---
type: category
name: "Forming"
processes: 60
url: https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming
---

# Forming

60 manufacturing processes in the forming family.

Forming processes shape material without removing it. Molten, softened or
solid stock is pushed into the geometry of a mold, a die or a tool, and
the part emerges at or near net shape.

This is where tooling cost and part cost diverge most sharply: a forming
process usually demands an expensive tool up front and then produces parts
for pennies, which is why volume is the first question to ask of any
forming route.

## Processes

| Process | Tolerances | Typical volumes | Lead time |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [3D Thermal Laminating](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/3d-thermal-laminating.md) | Set by the machined substrate; the laminate itself adds roughly 0.008–0.024 in (0.2–0.6 mm) per laminated face depending on foil or veneer thickness. | 50–500,000 panels; economical at any quantity because no mold is required | Days rather than weeks — there is no tooling to build, only a router program. Press cycles run roughly 40–90 seconds per load; rotary profile wrapping runs continuously at 30–200 ft/min (10–60 m/min). |
| [Binder Jetting](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/binder-jetting.md) | Roughly ±0.5% of dimension on sintered metal (about ±0.008 in on a 1.5 in feature), with ±0.3% achievable on well-characterized geometry. Binder-jetted foundry sand molds hold approximately ±0.012 in (±0.3 mm). | 50–50,000 parts for sintered metal; 1 and upward for foundry sand molds and cores | 7–15 business days for sintered metal, most of it furnace scheduling and post-machining. Binder-jetted sand molds are frequently produced in 2–5 business days. |
| [Blow Molding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/blow-molding.md) | ±0.020 in (±0.5 mm), roughly ±1%, on blown body dimensions; injection-molded neck finishes hold about ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm). Wall thickness is not directly controllable and commonly varies 30% or more across a part. | 1,000 to many millions; rotary lines run tens of thousands of containers per hour | 3–8 weeks for an aluminum EBM tool; 6–12 weeks for an ISBM preform tool plus blow mold; hours per production run thereafter |
| [CNC Wire Bending](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/cnc-wire-bending.md) | Roughly ±0.020 in (±0.5 mm) on leg lengths and ±1–2° on bend angles, tightening to about ±0.010 in and ±1° with first-article correction; tolerances accumulate along multi-bend parts | 100–1,000,000+ parts; a few hundred is enough to absorb the setup | 1–3 weeks including programming and first articles; days for repeat orders. No tooling lead time |
| [Centrifugal Casting](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/centrifugal-casting.md) | Outside diameter, cast against a metal die, holds substantially tighter than the bore, which is uncontrolled and always machined; wall thickness is set by pour volume and carries the loosest tolerance of the three | 1–10,000 parts; a single large ring is economic on a sand-lined mold | 2–6 weeks for a run against existing mold sizes; longer if a new permanent mold is required |
| [Ceramic Injection Molding (CIM)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/ceramic-injection-molding-cim.md) | ±0.3–0.5% of dimension as fired (about ±0.006–0.010 in on a 2 in feature); diamond-ground features hold ±0.0002 in (±0.005 mm) or better. | 10,000–1,000,000+ parts per year | 12–20 weeks for tooling and shrink-factor development, then 2–4 weeks per production batch, most of it furnace scheduling. |
| [Ceramic Slip Casting](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/ceramic-slip-casting.md) | Roughly ±1–2% of dimension on the fired part, dominated by variation in drying and firing shrinkage rather than by the mold. | 100–50,000 pieces per year with plaster molds; higher with pressure casting | 3–8 weeks for model and mold making. In production, plaster molds typically yield one or two castings per mold per day, so output is set by mold count. |
| [Clay Throwing](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/clay-throwing.md) | — | 1–500 pieces | Days to weeks per batch. Throwing is minutes per piece, but drying takes days and pieces are held until a full kiln load is ready for each of two firings. |
| [Composite Laminating](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/composite-laminating.md) | ±0.010 in (±0.25 mm) on tool-side surfaces. Laminate thickness varies ±10–20% on open (bag-side) surfaces; matched tooling or RTM is required to control both faces. | 1–5,000 parts per year, depending on route: wet layup at the low end, RTM at the high end | 2–6 weeks including tooling for prototype work; 1–5 days per part once tooling exists, dominated by layup labor and cure cycle. |
