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Signicast global investment casting locations on a map

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<p>Signicast has 8 manufacturing facilities across the world, specialising in aluminium, nickel, and stainless steel investment casting. Contact us at <a href="tel:+12626732700">262.673.2700</a> for assistance or enquiries.</p>

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<p>Conversations with suppliers often start with the basics—the fit, form and function of a new component. With many suppliers, the next step is to move straight to quoting the component, with little time spent on optimising the design for manufacturing. This mindset can hinder precision component projects before production even begins.</p><p>At Signicast, we believe in a value-added approach to manufacturing. This means helping to <a href="/additional-capabilities/product-optimization-and-added-value" target="_self">optimise component designs</a> for greater value from the very beginning of a project. By partnering with our engineers in the early stages of part design and using our “design for manufacturing” methodology, you can meet all form, fit and function requirements while still achieving cost targets. And all it takes is a conversation.</p><p>In this webinar, Signicast's Vice President of Sales, Pete Lorenz, joins DDM founder and Chief Technology Officer, Suman Das, to discuss how this new technology can best serve customers.</p><p><strong>In this webinar, our presenters cover:</strong></p><ul><li>Reducing costs by optimising designs for investment casting</li><li>Adding value with complex features without increasing cost</li><li>Applying the design for manufacturing methodology</li><li>Reviewing part examples that demonstrate both cost savings and added value</li><li>Examining past case studies where we did exactly that</li></ul><p><strong>Complete the form to register for our free on-demand webinar.</strong></p>

Employee inspecting the hardened investment casting shell

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See how casting-focused design improves part performance and reduces costs by optimising geometry, tolerances and consolidation opportunities.

Fit, form and function in casting | Signicast webinar

Signicast's webinar focuses on optimising component designs to reduce costs and add value through its "design for manufacturing" approach.

Reducing costs: fit, form and function

<h1>Prototyping for production FAQs</h1><p>When designing and developing your components, <a href="/additional-capabilities/prototyping" target="_self">developing a prototype</a> is one of many critical steps towards a successful programme launch and efficient mass production.</p><h2>How do you choose the right prototyping method?</h2><p>While 3D printing is becoming increasingly popular, selecting a metal prototyping option requires careful consideration. It is essential to begin with the basics and assess the cost implications of various factors to achieve optimal long-term results.</p><p>The geometry, size and quantity of the final component are the primary factors influencing the choice of prototyping process because of their impact on cost. Specific features and properties may be better suited to one process than another. Additionally, it is necessary to determine whether the prototype will serve solely as proof of concept or whether a fully functional part is required for real-world testing.</p><p><strong>Rest assured, a team of </strong><a href="/additional-capabilities/engineering" target="_self"><strong>investment casting engineers</strong></a><strong> can help determine the ideal prototyping option for any project.</strong></p><h2>Prototyping stage for alloy selection</h2><p>The prototyping stage provides an excellent opportunity to test different material options. With&nbsp;investment casting, <a href="/materials/metal-selector-tool" target="_self">multiple material options</a> can be explored during prototyping. For example, 3D-printed patterns can be used instead of traditional wax patterns, allowing engineers to print multiple patterns and run them through different moulds with different alloys to identify the best alloy based on the component’s mechanical and physical properties.</p><h2>Lead time for tooling and fixtures</h2><p>With an in-house toolroom, tools and fixtures are built concurrently. The toolroom operates continuously, just like the foundries, ensuring there are no time gaps. As there is no reliance on external sources for tool manufacture, standard tooling lead times are three to five weeks.</p><h2>In-house production machining capabilities</h2><p>Both <a href="/investment-casting/machining" target="_self">in-house production machining</a> and machining for prototyping are available. A well-equipped machine shop houses three-, four- and five-axis machining centres with a wide range of capabilities.&nbsp;Plant tours&nbsp;are available for those interested in viewing the facilities firsthand.</p><h2>Differences between parts made with manual tooling and production tooling</h2><p>Generally, there are no significant differences. Manual tooling limits injection speed, so the main distinction lies in the injection rate. Fully production-ready tooling enables automated presses and robotic part removal associated with a full-scale investment casting production run. For higher-volume prototyping projects, a production tooling environment offers greater efficiency.</p><h2>Available non-destructive testing (NDT) processes for investment cast prototypes</h2><p>A variety of NDT procedures are available, including fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI), magnetic particle inspection, X-ray, test bars, dimensional scanning and coordinate measurement (CMM). Regardless of the testing requirements, whether during printing or post-production, the resources and capabilities are in place to deliver functional prototypes.</p><h2>Fully functional metal prototypes</h2><p>Finding a supplier capable of consistently delivering effective prototypes is crucial. With investment cast prototyping, there is no need to compromise quality for time or cost.</p>

Prototyping lab for the Signicast engineering team

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Explore answers to common questions about prototyping cast parts, including tolerances, lead times and transition to production tooling in investment casting.

