Custom Die Casting Services for Aluminum, Zinc & Magnesium Parts
Production-grade die casting from 25T to 800T presses, combined with in-house H13 steel tooling, precision CNC machining, surface finishing, and final assembly under one IATF 16949:2016 manufacturer.
- Aluminum (A380, ADC12, A360), Zinc (Zamak 2, 3, 5) & Magnesium (AZ91D)
- Net-shape tolerances to ±0.010″ as-cast and ±0.002″ CNC-machined
- Canadian engineering management with tariff-flexible Thailand & China plants
- 25T – 800TCold & hot chamber presses
- 100,000+ ShotsH13 steel production tooling
- IATF 16949:2016APQP, PPAP, SPC & X-Ray NDT
- 24 HoursCosted quote & DFM review
End-to-End Die Casting Capabilities
Eliminate multi-vendor handoffs and markup. Meco takes your part from mold flow simulation and steel tool making through high-pressure casting, post-cast CNC machining, coating, and sub-assembly.
- 01
Cold-Chamber Aluminum Casting
High-strength structural brackets, heat sinks, and sealed enclosures cast in A380, A383 (ADC12), A360, and A413 on 120T to 800T cold-chamber machines.
- 02
Hot-Chamber Zinc & Miniature
Fast-cycling, thin-wall precision parts down to 1 gram in Zamak 2, 3, and 5 with superior surface finish, plating readiness, and long die life.
- 03
Magnesium Die Casting
Ultra-lightweight AZ91D and AM50 housings and structural frames offering high stiffness-to-weight ratios and natural EMI/RFI shielding.
- 04
In-House H13 Tooling & Mold Flow
Custom single-cavity, multi-cavity, and family dies engineered with thermal and gating simulation to eliminate porosity and last 100,000+ shots.
- 05
Post-Cast CNC Machining
Critical mating faces, O-ring grooves, and bearing bores machined to ±0.002″ via our in-house custom CNC machining and CNC milling cells.
- 06
Surface Finishing & Assembly
Turnkey chromate conversion, powder coating, anodizing, e-coating, and surface finishing paired with contract assembly.
Swipe to see all six die casting capabilities.
Choosing the Right Die Casting Alloy & Chamber Process
Selecting the optimal metal determines your press type, cycle time, and tooling investment. Compare properties in our guide on which metal is best for die casting, or review our two core production routes below:
Aluminum Alloys (ASTM B85)
A380 & A383 (ADC12): 45–47 ksi tensile strength for complex, thin-wall structural parts.
A360 & A413: Superior corrosion resistance and pressure tightness for fluid/outdoor housings.
Best for: Lightweight strength, thermal dissipation & parts up to 5 kg.
Zinc & Magnesium Alloys
Zamak 2, 3 & 5: Cast at lower temperatures for 0.5–1.0 mm walls, net-shape threads, and chrome plating.
AZ91D & AM50 (Mg): 33% lighter than aluminum with high impact ductility.
Best for: Intricate miniature hardware, RF shields & ultra-light enclosures.
NADCA Tolerances, Draft Angles & Porosity Control
Tooling design dictates 80% of casting quality. Before cutting H13 tool steel, our engineers run mold-flow and solidification simulations to optimize gating, overflows, and vacuum venting:
- Linear Tolerances: ±0.010″ standard (±0.002″ precision/machined) on the first inch, plus ±0.002″ per additional inch
- Flatness Control: 0.008″ standard (0.005″ precision) up to 3 inches, with CNC fly-cutting for gasket faces
- NADCA Draft Guidelines: 1° to 2° on inside walls, 0.5° to 1° on outside walls, and 2° per side on cored holes
- Wall Uniformity & Ribs: Smooth radii and uniform 1.0–3.5 mm walls to prevent shrinkage voids and cut part cost by 15–30%
We sign a mutual NDA before reviewing your files, and you retain 100% ownership of all custom die casting molds and trim dies.
