Tooling in 4–5 Days, First Sample in About 7
The die is the only part of the project that cannot be recovered if the design is wrong. We spend the first day arguing about the drawing, then cut the die — that order is why the first sample is usually the approving sample.
- Die lead time
- 4–5 days
- First sample
- About 7 days
- After approval
- As fast as 24 h
- Threshold
- 500 / 2,000 pcs per year
From drawing to approved sample
Four stages before production. Each one has a deliverable you can reject.
Drawing review and DFM note
We check wall thickness, draft, corner radii, tolerance stack and whether the part should be extruded at all. You get the note in writing before any die is cut — including the cases where we recommend a machined part instead.
Die design and manufacture — 4–5 days
The die is designed around your finished part: bearing length, feeder ratio for thin fins, and the parting line placed where it will not show. Long thin fins need a different feeder design than a plain box section, and that design is decided here.
First sample — about 7 days
The sample ships with a dimensional report so you can approve against numbers. If a feature needs a die correction, we say so at this point rather than after a production run.
Approval, then production
Once the sample and the colour chip are approved, production can follow as fast as 24 hours. Nothing moves to a production lot on a verbal yes.
When does tooling pay for itself?
A die is a fixed cost. The question is not whether the die is expensive, but how many parts it has to be spread across.
| Part size | Annual quantity | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Large part | 500 pcs/year and above | Extrusion + CNC, die justified |
| Small part | 2,000 pcs/year and above | Extrusion + CNC, die justified |
| Below threshold | Low volume or prototype | Machined from billet first; tooling when volume firms up |
These are entry points, not rules. A part with a small section but a high tooling cost can justify a higher threshold; a part that replaces an expensive machined billet job can justify a lower one.
What we will not promise
- A fixed die price before we have seen the section — die cost depends on complexity, not on part size
- A sample date that assumes the drawing will not change
- Approval on a photograph instead of measured parts
- A die for a section that cannot be extruded at your wall thickness
If you need the first part next week and the section is not settled, the faster route is usually a machined prototype while the die is designed.
Sharing files before you have an NDA
Most customers send drawings before any paperwork exists, and that is fine. If your programme requires an NDA first, say so in the message and we will send ours before you upload anything.
Drawings are used to quote and to make your parts. They are not shared with other customers, and client names are withheld in every case study we publish.
No drawing yet? A description is enough to start: what the part houses, approximate outside dimensions, wall thickness and annual quantity. We will sketch the section and tell you whether it extrudes.
Tooling questions from sourcing teams
The questions that decide whether a die gets cut this quarter.
What does a die cost?
It depends on the section: a simple box profile and a thin-fin heat-sink section are not the same tool. Send the drawing and we will price the die and the parts together, so you can see the real total rather than a tooling number in isolation.
What volume justifies extrusion tooling?
Typically 500 pcs/year for large parts and 2,000 pcs/year for small parts. Below that, machining from billet can be the cheaper route, and we will tell you before you spend anything on a die.
Can I get a prototype without paying for a die?
Yes, at low volume. We machine the prototype from billet or from the nearest available profile, then cut the die once the design is settled. The prototype proves the fit; the die proves the production route.
What happens if the first sample is wrong?
If the deviation comes from our die or our machining, we correct it at our cost. If the drawing changed, we quote the change before doing the work. Either way you hear about it at the sample stage, with the measurement, not after a production run.
How fast can you ship after sample approval?
As fast as 24 hours once the sample is approved and material is in stock. For repeat programmes we hold profile stock so the lead time starts at machining, not at the press.
Start With the Drawing. We Will Tell You If the Die Is Worth It.
Send the section and the annual quantity. If the volume does not justify tooling this year, we will quote a machined route instead and revisit the die when it does.
What to send
- 2D drawing or 3D model (STEP, IGES, DWG, DXF, PDF)
- Alloy and temper
- Surface finish and color
- Estimated annual quantity