Replacement Components for Aluminum Die Casting Tooling

Palcam specializes in replacement components for aluminum high-pressure die casting (HPDC) tooling — cavity inserts, core pins, slides, shot sleeves, plunger tips, and ejector components. We machine these from customer-specified hot work tool steels to the tolerances and surface quality that die casting demands. We are not a full-service die builder — we focus exclusively on the high-wear components that need constant replenishment.

Send your data files and specifications to sales@palcam.com. Include part quantities, material requirements, and any relevant tolerances or specifications. Existing customers and most prospects can also log into their portal to download data packages directly. We respond to most inquiries within one business day, with competitive pricing typically delivered within 48 hours.

Lead times range from 4 to 10 weeks depending on complexity. Material sourcing, heat treatment, stress relieving, nitriding, and coating requirements all contribute to delivery timelines. When customers specify particular vendors for these processes, lead times are subject to each sub-vendor's scheduling and the transit time to and from their facility — and each additional processing step adds another round trip. Our fleet of 29 CNC machines — including 25 five-axis centres — gives us the capacity to run jobs in parallel and meet tight production schedules. Contact us with your requirements and we will provide a firm delivery commitment.

Yes. Palcam has researched and produced metal additive manufacturing tooling since 2008. Our H-13 AM inserts deliver up to 5x the lifespan of maraging steel inserts in HPDC applications, thanks to conformal cooling channels that reduce cycle times and extend die life. We also offer design services for AM tooling — build parameters and part geometry are interdependent, so our team designs components to ensure printability and optimal performance. Hybrid manufacturing — printing H-13 on a conventional H-13 base — reduces cost while preserving the performance advantage.

Palcam operates multiple metal 3D printers, including an SLM 280 and custom-built machines designed and built in-house specifically for pure H-13 tool steel powder. Our proprietary machines run at over 400°C build chamber temperature — compared to approximately 200°C on standard industrial machines. This higher temperature is critical for H-13: research shows that preheating at 400–500°C reduces residual stress in printed parts by up to 85%, producing denser, more dimensionally stable inserts with fewer defects. This capability is central to the performance advantage our AM inserts deliver in production die casting.