developing your product

Step 1 – Send your drawing data, ideas or sample to us for evaluation – from this we can provide a budget price. This stage of the process is free, so why not use this facility to see if your idea is commercially viable, or if your present part is competitively priced? Please note, you don’t just receive a quote for investment castings, what you actually get, is an engineered preliminary evaluation – which will lead to a engineered study of your component to get the best possible fit for your application, to ensure it is right first time every time!

Step 2 – If you wish to proceed to the next stage we will invite you to our facility in Manchester UK, or a meeting at your facility, so you can see first hand the lost wax process and advantages of investment castings, dealing with DGI, and most importantly we can discuss your project in more detail, as follows –

• Mutually determine the manufacturing process which is best suited to your project, we have no axe to grind, all we concern ourselves with is to make sure you get the best advice- commercially and technically.

• Discuss specific process and manufacturing requirements and design constraints. This will involve material options as well as an assessment of whether the part should be investment cast, sand cast, die cast of maybe even forged or fabricated.

• Project lead times.

• Outline costs

Step 3 – Develop CAD 3D models to allow us to produce the following:

• First stage CAD casting simulations, to ensure that we achieve a sound investment casting.

• This can be done using your imported models or DGI can produce CAD models and manufacturing drawings on your behalf- this may involve some cost.

• Realistic investment casting prices from our UK foundry; or investment cast or other process from our overseas supply partners.

• Produce a firm priced quote for you.

Step 4 - Fast prototype production, can be an option at this stage, or you may decide to go straight to hard tooling.

Step 5 – This is the point where you make the commercial commitment to the project with 50% of the tooling cost, the final 50% being paid at the point of sample approval. We will conduct an engineered study to optimize your designs, to turn them into technically sound castings by using our casting simulation software and our Finite Element Analyses software. This process ensures that any problems are ironed out before proceeding to hard tooling and investment casting or other process production. Please remember, if it starts out right it will continue to be right. The importance of the simulation work is often under estimated and few foundries have this capability. Without it you will get what you ask for….which is not always what you want.

Step 6 – Please ask yourself this one question – ‘The parts you have fabricated together provide fit and function and have passed the FEA, but will they make a good investment casting?’…….unless your designer has had considerable experience in investment casting design, the answer is probably going to be …NO. If the reality is NO, your quality will always be compromised, deliveries will be variable, your inspection % fall out will be high, your deliveries to your customer will be late, your profits will never be as high as they should be, your reputation will be affected……..do you really want that risk?

background information

• CAD system can accept files via email or CD-ROM, in various formats such as: IGES, STEP, ACIS, STL PARASOLID, DXF, DWG, Pro Engineer files, Catia, Solid Edge, AutoCAD, or similar 2D/3D CAD systems


• Edrawing demonstration - first download and install the necessary software by clicking here. After installing the software, download the demonstration file by right clicking here and choosing 'save target as', download the file to your computer and double click it to open.


• Tool design - Our preference is to manufacture tools by CAD/CAM which enables machining of complex shapes with ease and accuracy. The quality of the casting is dictated by the quality of the tooling. We believe that the tool should not be compromised - after all it only has to be made once and helps drive towards our 'right first time' policy. Let us help you take competitive advantage with new and innovative designs.


• Casting simulation - We use casting simulation software, which is essential to achieve a good, sound casting design. It enables us to predict defects at the design stage and therefore reduce development time and cost. It can also avoid the need for the casting prototype stage, giving a greater level of confidence. The software is extremely reliable and allows progress on to the hard tooling with assurance that the design will be correct, and the integrity sound. Changes to hard tooling can be costly and time consuming; which will ultimately result in slower product launch dates. A good casting design will help ensure high, repeatable quality, a competitive price, optimized weight and shorter lead times throughout the life of the product. Please see this link for more information on this software - www.alphacast-software.co.uk

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