Visible parts

We cast, machine and finish parts that are meant to be seen, to the customer’s drawing. One of our product examples is a furniture fitting that is machined and coated before delivery.

What characterises a visible part

On a visible part, appearance is a tolerance. What separates it from the other three types is that the defect is not measured, it is seen. That makes the requirement harder to write down and easier to disagree about, which is why it has to be settled before the tool is ordered, not after the first trial run.

Three things must be in the drawing package:

1. Which faces are visible. Mark them. We place the parting line and the ejector points outside them.
2. Which surface applies. Should the face be bright, matte, blasted, brushed or coated, and against which reference?
3. Which colour, in which system. RAL or NCS, with the permitted deviation.

When casting fits

• Freedom of form. A visible part often has soft transitions and double curvature. That is expensive in sheet and affordable in casting.
• The surface comes from the tool. Polish the tool and the part comes out bright. Texture the tool and the part carries the texture, with no post-processing.
• Zinc usually gives the finest surface straight from the tool. A lower casting temperature means less thermal load on the tool and sharper detail.
• Metal reads as quality. Weight and coolness in the hand are read as solidity. That is a real reason many furniture fittings are cast in zinc.

When casting does not fit

• The part is a straight anodised profile. Extrude it.
• The surface requirement is higher than casting can deliver without extensive polishing. The polishing then eats the entire cost advantage.
• The part should be through-coloured plastic in many colours. Injection mould it.

The longest process chain we run

A visible, coated part passes through the most steps: casting, fettling, machining, blasting, transport to the coater, coating, transport back, inspection and packing. We do not powder coat or anodise ourselves. Sub-suppliers do it, ordered and followed up by us, and anodising applies to aluminium only. That means one extra transport leg and a few extra days of lead time, which the quotation states. See surface finishing.

In return you deal with us through the whole chain, including when the colour is off.

What customers usually ask

What do I need to send? The drawing with the visible faces marked, a colour reference, the surface requirement and quantities per order and per year. Request a quote.

Where can the parting line go? That is decided when the tool is designed, and it is one of the first things we look at in the design review.