| [Compression Molding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/compression-molding.md) | About ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm) on features contained within one mold half; ±0.010 in (±0.25 mm) or more on dimensions spanning the parting line, since flash thickness varies with charge weight. Rubber tolerance classes follow ISO 3302-1. | 100–50,000 parts per year; above that, injection or transfer molding usually takes over | 3–8 weeks for tooling; cycles of 1–10+ minutes depending on section thickness, plus deflash and any post-cure |
| [DMC and SMC Molding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/dmc-and-smc-molding.md) | About ±0.1–0.3% of dimension, roughly ±0.005 in/in, thanks to the near-zero mold shrinkage of low-profile compounds. Tighter than most thermoplastic molding, and dimensionally stable with temperature. | 1,000–100,000 parts per year | 10–20 weeks for steel tooling; cycle times of 60–180 seconds per part in production. |
| [Deep Drawing](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/deep-drawing.md) | Roughly ±0.010 in (±0.25 mm) on drawn diameters and depth; ironed walls hold tighter, near ±0.002 in (±0.05 mm). Wall thickness varies 10–25% from the blank gauge by design | 25,000–10,000,000+ parts; below about 5,000 a single-sided process is usually cheaper | 8–16 weeks for a multi-station draw die; 1–3 weeks per production run thereafter |
| [Die Casting](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/die-casting.md) | ±0.010 in (±0.25 mm) on the first inch, then ±0.002 in per additional inch (NADCA standard linear tolerance, aluminum); dimensions crossing the parting line need added allowance | 10,000–1,000,000+ parts per die; below about 5,000/year the tooling rarely pays back | Roughly 10–16 weeks for die build and sampling; 2–4 weeks per production release thereafter |
| [Dip Molding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/dip-molding.md) | Inside diameter follows the former closely, about ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm); wall thickness is much looser at roughly ±0.010–0.030 in (±0.25–0.75 mm) and varies along the dip axis. | 100 to several million parts; economical at both ends because tooling is so inexpensive | 1–3 weeks for formers; hours per rack thereafter, with cycle time driven by fusion oven residence |
| [Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/direct-metal-laser-sintering-dmls.md) | About ±0.004 in (±0.1 mm) on features up to 1 in (25 mm), then roughly ±0.2% of nominal. Suppliers commonly quote ±0.003 in (±0.076 mm) plus ±0.001 in/in for well-controlled geometry; machined features are far tighter. | 1–500 parts; economical wherever the geometry cannot be machined or cast | 5–15 business days. The print itself is typically 1–4 days, with stress relief, plate removal, support removal, and any machining or HIP adding most of the balance. |
| [Directed Energy Deposition (DED)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/directed-energy-deposition-ded.md) | As-deposited surfaces are held to roughly ±0.02–0.04 in (±0.5–1.0 mm) at best, and large WAAM structures to considerably less. Final tolerances come from the machining operation that follows, not from the deposition. | 1–100 parts; repairs and one-off large structures are the core of the market | 1–4 weeks depending on size, heat treatment, and the machining that follows. Repairs of existing components are often turned around in days. |
| [Electroforming](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/electroforming.md) | The mandrel-contacting surface replicates the mandrel closely, so its accuracy is the mandrel's accuracy; wall thickness typically varies ±10–25% across a part unless shields and current thieves are used | 1–10,000 parts; single pieces are entirely practical, and permanent mandrels amortize over hundreds | 4–10 weeks including mandrel manufacture and process development; plating alone runs days per part for thick walls |
| [Electron Beam Melting (EBM)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/electron-beam-melting-ebm.md) | About ±0.012–0.016 in (±0.3–0.4 mm), looser than laser powder bed fusion because of the thicker layers and coarser powder. Machined interfaces hold normal machining tolerances. | 1–10,000 parts per year; unusually well suited to serial production of a repeating titanium part | 7–20 business days. Build time is competitive, but the controlled cooldown from process temperature adds many hours to every cycle. |
| [Filament Winding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/filament-winding.md) | Inside diameter ±0.005–0.010 in (±0.13–0.25 mm), set by the mandrel. Wall thickness and outside diameter carry roughly ±0.5–1% because thickness builds in whole layers. | 100–500,000 parts per year | 6–16 weeks for mandrel and pattern development on a new part; hours per part in production once the winding program exists. |