Ready to Cut Unit Costs on Volume Metal Parts?
Upload your STEP files and target annual volume. Receive a transparent tooling and piece-part quote with DFM feedback in 24 hours.
Die Casting vs. Other Metal Manufacturing Methods
Evaluating whether to invest in hard tooling or stay with low-volume methods? Compare high-pressure die casting against sand casting, gravity casting, and CNC machining.
| Criteria | High-Pressure Die Casting | Sand Casting | Gravity / Permanent Mold | CNC Machining (Billeted) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economical Volume | 1,000 to 1,000,000+ pcs | 50 to 2,000 pcs | 500 to 20,000 pcs | 1 to 1,000 pcs |
| Tooling Investment | Moderate–High (100K+ shots) | Low (wood/metal pattern) | Moderate (iron/steel mold) | None (fixture/programming only) |
| Cycle Time | 30 to 60 seconds / shot | Minutes to hours | 2 to 6 minutes | 5 to 45+ minutes |
| Min. Wall Thickness | 0.5 mm (Zn) / 1.0 mm (Al) | 3.0 to 5.0 mm | 2.5 to 4.0 mm | 0.5 mm (high material waste) |
| As-Cast Surface & Tol. | Ra 0.8–1.6 μm | ±0.010″ | Ra 6.3–12.5 μm | ±0.030″ | Ra 3.2–6.3 μm | ±0.015″ | Ra 0.4–1.6 μm | ±0.002″ |
Need a bridge to production? We machine rapid billet prototypes in 1–2 weeks while your H13 production die is being built.
Our 6-Step Custom Die Casting Process
A structured APQP launch workflow managed by our Canadian engineering team and executed across our owned facilities in Thailand and China.
NDA & DFM Review
Analyze 3D CAD for draft, parting lines, wall thickness, and gating within 24 hours.
H13 Mold Building
Cut and heat-treat H13 steel cavities, slides, and trim dies in 6 to 14 weeks.
T1 Trial & FAI
Run T1 sample shots, X-ray porosity checks, and full CMM First Article Inspection.
High-Speed Casting
Execute automated high-pressure casting with inline SPC monitoring and degassing.
CNC & Finishing
Trim flash, CNC machine tight-tolerance features, tap threads, and apply coatings.
QA & JIT Delivery
Complete PPAP documentation and ship direct or via North American warehousing.
IATF 16949:2016 Quality & Non-Destructive Testing
Every heat lot and production run is verified from raw ingot to final pack-out, achieving a 99.8% on-time delivery rate and full automotive-grade traceability.
| Inspection Stage | Verification Method | Deliverables |
|---|---|---|
| Alloy & Melt (IQC) | Optical emission spectrometer & rotary degassing verification | ASTM B85 mill & melt certs |
| Internal Integrity (IPQC) | Real-time X-Ray (NDT) porosity inspection & shot-weight SPC | X-ray radiographs & SPC charts |
| Dimensional & Seal (OQC) | CMM verification to ±0.002″, air-decay pressure leak & salt-spray test | AS9102 FAI & Level 3 PPAP |
Certified to IATF 16949:2016 and ISO 9001:2015 across 36,000 m² of owned factory floor.
Industries We Serve with Precision Die Castings
From sealed outdoor enclosures to high-volume automotive brackets, we deliver repeatable net-shape metal parts across North America.
Automotive & EV
IATF 16949 transmission brackets, EV battery housings, inverter heat sinks, and sensor mounts.
Electronics & Telecom
EMI/RFI shielded zinc enclosures, 5G outdoor telecom housings, and thermal management chassis.
Industrial & Heavy Equip.
Pressure-tight pump casings, pneumatic manifolds, valve bodies, and heavy equipment gear covers.
Medical & Commercial
Cosmetic diagnostic frames, aerospace brackets, commercial furniture joints, and appliance hardware.
Swipe to view industries.
Swipe to view recent die-cast parts.
