Denver Die-Casting Services – What We Offer

If you’ve been looking for a prototype casting company in Denver, you’ve come to the right place. From prototype to production, we here at Protocast Inc. specialize in aluminum, magnesium, and zinc casting along with CNC machined parts for automotive, defense, medical, Oil & Gas, robotics, and aerospace industries, among others.

That’s a pretty general take, seeing as how you can find that precise snippet of a company biography at the top of each page of our site. But what you can’t find on each page is a bit of background of our Denver prototype casting company. First, we were founded in 1995 just north of Denver, specializing in 3D printing technology as it relates to the tooling process. We added CNC machining in 2002, sand casting in 2005, along with being able to cut tools from pattern board on CNC equipment. In 2008, we added investment casting to our laundry list of machine shop services. In 2013, we included the ability to heat treat castings in-house, while in 2014 we were able to buy a HAAS gantry-style CNC mill for tool cutting. In 2015, we added the sand-casting line, and two years later, we moved to a bigger location — one that’s 50,000 sq. ft! Now, we are able to assist with most any foundry and machine shop need, including precision airset sand mold, RPM casting, CNC machining, tool cutting, and beyond!

We list all of those changes above not to toot our own horn (okay, maybe just a little bit of tooting), but to show our readers a huge reason we are still thriving here in Denver; we are on an unending mission toward constant improvement. From adding new services to expanding our shop’s physical size to self-guided education our employees seek out, we all have a passion for providing exceptional service to each of our customers. That’s how we make first-time customers become lifelong clients here at Protocast Inc.!

What Is Die-Casting?

Simply put, die-casting is the process of making a metal object by pouring molten metal that is under high pressure into a mold cavity of some kind. More precisely, this manufacturing approach is used for making accurately defined and dimensioned, smooth or textured-surface metal parts. Some have called it the “shortest distance between raw material and finished product,” and it is also called “permanent mold casting” in parts of the United States and Canada, while it’s known as “pressure die casting” in parts of Europe.

In order to produce die-castings, you must have a steel mold made from two parts (so you can extract a casting from the mold once it has been produced). This involves a stationary, fixed die half, and an injector die half that is able to be moved when necessary. After being clamped together, molten metal is then injected into the cavity of the die, where it solidifies shortly thereafter. Most all machines that use die casting utilize hydraulic (or air) pressure to lock the mold in place. Hot chamber machines and cold chamber die casting machines are two distinct methods regarding how the injection of molten metal actually takes place. While we don’t have time to dissect each method in today’s post, it’s an interesting topic — perhaps one that could use its own dedicated blog post in the near future!

Denver Die Casting Services

At Protocast Inc., we have access to our in-house tooling department, which means the tooling can be single or multi-cavity. Whatever your quantity and part size requirements might be, we can accommodate almost all requests.

One of the chief advantages of die casting is that it does away with the cost of materials and labor for single-use molds. It also is the most cost-effective way to make high-quantities of parts very quickly. What’s more, USA-made die castings are typically affordable and are even competitive with foreign-made parts. Of course, when you go American, you’ll be getting cheaper shipping costs in addition to quicker turnaround times (and quality).

If you are looking for an affordable method of transitioning to higher-volume production for tooling, our Denver die casting services are worth your consideration. Get the most consistent geometry and durable tooling with Protocast Inc. Learn more about this ideal option for production parts and reach out to us today!