| [Forging](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/forging.md) | Commercial impression-die forgings hold roughly ±0.030 in (±0.8 mm) on small parts, widening with size, plus separate allowances for die wear, mismatch, and die closure; machine anything needing better than about ±0.010 in | 1–100 pieces open die; 1,000–500,000+ per year impression die | 8–16 weeks to sink an impression die and produce first articles; 3–8 weeks per production run. Open-die work in 2–6 weeks with no tooling |
| [Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/fused-deposition-modeling-fdm.md) | ±0.020 in (±0.5 mm) or ±0.5% of nominal, whichever is greater, on desktop-class machines. Industrial systems hold ±0.008 in (±0.2 mm) or ±0.002 in/in. Drilled and reamed features are far tighter. | 1–500 parts | 1–5 business days; small parts print in 1–4 hours and a full plate in 10–30 hours. No tooling, so the first part ships as fast as the last. |
| [Glassblowing](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/glassblowing.md) | — | 1–1,000 pieces hand blown; hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions machine formed | Hours to days per piece in a studio, plus annealing time that scales with section thickness. Container mold sets take weeks to months; machine production is continuous. |
| [Heat Treatment](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/heat-treatment.md) | — | 1 piece to millions; furnace loads are priced by weight, so batching drives the unit cost | 3–10 business days for standard atmosphere hardening and tempering; longer for carburizing, and 1–3 weeks for long nitriding cycles |
| [Hydroforming](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/hydroforming.md) | Roughly ±0.010–0.030 in (±0.25–0.75 mm) on formed features; sections calibrated hard against the die hold better than regions that are only partly expanded | 1,000–250,000 parts per year; above roughly 500,000, stamping's cycle time wins | 8–16 weeks for die design, build, and process development; 2–6 weeks per production run thereafter |
| [Injection Molding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/injection-molding.md) | ±0.005 in (±0.127 mm) commercial on features under 1 in; ±0.002 in (±0.05 mm) precision; ±0.1–0.2% of dimension on larger parts. Add tolerance for anything spanning the parting line or a side action. | 1,000–1,000,000+ parts; economics are strongest above 10,000 | 2–4 weeks for an aluminum bridge tool, 6–12 weeks for a hardened steel production tool; parts in hours to days once the tool is sampled |
| [Insert Molding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/insert-molding.md) | Molded features hold normal injection molding tolerances, about ±0.005 in (±0.127 mm). Insert position relative to molded features is looser and depends on how positively the insert is located — budget the insert's own tolerance plus the locating clearance. | 1,000–1,000,000+ parts; below 1,000, post-mold insert installation is usually cheaper | 6–12 weeks for tooling including insert locating features and presence sensing; cycles run several seconds longer than the equivalent plain molding |
| [Investment Casting](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/investment-casting.md) | About ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm) on the first inch plus roughly ±0.003 in per additional inch; flatness and straightness are usually the limiting characteristics on long or thin parts | 100–50,000 parts per year; single prototypes possible with printed wax patterns | 6–12 weeks for wax tooling and first article, then 4–8 weeks per production run; printed-wax prototypes in 2–4 weeks with no tool |
| [Lampworking](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/lampworking.md) | — | 1–1,000 pieces; unit cost is flat with quantity because there is no tooling | Hours to days per piece, plus a kiln annealing cycle sized to the thickest section. Complex laboratory assemblies are quoted in bench hours rather than lead weeks. |
| [Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) Molding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/liquid-silicone-rubber-lsr-molding.md) | About ±0.002–0.004 in (±0.05–0.10 mm) on small precision features; ISO 3302-1 class M1 is achievable on tightly controlled dimensions. Larger dimensions scale with the 2–3.5% shrinkage allowance. | 1,000–1,000,000+ parts; below about 500, compression molding avoids the tooling cost | 6–12 weeks for a production LSR tool with cold runner and vacuum sealing; cycles of 20–60 seconds thereafter, plus any post-cure |