What We Need to Quote Your Die Casting Project
Send your technical package for a complete tooling, piece-part, and DFM breakdown within 24 hours:
- 3D CAD models (STEP, IGES, or X_T) for mold-flow and volume calculation
- 2D engineering drawings (PDF) calling out critical GD&T, threads, and machined faces
- Target alloy specification (e.g., A380, ADC12, A360, Zamak 3, or AZ91D)
- Surface finish, coating, pressure-tightness, or cosmetic class requirements
- Estimated annual volume, batch release schedule, and PPAP/inspection level
Comparing metal processes? Read our 2026 metal part pricing guide for a full cost breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does die casting tooling and piece-part production cost?
Simple zinc dies typically run $5,000 to $15,000, standard single-cavity aluminum dies run $20,000 to $60,000, and large or multi-cavity H13 production dies range from $80,000 to $150,000+. Because hardened H13 steel dies last 100,000+ shots, unit prices drop rapidly at scale – typically $0.50 to $3.00 for small zinc parts and $2.00 to $15.00+ for mid-size aluminum castings. See our metal part cost guide for details.
What is your minimum order quantity (MOQ), and when should we switch from CNC?
We do not enforce a strict MOQ, but high-pressure die casting achieves optimal ROI at 1,000 to 5,000+ units per year where unit savings amortize the mold cost. For volumes under 1,000 pieces or parts still undergoing design changes, our in-house custom CNC machining or sand casting services provide a lower total cost.
Which aluminum, zinc, and magnesium alloys do you cast?
We cast aluminum alloys A380, A383 (ADC12), A360, and A413; zinc alloys Zamak 2, Zamak 3, and Zamak 5; and magnesium alloys AZ91D and AM50. Aluminum accounts for roughly 80% of industrial projects due to its strength-to-weight ratio, while zinc excels in miniature, thin-wall (0.5 mm), and plated hardware.
What tolerances and wall thicknesses can your die casting presses hold?
In accordance with NADCA standards, we hold ±0.010″ on the first inch (±0.002″ per additional inch) directly out of the mold, with minimum wall thicknesses down to 1.0 mm for aluminum and 0.5 mm for zinc. For critical bearing bores, threads, and sealing surfaces, we secondary CNC-machine features in-house to ±0.002″ (±0.05 mm).
What is the lead time for die casting tooling and production parts?
Custom H13 steel die design, fabrication, and T1 sampling take 6 to 14 weeks depending on part size and slide complexity. Once your First Article Inspection (FAI) and PPAP samples are approved, production runs cycle at 30 to 60 seconds per shot and ship in days, backed by US and Canadian warehousing.
Do you handle post-cast CNC machining, surface finishing, and assembly in-house?
Yes. Meco operates 40+ manufacturing processes under one roof under IATF 16949:2016 quality control. We perform trimming, deburring, CNC milling and turning, thread tapping, powder coating, anodizing, chromate conversion, e-coating, and complete mechanical sub-assembly so your parts arrive ready for the line.
How to Get Started
Upload your 3D STEP files, 2D drawings, alloy choice, and target volume under mutual NDA protection.
Receive a transparent tooling and piece-part quote in 24 hours, complete with gating and draft DFM feedback.
We build your custom H13 steel die in 6 to 14 weeks, and you retain 100% tooling ownership.
Before volume production, we verify T1 samples via CMM and X-ray NDT and deliver a full FAI / PPAP report.
Meco manages high-pressure casting, CNC machining, finishing, and JIT delivery to North America.
Send Your Files, Get a Reply in 24 Hours
Prototype or production, we review every request and reply with clear next steps.
- Engineering feedback with every quoteWe review your files and reply with manufacturing feedback that can reduce cost.
- Send what you haveUpload drawings or 3D models, or describe the part and we'll help define the rest.
- Prototype to production, no minimum orderStart with one sample and scale to repeat production runs.
- One partner, 40+ processesMachining, casting, forging, stamping, finishing and assembly, under an IATF 16949:2016 quality system.
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