Choosing the Best Medal Manufacturing Process
When you need custom medals, the way they are made can shape their look, feel, and cost. The two top methods—die struck and die cast—deliver medals that stand out in different ways. Understanding the strengths and limitations of each helps you invest wisely for your event, organization, or brand.
Die Struck vs. Die Cast: Which Medal Manufacturing Process Is Right for Your Project?
Business owners, team leaders, and event organizers often face the choice: die struck vs die cast. Each process works best under certain conditions, depending on your project scale, logo detail, and budget. This guide breaks down both methods and explains which works best for your needs.
Medal Manufacturing: The Core Principles
At the heart of medal making, two precision techniques reign: die striking and die casting. Die striking presses a metal blank between two engraved steel dies, shaping intricate relief patterns. Die casting pours hot, molten metal into a mold, letting it cool for high-volume, precise parts. Both methods rely on expert craftsmanship and strict quality checks. Gairun, for example, uses these standards to ensure medals meet tight tolerances and vibrant finish expectations.
Die Struck Process Explained
Die struck medals start with a sheet of metal, often brass, copper, or iron, ranging from 1.2 to 4 mm thick. Skilled operators press the blank with high-tonnage machinery, imprinting crisp, raised designs. Relief levels can be two-dimensional (2D) or sculpted into three dimensions (3D). The process excels at capturing fine details—like sharp lines, subtle textures, and premium finishes through hand-polishing and multiple plating layers.
Key Benefits of Die Struck Medals
- Rich, tactile details with a noticeable weight
- Premium surface finishes (antique brass, matte gold)
- Strong durability for long-term use and display
- Ideal for small to medium production runs (100 pcs to 5,000 pcs)
Die Cast Process Explained
Die cast medals use molten zinc alloy poured into steel molds. Mold cavities define every contour, letting makers create medals with complex shapes, deep recesses, and multi-level relief. Die cast manufacturing supports custom 3D logos, intricate cutouts, and even embedded elements. After cooling, medals go through tumbling, sanding, and multi-stage finishing. Gairun uses wire EDM (electrical discharge machining) to make precision molds, ensuring clean edges and sharp details.
Key Benefits of Die Cast Medals
- Supports intricate, multi-layered designs and cutouts
- Consistent quality across large quantities (1,000 pcs and up)
- Flexible for unusual shapes and custom 3D effects
- Efficient for bulk orders; unit price drops as volume increases
Comparative Table: Die Struck vs Die Cast Medals
| Aspect | Die Struck | Die Cast |
|---|---|---|
| Detail Level | Sharp lines, crisp relief, 2D/3D textures | Complex relief, deep cutouts, multi-level layers |
| Best Materials | Brass, copper, iron, stainless steel | Zinc alloy, aluminum (for lighter badges) |
| Weight | Heavier, solid feel | Lighter, can be hollow or solid |
| Durability | Excellent, resists wear; thickness control (2–4 mm) | Very good; less prone to bending, great for complex shapes |
| Finish Options | Antique, satin, mirror polish, sandblast | Chrome, matte, brushed, PVD, powder coating |
| Minimum Order | Low (100 pcs typical) | Higher (500–1,000 pcs optimal) |
| Unit Cost | Higher for small batches; drops with order size | Lower for large quantities; tooling amortized |
| Logo Complexity | Best for classic emblems, shields, medals | Best for detailed logos, cutouts, mascot designs |
| Lead Time | 3–5 weeks (includes tooling and finish) | 3–6 weeks (tooling-intensive for molds) |
Appearance and Finish: What Sets Them Apart?
First impressions matter. Die struck medals feel weighty and refined. Edges and surfaces feature high-definition relief and mirror polish, popular for executive awards and exclusive sporting events. Deep antique finishes lend a sense of vintage prestige, while brushed textures create elegant contrast.
Die Cast Flexibility
Die cast medals stand out with bold shapes and dramatic cutouts. Plating options include bright chrome, brushed gunmetal, or rich gold, with smooth epoxy domes or colored enamel fills (Pantone-matched, if needed). These medals make the most of custom geometry—think mascots, logo-shaped medals, or tokens with sculpted effects.
Cost Factors: Balancing Budget and Quality
Medal manufacturing costs depend heavily on process, order volume, and complexity. Die struck medals cost more per piece at low volume due to higher labor and material expenses. The upfront die creation (US$ 120–300 per die) yields lower costs as quantities rise. Die cast medals need custom steel molds, which cost more to produce but drop per-unit prices as runs increase to thousands.
Which Is Cheaper?
For orders under 500 units, die struck is often more cost-effective. For larger runs, die cast offers better unit pricing—making it ideal for national events, school marathons, or club championships with bulky medal requirements.
Detail Level: Capturing Logos and Fine Graphics
The level of relief and contour matters when your logo, crest, or wording features fine elements. Die struck medals can reproduce sharp lines, delicate texture, and crisp lettering. They excel with classic crests, shields, and timeless emblems. Die cast medals, thanks to high-pressure molds, achieve layered detail—like high-relief mascots, custom-shaped tokens, or medals with deep inset backgrounds.