| [Masked Stereolithography (MSLA / DLP)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/masked-stereolithography-msla-dlp.md) | About ±0.004–0.008 in (±0.1–0.2 mm) on general geometry; ±0.002 in (±0.05 mm) is achievable on small parts with fine-pitch panels and a compensated first article. | 1–5,000 small parts; cost per part falls in proportion to how densely the plate is filled | Same day to 3 business days. A 4 in (100 mm) tall build runs roughly 3–8 hours plus wash and post-cure, regardless of how many parts are on the plate. |
| [Material Jetting (PolyJet)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/material-jetting-polyjet.md) | About ±0.004 in (±0.1 mm) on parts up to 4 in (100 mm), and roughly ±0.008 in (±0.2 mm) or ±0.1% of nominal on larger geometry. | 1–50 parts | 1–3 business days. Printing is typically 4–12 hours, with support removal adding anywhere from minutes to several hours depending on internal geometry. |
| [Metal Extrusion](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/metal-extrusion.md) | Standard mill tolerances per published aluminum extrusion practice — roughly ±0.010 in (±0.25 mm) on small cross-section dimensions, wall thickness held as a percentage, plus separate straightness, twist, and flatness allowances | Several hundred pounds minimum per die run, up to millions of pounds; unit cost is nearly flat across that range | 2–4 weeks for a new die and first run; 2–6 weeks per production order thereafter |
| [Metal Injection Molding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/metal-injection-molding.md) | About ±0.3% of the dimension as standard (roughly ±0.003 in on a 1 in feature), with ±0.1–0.2% achievable on controlled features or after sizing; machine anything tighter | 20,000–1,000,000+ parts per year; below about 5,000 machining is usually cheaper | 8–14 weeks for tooling and first articles; 4–8 weeks per production run thereafter, set largely by furnace scheduling |
| [Metal Spinning](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/metal-spinning.md) | Roughly ±0.010–0.030 in (±0.25–0.75 mm) on diameters, tighter on CNC machines with hard mandrels; wall thickness varies through the part in conventional spinning and follows the sine law in shear spinning | 1–5,000 parts; above about 5,000 deep drawing usually wins on cycle time | 1–3 weeks including mandrel; days for repeat work on an existing mandrel |
| [Metal Stamping](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/metal-stamping.md) | ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm) typical on blanked and pierced features; ±0.001–0.002 in (±0.025–0.05 mm) achievable in precision dies. Formed dimensions spanning several stations hold looser than single-station features | 25,000–10,000,000+ parts per year; below about 10,000 laser cutting and press braking usually win | 10–20 weeks for progressive die design, build, and tryout; 1–3 weeks per production release thereafter |
| [Multi Jet Fusion (MJF)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/multi-jet-fusion-mjf.md) | ±0.008 in (±0.2 mm) or ±0.3% of nominal, whichever is greater. Tighter features are machined or reamed after the build. | 10–10,000 parts per year; unit cost is close to flat across that range when builds are nested well | 3–7 business days. A full build runs roughly 10–15 hours of printing plus a comparable controlled cooling cycle before depowdering. |
| [Overmolding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/overmolding.md) | Substrate features hold normal injection molding tolerances, about ±0.005 in (±0.127 mm). Dimensions taken over the elastomer are looser and compressible; in insert-transfer overmolding, add the substrate loading clearance to the position tolerance of the second shot. | 5,000–1,000,000+ parts; two-shot tooling pays back above roughly 100,000 | 8–14 weeks for a two-shot rotating tool; 6–10 weeks for a pair of insert-transfer tools; cycles are one conventional molding cycle plus the elastomer shot |
| [Panel Beating](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/panel-beating.md) | — | 1–50 pieces; a form block for jig chasing becomes worthwhile above a handful of repeats | Days to weeks per panel, driven entirely by shape difficulty and finish requirements |
| [Paper Pulp Molding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/paper-pulp-molding.md) | ±0.020–0.060 in (±0.5–1.5 mm) for thick-wall and transfer molded parts; ±0.010–0.020 in (±0.25–0.5 mm) for thermoformed precision pulp. | 10,000–10,000,000+ parts per year | 4–10 weeks for tooling, substantially faster than plastic molding tools. Production cycles run from seconds to a few minutes per part depending on grade and thickness. |
