Fast tooling and soft tooling for pre-series and small series

We build rapid tooling to support pre-series, application testing and the first stages of industrialisation.

FAST TOOLING

Fast Tooling lets you produce moulded plastic parts quickly, without facing the cost of a production mould straight away. It is the ideal way to validate geometry, materials, assemblies and functional performance before series production.
By bringing together professional 3D printing, engineering design and industrial moulding know-how, we make rapid tooling, inserts and pilot moulds that carry the project from prototyping to pre-series. The process uses a reusable modular aluminium mould base with custom 3D printed inserts, so the tool adapts quickly to different geometries.

The inserts are printed in a high-temperature ceramic resin — MARCA DLP CERAMIC-01, heavily ceramic-filled, with HDT above 280 °C at 0.45 MPa. How many parts an insert will take depends on the geometry of the component and on the material being moulded: unfilled thermoplastics — PP, PE, PS, ABS, TPE and TPU — wear it down slowly; filled or reinforced materials and high-melting-point engineering polymers such as PC, fibre-reinforced PA and PBT, PPS and PEEK, wear it down far more quickly. The order of magnitude is a few tens of parts per insert, and a few hundred with multiple inserts; typical tolerances are around ±0.2 mm, wider than those of a steel mould. The advantage is neither the number of parts nor the precision, but the material: you mould with the same thermoplastic intended for production, and that allows technical checks 3D printing cannot give.

3D PRINTING

Rapid prototyping

From CAD to part in a few days

Lead times

Volumes

Materials

Ideal

FAST TOOLING

Pre-series with real materials

Additive speed + industrial process

Lead times

Volumes

Materials

Ideal

Injection Molding

Series production

Consistent quality, optimised part cost

Lead times

Volumes

Materials

Ideal

“Fast Tooling brings the speed of additive manufacturing
into an industrial moulding process.”

WHEN TO CHOOSE IT

3D printing is not enough, but a production tool is too early

  • The part is nearly validated, but needs testing in the real material
  • Volumes do not yet justify a production tool
  • The design may still change
  • You need to check assemblies, shrinkage and real material behaviour
  • You need to bring the launch forward
  • You need bridge production while the final tool is being built

Volumes too low for a conventional tool, but industrial materials and performance are needed.

WHAT WE MAKE

Tens of parts per insert, a few hundred per batch with multiple inserts, depending on the geometry and on the moulded material

  • Functional pre-series and technical samples
  • Parts for fit testing and material validation
  • Parts for customer trials, trade fairs and early certification
  • Bridge production before the final tool
  • Geometry variants to compare before production
  • Small industrial batches in real thermoplastics

Volumes too low for a conventional tool, but industrial materials and performance are needed.

The mould

Injection moulding suits functional parts, covers, gears, clips, technical elements, automotive details, parts for electronics, home appliances, industrial automation, cosmetics and any application needing high repeatability. The Marca Product Showroom and Company Profile show examples in automotive, electronics, home appliance, food, industrial automation and beauty/cosmetics.

Automotive and mobility

Technical plastic parts for interiors, body and under-bonnet. Injection moulding delivers the dimensional repeatability and thermal resistance the automotive production cycle demands.

Electronics and electrical

Enclosures, housings and structural parts for electronic devices. Materials with insulating properties, dimensional stability and tight tolerances for integration with electrical components.

Machinery and automation

Functional parts for industrial machinery and automated systems. Gears, guides, mounts and drive elements in technical materials with high wear and chemical resistance.

Beauty & cosmetics

Technical and aesthetic packaging for cosmetics. Care for surface quality, product compatibility and custom finishes, for a precise visual product identity.

Technical parts

Functional plastic parts for general industrial use. High repeatability, certified materials and complex geometries for parts destined for continuous production or technical batches.

Home appliance

Aesthetic and functional parts for home appliances. High volumes, careful surface finishes and food-safe or heat-resistant materials for kitchen and laundry applications.

MATERIALS

Materials:
We select the right raw material from mechanical, aesthetic, dimensional and production requirements. The range covers technical thermoplastics, amorphous polymers, technical polyesters such as PBT and PET, semi-crystalline materials, thermoplastic elastomers, filled or reinforced grades, two-shot solutions and special materials for certified industrial applications.
Material availability is confirmed during technical review, based on required performance, application sector and project specifications.

Materials

ABS

A versatile technical material for functional prototypes, casings and industrial parts. Good impact resistance, easy post-processing and a fine balance of cost and performance.

Impact resistance

Cost-effective

ASA

Ideal for prototypes and parts used outdoors. Good mechanical strength, UV stability and longer life in exposed environments than ABS.

UV Resistant

Outdoor

PC

High-performance polycarbonate for robust prototypes and tough technical parts. For when you need more toughness, impact resistance and thermal stability.

High temperature

Structural

PC-ABS

A hybrid material combining the strength of polycarbonate with the workability of ABS. Ideal for technical covers, housings, brackets and complex functional prototypes.

Balanced

Easy to machine

PEI

Advanced engineering polymer for demanding industrial applications. Chosen for heat-resistant, rigid, lightweight components suited to technical sectors such as automotive, aerospace and machinery.

Technical

180°C+

TPU

A flexible material for elastic prototypes, gaskets, guards and shock-absorbing parts. Ideal when the part has to take deformation, vibration or dynamic loads.

Flexible

Elastomer

Carbon-filled PA12

Carbon-fibre filled nylon for light, rigid, structural parts. Ideal for brackets, supports, jigs and technical components where strength and weight saving matter.

Technical

High stiffness

Before you ask for a price, look at the part

Wall thickness, undercuts, draft angles and weak steel in the mould: the same measurements we look at ourselves, on your file, in a few seconds.

Analyse your part