Color Fill Options
- Die Struck: Usually paired with hard or soft enamel for color separation and smooth, durable surfaces. Maximum fill depth: 0.3–0.6 mm.
- Die Cast: Supports deep wells, multiple color zones, and even dual-layer fills with epoxy domes. Flexible for multi-color branding and special effects.
Durability: Medals That Stand the Test of Time
Durability comes down to material hardness, thickness, and plating. Die struck medals often use hardened brass or iron alloys, achieving high Vickers hardness (HV 130–220) and robust thickness (2–4 mm). Electroplating thickness is checked via X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to ensure longevity—most pieces meet ASTM B568 standards for nickel/chrome layers.
Die Cast Strength
Die cast medals are tough, especially in zinc alloy. They resist bending and keep crisp details even after heavy handling. While less dense than die struck versions, their corrosion resistance is strong—helped by advanced powder coating and PVD (physical vapor deposition) for extra life.
Order Quantity: How Volume Shapes Your Choice
Your order size influences which process works best. Die struck medals are perfect for prestige runs, special edition sets, or smaller events from 100–5,000 units. Die cast medals shine when you need 1,000 to 100,000 pieces—like major marathons, corporate giveaways, or large-scale branding projects.
- Small Batch (100–500 pcs): Die struck is optimal for high detail and custom finishes.
- Medium to Large Batch (1,000+ pcs): Die cast maximizes quality and budget.
Expert Takeaway: “Choose die struck for classic elegance and smaller runs; die cast for creative geometry and mass production.”
Logo Complexity & Brand Impact
If your medal design features intricate logos, layered graphics, or mascot shapes, die casting offers greater flexibility. Precise molds capture dimension and depth. However, if your badge or medal focuses on sharp lines or traditional heraldic style, die striking’s definition stands out.
Pantone Matching for Custom Medals
Both processes support Pantone color matching for brand consistency. Gairun leverages specialized enamel and epoxy techniques to guarantee vibrant, true-to-spec hues across medals, coins, and branded hardware.
Material Selection: Choosing What Lasts
The chosen metal affects your medal’s weight, look, and feel. Die struck medals favor dense brass and copper for their polish and durability, while die cast medals often use zinc alloy for lighter weight and casting accuracy. Stainless steel (304/316) or aluminum (6061/5052) may be selected for special finish requirements or extra corrosion resistance.
- Brass: Offers premium weight and shine; ideal for executive awards.
- Zinc Alloy: Great for die cast shapes, corrosion resistant.
- Stainless Steel: Used for extremely durable or wearable medals (EN 1811 nickel release compliant).
Quality Assurance & Compliance
All medals undergo strict checks. Thickness and plating are measured; hardness is confirmed via microhardness testing; color difference is tracked (ΔE<2 for branding consistency). Sampling follows the ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 standard (AQL 1.0–2.5 typical). For wearable badges, RoHS and EN 1811 nickel release regulations apply. Gairun also tests assembly mounts—ensuring butterfly clutches, split rings, and magnetic backs adhere firmly and safely. Salt-spray tests (ASTM B117) validate corrosion resistance for outdoor events and marine applications.
Assembly & Packaging Options
Mounting and packaging round out the medal experience. Choose from split rings, lobster clasps, or butterfly clutches, according to medal size and usage. For events, medals may be packed in OPP bags, velvet boxes, or custom blister cards for impact and convenience.
Making Your Final Decision: Step-by-Step
- Assess your order size and target budget.
- Review logo complexity and design needs.
- Factor in desired finishes and durability.
- Match the process to your branding goals and event type.
- Contact a specialist like Gairun for precise recommendations and samples.
When to Choose Die Struck
If you seek classic prestige, sharp details, and lasting impressions for a smaller batch, die struck medals answer the call. Ideal for honors, club awards, or executive gifts.
When to Choose Die Cast
For bold logos, deep relief, color integration, and mass production, die cast delivers great value. Perfect for marathons, large sporting events, and brand promotions with complex shapes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main differences between die struck and die cast medals?
Die struck medals are pressed from solid metal, creating sharp relief and heavy premium feel; die cast medals use molten metal poured into molds, supporting complex shapes and large batch efficiency.
Which process is better for lower quantity orders?
Die struck is typically better for small to medium orders as setup costs are lower; die casting becomes cost-effective with higher volumes.
Can either process handle detailed, multi-color logos?
Both processes can handle multi-color logos, but die cast allows for more complex color separation and deeper relief for intricate designs.
How durable are die cast medals compared to die struck?
Die struck medals are slightly denser and may last longer, though modern die cast medals are highly durable for frequent handling.
What materials are commonly used for each medal process?
Die struck medals use brass, copper, or iron; die cast medals favor zinc alloy and sometimes aluminum or stainless steel for special needs.
Is lead time different between die struck and die cast medals?
Lead time is similar for both, often 3–6 weeks including mold/tool creation, plating, and assembly; die cast may take longer for complex shapes.