Prototyping FAQs for investment casting | Signicast article

See how a part’s fit, form and function can determine whether it is a suitable candidate for investment casting, a process offering superior design flexibility and cost savings compared with traditional methods.

Prototyping for production FAQs

<p>Because of the intricate mechanisms needed to allow wheelchair users to enter and exit safely, creating more space requires complex modifications to the vehicle’s factory-fitted suspension.</p><p>“In the past, Chrysler used a much simpler design, the solid rear axle,” says Sajed Dosenbach, a Design Engineer at BraunAbility. “But in the newer design, the independent rear suspension was much more complex.”</p><p>Ultimately, this meant the company’s usual in-house fabrication capabilities simply would not be feasible.</p><p>Dosenbach knew <a href="/investment-casting" target="_self">investment casting</a> would reduce manufacturing complexity by consolidating parts—not to mention providing greater strength than sheet-steel pressing—so he contacted Signicast.</p><h2>Design for manufacturability</h2><p>To implement this new modification, cradle mounts needed to be seamlessly integrated into the Chrysler-designed subassembly beneath the vehicle, similar to the way a trailer hitch slides into a sleeve-like hitch receiver. </p><p>As this suspension had never been attempted before, Dosenbach had to begin the process with only an idea, which he then translated into a CAD drawing. Signicast’s role was to help him transform that idea into the components BraunAbility needed.</p><p>Before investing the time and cost of tooling for a production run, Signicast needed to verify the manufacturability of this entirely new design and ensure it would meet BraunAbility’s rigorous safety and durability testing standards.</p><h3>In-house prototyping capabilities</h3><p>After running simulations, <a href="/additional-capabilities/engineering" target="_self">Signicast’s engineers</a> created CAD models of several design options. Using in-house prototyping capabilities, they transformed 3D-printed patterns into production-intent steel prototype parts—exact replicas of the part—on which BraunAbility could carry out real-world testing.</p><p>As Dosenbach explains, “That is the <strong>best prototype you could ask for</strong> because it accurately replicates the final production part in terms of strength. When prototyping rather than producing a final part, you are essentially changing the manufacturing method.”</p><h3>Preventive prototyping</h3><p>Most importantly, the ability to revise and improve the idea using<a href="/additional-capabilities/prototyping" target="_self">&nbsp;Signicast’s prototyping capabilities</a> led to a successful, workable design.</p><p>For example, some prototype test results showed that the original design would require a greater welding surface area to maintain joint strength. A better solution was to invert part of the design—a far easier and more affordable fix during prototyping than after a production run.</p><p>After the new design was prototyped in different versions, BraunAbility retested the part—and it passed. “Going through Signicast’s prototyping process was much quicker than developing a completely new original design, and <em>saved us from wasting money on tooling</em>,” says Dosenbach.</p><h3>The roomiest wheelchair-accessible van on the road</h3><p>The BraunAbility Pacifica is gaining traction as the roomiest wheelchair-accessible van on the road. The suspension clearance project, together with</p><p>modifications to the interior floorboard, resulted in nearly 20% more space for wheelchair passengers.</p><p>“BraunAbility was able to cut inches off the van floor and fit their new modified floorboard,” says Lann Ellis of Signicast. “They have gained extra room and now have the largest cabin space of any modified minivan on the market.”</p><p>For Dosenbach, Signicast’s software simulations, real-world prototypes, part consolidation and in-house machining made the entire project easier to deliver. “The requests I made to Signicast for these parts were very complex on their end. And they always delivered what I needed,” he says.</p><p>The project also means that wheelchair passengers can now move through a full 360 degrees inside the vehicle.</p><p>And for BraunAbility, that translates into a growing base of satisfied customers.</p>

Wheelchair with enhanced investment cast parts

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Discover how Signicast helped BraunAbility consolidate parts, reduce weight and accelerate production, improving mobility and comfort for wheelchair users.

Wheelchair-accessible minivan case study | Signicast 

BraunAbility partnered with Signicast to use investment casting and prototyping, creating the roomiest wheelchair-accessible minivan on the market and providing greater mobility and comfort for wheelchair users. 

Castinginnovation

The future of
investment casting

Advanced technologies for
custom solutions

Maximise part potential with our metal offerings

300-series stainless steels

Carbon & low-alloy steels

Cobalt-based alloys

Global reach,local support

Beyond the basics

Investment casting resources

Webinar

Article

Case Study

Interested in starting your investment casting project?

Castinginnovation

The future ofinvestment casting

Advanced technologies forcustom solutions

Maximise part potential with our metal offerings

300-series stainless steels

Carbon & low-alloy steels

Cobalt-based alloys

Global reach,local support

Beyond the basics

Investment casting resources

Webinar

Article

Case Study

Interested in starting your investment casting project?

The future of
investment casting

Advanced technologies for
custom solutions