or shape of part. Since parts are cast from an actual aluminum alloy they are fully functional and can be used as prototypes or short run production parts. | 4 days to 2 weeks |
| SLA Sterolithography | Utilizes UV laser to cure a thin layer of liquid plastic into a solid model of parts. Highly accurate and creates excellent surface finish. | Excellent for complex or intricate shapes. Ideal to test form and fit or for use as a visual aid. It is also very good for use as a pattern for Rapid Tooling/Casting. | 1 to 5 days |
| LOM Laminate Object Manufacturing | Part is built by taking individual sheets of a paper-like material that are formed and laminated together to build up successive sections of the solid model of the part. Very strong and durable. May require some additional finishing to smooth surface. Easy to paint. | Excellent for larger models or for use as a pattern for Rapid Tooling/Casting. | 1 to 5 days |
| FDM Fuse Deposition Modeling | Plastic is melted in a small nozzle and deposited in a fine bead to build a solid model of the part. Exceptionally strong and durable. | Excellent for use as a pattern for Rapid Tooling/Casting. | 1 to 5 days |
| CNC Machining Computer Numerical Controlled Machining | A computer controls the motion of a milling machine as it cuts the surrounding metal or plastic to form the part. Produces very accurate parts. | Can be used as a “one-off” production part, a functional prototype, or to make patterns for Rapid Tooling/Casting. | 3 to 10 days |
| Reverse Engineering | Digitally scan or measure part with a CMM. Use data to create 3D CAD files that can be used to make prototype part(s) or production tooling. | Use when no 3D part data is available. | 1 to 5 weeks for prototypes |
Contact Us Today for Rapid Castings
As an ITAR-Registered manufacturer of precision aluminum sand and PM castings, we take pride in creating high-performance castings designed to exceed our customers’ expectations. Our expert team of engineers and manufacturers utilize cutting-edge technology in engineering, tooling, casting, and CNC machining to take your casting from prototype thru tooling to automated casting production, CNC machining and manufacturing.
Contact Us online to discuss your next project or Request a Quote online and let our experts create castings designed to meet your application requirements.
