We Don't Own a Factory. We Own the Process.
MedalSmith.com is not a manufacturer. We are the sourcing and quality-control layer between you and a
network of specialist factories: we choose the shop, hold the schedule and inspect the goods ourselves
before they ship. One quotation, one contact, one inspection report — for the whole build. Our clients are
race directors and event organizers, police, fire and military units, schools and universities, clubs,
brands, and creators and community leaders building their own brand.
Why we set it up this way
A single factory can only sell you what it already runs. That means one set of minimums, one
production calendar, one plating quality level — and a salesperson whose job is to tell you that their
line is the right line for your project.
We work the other way round. When your artwork arrives, the question is not "how do we make this on
our machines" but "who does this specific thing best." Casting depth on a 3D crest is a different
skill from getting a clean line on a 0.6mm enamel border, which is a different skill from hitting the
same gold tone on 1,000 pieces. They are usually three different shops.
That is the whole model. It is also why we can publish a mold fee and a 50-piece minimum instead of
hiding both: we are not protecting a single plant's cost base.
The trade we make, stated plainly
We do not own the presses — and neither does any single partner of ours. Even our main factory does
not run its own plating line, and die-casting for certain sizes goes to a dedicated caster. Plating
goes to a shop that plates nothing else. That is how this industrial belt actually works, and a
seller who claims to own all of it is usually brokering the same subcontracts without telling you
who is responsible when two of them disagree.
What we do own is every checkpoint: we pick the shops, we approve the die, we sign off the first
strike, we inspect the run and we release the carton. You do not get a factory tour video with 40
machines in it. You get a named person who has walked the floor of every partner shop, who sees your
die before it is cut, and who signs off on the cartons. If you would rather buy from a factory with a
lobby, that is a legitimate choice — we are simply not that.
[Your Name]
Founder. Sourcing metal crafts since 20[X] . I answer the quote
emails, and I am the one who rejects a batch before it ships.
Four specializations, four partner shops
We do not name partner factories on the public site without their written consent — most of them supply
other brands and prefer it that way. What we can publish is what each one is chosen for, and what we
check when we are standing there.
Casting shop
Chosen for: relief depth and edge sharpness on zinc alloy.
We check: die condition before the run, flash on the outer edge, weight variance
across the batch.
Partner since 20[X]
Enamel shop
Chosen for: clean color separation on borders under 1mm.
We check: color against the approved Pantone, bubbles in recessed areas, overflow on
raised metal.
Partner since 20[X]
Plating shop
Chosen for: consistent tone across a batch, and antique finishes that do not turn
green.
We check: tone against a plated reference, adhesion after a tape test, coverage in
recesses.
Partner since 20[X]
Assembly & packing
Chosen for: ribbon attachment, capsule fitting and carton labeling that survives
export.
We check: count per carton, label accuracy, individual bag seal, packed photos before
pickup.
Partner since 20[X]
All four are within a few hours of each other, which is what makes same-week movement
between casting, plating and assembly possible. How we route an order →
Every process. One accountable partner.
Because the work is split across specialist shops, somebody has to own the seams between them. That is
the actual product — not the metal.
- Factory selection and audit. We visit the shop, confirm it has capacity in your
window, and confirm it really runs the process we are buying — not a cousin of it. - Mold development. The die is cut to your approved proof, never to a house template.
- First-article sign-off. The first strike is photographed and approved before the run
continues. - In-process inspection. Enamel fill, plating tone and adhesion are checked while the
line is still running, not after it stops. - Final inspection and shipment release. AQL 2.5 sampling, a written defect report and
packed photos before the carton leaves.
Your side of that is one email thread and one person who answers it. You will never have to mediate
between a caster and a plater — that is our job, and it is the reason this model holds up at 1,000
pieces.
The 12-point check — and what we reject for
Every order is inspected against this list before it is packed. Sampling follows AQL 2.5 on the
finished run; anything outside the limits is sorted, reworked or remade before shipment.
| # | Checkpoint | Reject criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Artwork file readiness | Any element thinner than 0.6mm or type under 1.5mm without written sign-off |
| 2 | Die proof vs approved mock-up | Outline deviation, missing element, wrong die depth |
| 3 | First strike | Short fill, visible die line, edge flash |
| 4 | Metal weight variance | More than ±5% from the approved sample |
| 5 | Edge and burr | Any burr that catches on fabric or skin |
| 6 | Plating tone | Visible difference from the plated reference under daylight |
| 7 | Plating adhesion | Lifting after tape test; bare metal in recesses |
| 8 | Enamel fill | Bubbles, overflow onto raised metal, color outside Pantone tolerance |
| 9 | Assembly | Ribbon twist, loose clutch, capsule not seated |
| 10 | Back-side engraving | Illegible characters, misaligned names, wrong sequence |
| 11 | Count and packaging | Carton count short, wrong label, bag seal open |
| 12 | Final pre-shipment audit | Any of the above unresolved; we do not ship on promise |
AQL 2.5 sample sizes: 151–280 pcs → 32 sampled; 281–500 → 50; 501–1,200 → 80;
1,201–3,200 → 125. Acceptance number scales with the lot size. Full AQL table, defect thresholds and the 12-step SOP →
Five progress photos, every order
Die cut, first test strike
Plated and filled sample
Line running, count on the bench
Inspection bench + defect log
Labeled cartons before pickup
What we will not do
- Claim to be a manufacturer. We are not, and the footer of every page says so.
- Publish a client case or photo without a signed release.
- Use another company's product photos, even as "reference".
- Quote a piece price and add tooling later.
- Take a deposit before you have approved a digital proof.
- Promise a delivery date that the schedule cannot hold.
What you can hold us to
- Mold fee published on the site: $80–$150 (2D), $150–$300 (3D).
- No second mold charge on a reorder within 24 months.
- MOQ 50, and the 50–99 price within 15% of the 100–299 price.
- Digital proof within 24 hours; physical sample shipped within 48 hours of die completion.
- An itemized invoice: pieces, mold, sample, packaging, freight. Nothing else appears later.
- Five progress photos and a defect report before the carton leaves.