Selecting the right metal-forming process early in a design controls cost, lead time, and quality far more than most teams expect. Here is a practical way to weigh the three most common options for aluminium and steel parts.
Pressure die casting
Best for high-volume, complex shapes with thin walls and fine detail. Tooling is a significant up-front investment, so it pays off across large runs where the per-part cost drops sharply.
Extrusion
Ideal for constant cross-section profiles such as heat sinks, frames, and rails. Low tooling cost relative to casting, excellent material efficiency, and easy to cut, machine, and finish to length.
CNC machining
The flexible choice for prototypes, low volumes, tight tolerances, or features that casting and extrusion cannot reach. No tooling cost and fast to iterate, but a higher per-part cost at scale.
How to decide
Start from volume, tolerance, and geometry, and let those drive the process rather than the other way around. PA International works across a vetted partner network to engineer and source the right process for each part, from prototype through to volume production.