Time is always a factor in the production world, but even more so in prototype casting. Recently Alumacast quoted a prototype for a customer that had a compressed timeline. The part was quite complex and producing it quickly was going to be a challenge.
In a follow-up conference with the customer we discussed the part and its use. During that discussion we discovered that many of the problematic and time-consuming features were not really needed in the prototype. Although desirable in the production die casting, for cost savings and metallurgical concerns certain design features were not vital in producing the prototypes. In the course of the meeting we agreed to eliminate some features and moved others to secondary operations, salvaging the timeline for the customer.
If you have concerns about a specific project call me, or send an email. We look forward to hearing from you.