| [Plastic Extrusion](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/plastic-extrusion.md) | ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm) on small dimensions held against a calibrator; ±0.020–0.060 in (±0.5–1.5 mm) on free-extruded surfaces of large profiles; angles ±1–2°. Bow and twist are specified separately per unit length. | Quoted by weight — minimum runs of several hundred to a few thousand pounds; annual volumes reach millions of feet | 3–6 weeks for a custom profile die plus calibration tooling, including one or more die correction iterations; days per production run thereafter |
| [Powder Metallurgy (Press and Sinter)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/powder-metallurgy-press-and-sinter.md) | Roughly ±0.001–0.002 in per inch on dimensions perpendicular to the pressing direction, controlled by die and core rod steel; dimensions along the pressing axis hold considerably looser unless the part is sized after sintering | 25,000–5,000,000+ parts per year; below about 5,000–10,000 machining is usually cheaper | 12–20 weeks for die set design, build, and qualification; 3–6 weeks per production run thereafter |
| [Press Braking](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/press-braking.md) | ±0.010 in (±0.25 mm) on a single bend dimension, accumulating roughly ±0.010 in per additional bend; bend angle ±1°, or ±0.5° with in-process angle measurement | 1–25,000 parts; above about 25,000 identical parts, hard tooling usually wins | 1–10 business days in a job shop; same-day for simple parts with material in stock. No tooling lead time |
| [Press Molding Ceramics](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/press-molding-ceramics.md) | Roughly ±0.5–1% of dimension for dry-pressed parts and ±1–2% for plastic-formed jiggered and ram-pressed ware. Ceramic tile dimensional classes are defined in ISO 13006 and ANSI A137.1. | 1,000–10,000,000+ pieces per year depending on variant | 6–16 weeks for steel dry-pressing tooling; 2–6 weeks for ram press dies or jigger molds. Production cycles run about one second (dry pressing) to a minute (ram pressing). |
| [Pultrusion](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/pultrusion.md) | Governed by ASTM D3917 for glass-reinforced pultruded shapes (EN 13706 in Europe). Wall thickness is held closest; overall width, straightness, and twist carry progressively looser bands. Do not assume machining-class tolerances on any pultruded dimension. | Thousands to millions of linear feet; a custom die requires a long run to amortize | 10–20 weeks for a new die; standard catalog profiles ship from stock. Production runs are measured in feet per minute rather than parts per hour. |
| [Rapid Prototyping](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/rapid-prototyping.md) | Process-dependent: ±0.004 in (±0.1 mm) for SLA, MSLA, PolyJet, and metal powder bed fusion; ±0.008–0.012 in (±0.2–0.3 mm) for MJF and SLS; ±0.020 in (±0.5 mm) for desktop FDM. Machined features are tighter than any of these. | 1–1,000 parts; unit cost is essentially flat with quantity | 1–5 business days for plastic parts; 5–15 business days for metal, where heat treatment and machining dominate. No tooling lead time in any case. |
| [Reaction Injection Molding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/reaction-injection-molding.md) | About ±0.020 in (±0.5 mm) on features under 12 in; on large panels expect roughly ±0.1–0.2% of the dimension. Thermal expansion of polyurethane is high, so specify the inspection temperature. | 250–10,000 parts per year; below that use urethane casting, above roughly 25,000 consider injection molding | 4–10 weeks for cast aluminum or nickel shell tooling; 1–5 minute cycles thereafter, plus trim and paint |
| [Roll Forming](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/roll-forming.md) | ±0.010–0.030 in (±0.25–0.75 mm) on cross-section dimensions and about ±1° on formed angles; cut-length tolerance depends on whether cutoff is flying or stationary | 20,000+ linear feet per profile; below that, press braking is usually cheaper | 12–20 weeks to design, cut, and debug a roll set; days to weeks per production run thereafter |
| [Rotation Molding](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/rotation-molding.md) | About ±1–2% of the dimension on mold-formed features; wall thickness commonly varies ±10–20% around nominal. Polyethylene shrinkage of 3.0–3.5% must be built into the tool. | 10–10,000 parts per year; the sweet spot is large parts at low to medium volume | 4–10 weeks for tooling depending on size and whether it is fabricated steel or cast aluminum; a 10–60 minute cycle per part thereafter |
| [Sand Casting](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/sand-casting.md) | About ±0.030 in (±0.8 mm) on the first inch plus roughly ±0.003 in per additional inch in green sand; no-bake and shell molds hold tighter. Allow up to 0.030 in (0.8 mm) mismatch across the parting line | 1–100,000 parts per year; economical from a single piece | 1–4 weeks for a pattern, then 1–3 weeks per casting run; prototype castings from printed patterns in 1–2 weeks |
| [Selective Laser Melting (SLM)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/selective-laser-melting-slm.md) | About ±0.004 in (±0.1 mm) up to 1 in (25 mm), then roughly ±0.2% of nominal. Machined features hold normal machining tolerances. | 1–500 parts | 5–15 business days including stress relief, cut-off, support removal, and any machining or hot isostatic pressing. |
| [Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/selective-laser-sintering-sls.md) | ±0.012 in (±0.3 mm) up to about 4 in (100 mm), then ±0.3% of nominal. Critical bores are normally reamed after the build. | 1–5,000 parts; cost per part is nearly flat with quantity | 3–7 business days. A full-height build is 20–40 hours of print time plus 8–24 hours of controlled cooling before parts can be removed. |
| [Sheet Metal Fabrication](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/sheet-metal-fabrication.md) | ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm) on laser-cut features; about ±0.010 in (±0.25 mm) per bend, accumulating across bends; welded assemblies are substantially looser unless fixtured or machined after welding | 1–10,000 parts per year; above about 10,000 stamping or roll forming usually wins | 3–10 business days typical, 1–3 days for quick-turn simple parts; no tooling lead time |
| [Steam Bending](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/steam-bending.md) | — | 1–5,000 pieces per year | Days per batch: roughly one hour of steaming per inch (25 mm) of thickness, a minute to bend, then 1–7 days held on the former while the piece dries and sets. |
| [Stereolithography (SLA)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/stereolithography-sla.md) | ±0.006 in (±0.15 mm) over the first inch, then about ±0.001 in/in (±0.1% of nominal); ±0.004 in (±0.1 mm) on small, well-supported features. Vendors quote between ±0.1% and ±0.2% of dimension. | 1–100 parts; a few hundred when the SLA part serves as a master for urethane casting | 1–3 business days for typical prototypes, same day on desktop machines. A 6 in (150 mm) tall build runs 8–20 hours plus 1–2 hours of washing and post-cure. |
| [Superforming](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/superforming.md) | — | 10–10,000 parts per year; above roughly 10,000 conventional stamping wins on cycle time | 8–16 weeks for tooling and process development; 4–10 weeks per production run, constrained by the long cycle time |
| [Swaging](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/swaging.md) | Roughly ±0.002–0.005 in (±0.05–0.13 mm) on swaged outside diameter; inside diameter holds a comparable tolerance only when a mandrel is used | 100–1,000,000+ parts; practical in dozens on a manual machine | 2–6 weeks including a new die set; days for repeat work on existing tooling |
| [Thermoforming](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/thermoforming.md) | ±0.030 in (±0.75 mm) on vacuum-formed tool-side features; ±0.015 in (±0.4 mm) pressure formed and on CNC-trimmed edges. Non-tool-side dimensions carry all sheet thickness variation. | 50–50,000 parts per year for heavy gauge; thin-gauge roll-fed packaging runs into the millions | 1–2 weeks for prototype wood or epoxy tooling; 2–4 weeks for a production aluminum tool; days per run thereafter |
| [Tube and Section Bending](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/tube-and-section-bending.md) | Roughly ±1° on bend angle and plane of bend, and about ±0.030 in (±0.75 mm) on leg lengths; tolerances accumulate along a multi-bend part, so dimension from a single datum end | 1–500,000 parts; economical from a single piece if tooling already exists | Days to 2 weeks against existing tooling; 4–8 weeks if a new radius tool set is required |
| [Vacuum Casting (Urethane Casting)](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/vacuum-casting.md) | ±0.3% of the nominal dimension, with a minimum of about ±0.010 in (±0.25 mm). Accuracy depends on the master pattern and drifts slightly as the silicone mold ages. | 10–100 parts; 15–25 parts per silicone mold before it must be replaced | 5–15 working days from master pattern to first parts, including silicone cure; a few parts per mold per day thereafter |
| [Wood Laminating](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming/wood-laminating.md) | Springback is typically 1–3% of the bend curvature with a rigid adhesive, against 5–10% for a steamed bend. Forms are made slightly overbent and calibrated on the first assembly. | 1–5,000 pieces per year | 1–3 weeks including form making. In production, cure time per glue-up is several hours at room temperature or minutes with hot pressing or radio-frequency curing. |

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*Source: [Manufacturing Processes](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/forming)*