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Are you planning an event but worried the medals will feel cheap? A low-quality medal can disappoint athletes. We focus on creating medals that feel as significant as the achievement itself.

Sports medals are crafted through a precise, multi-step process. It begins with a 3D design and mold creation. Then, we use die-casting or stamping to form the medal. Finally, we apply plating and finishing touches like enamel colors and engraving.

Here at INIMAKER®, we've spent over 12 years perfecting this craft. The process is a blend of artistry and precision engineering. A great medal doesn't just happen. It starts with a detailed conversation about your vision. We handle everything in our own ISO 9001-certified facility. This means we control the entire journey, from the initial 3D model to the final anti-oxidation coating. This complete control is how we guarantee quality and deliver on time. Many clients, like Mark in France, worry about production delays that could make them miss a key sales season. Our process is designed to prevent that.

Our full-cycle service ensures that your vision is perfectly executed. We don't subcontract our work, which eliminates a big risk for our customers. Here is a look at our core process:

1. Diseño & 3D Modeling: It all starts with your idea. Our team helps you turn it into a 3D digital proof. This lets you see and approve every detail before we make anything physical. A client like Klaus in Germany appreciates this digital proofing step because it ensures accuracy.
2. Mold Making: Once the 3D design is approved, we create a steel mold. This is the most critical part of the process. A high-quality mold is essential for producing sharp, detailed medals. We use advanced engraving machines to carve your design into the mold with high precision.
3. Production (Casting or Stamping): We then use the mold to create the raw medals. For complex, three-dimensional designs, we use die-casting. This involves injecting molten zinc alloy into the mold. For simpler, 2D designs, we use die-striking. This process stamps the design onto a solid sheet of brass or iron.
4. Plating and Finishing: The raw medals are then polished to remove any rough edges. After that, they go into an electroplating bath. This gives them their gold, silver, bronze, or antique finish. We meet strict standards like ASTM B-488 for gold plating.
5. Coloring and Detailing: If your design includes color, our artists carefully fill the recessed areas with soft enamel. We developed our own "ColorLock" technology to ensure the enamel colors won’t fade for over 10 years. We can also add laser engraving for names, dates, or even QR codes.
6. Final Inspection and Packaging: Every single medal goes through our 3-stage inspection system. We check everything from the material purity to the plating thickness and final coating. After passing inspection, the medals are carefully packaged and shipped directly to your door using our DDP service with partners like DHL and FedEx.

What Are Sports Medals Made Of?

The material you choose is very important. It determines the medal's weight, appearance, and cost. Let's explore the most common materials we use for custom sports medals.

The most common materials for sports medals are zinc alloy, brass, and iron. Zinc alloy is excellent for detailed 3D designs. Brass is heavier and has a premium feel. Iron is a great option for projects with a tight budget.

Choosing the right base metal is the foundation of a great medal. Each material has unique properties that make it suitable for different needs. For example, a sustainability officer like Klaus from Germany often asks for medals made from recycled zinc alloy to align with his company’s ESG goals. On the other hand, a purchasing director like Aisha from the UAE, who creates diplomatic gifts, will likely prefer a heavier brass base for her 18K gold-plated coins to give them a luxurious feel. Understanding these differences is key.

Medal Materials

Let's break down the pros and cons of each primary material. This will help you decide which one is best for your specific project.

Zinc Alloy: The Versatile Choice

Zinc alloy is our most popular material. It is a fantastic choice for medals with complex shapes or intricate 3D details. Because it's a cast material, we can create designs with depth and dimension that are difficult to achieve with stamping. A client like Diego in Brazil, who needs to capture the likeness of an athlete for a signature series, would benefit from the design freedom of zinc alloy.

Brass: The Premium Option

Brass is a heavier and denser material than zinc alloy. This gives it a substantial, high-quality feel in hand. Medals made from brass are typically die-struck, which results in exceptionally sharp and clear details for 2D designs. It's an excellent choice for corporate awards or high-end commemorative coins where a sense of value is paramount.

Iron: The Budget-Friendly Solution

For large-volume orders or events with a limited budget, iron is a practical choice. It is also a die-struck material, so it holds good detail for 2D designs. While it is lighter than brass, it can be plated in the same finishes—gold, silver, and bronze—to create a beautiful final product. It’s a smart choice for mass participation events like marathons.

Here is a simple table to compare them:

How Are Sports Medals Manufactured?

You know the materials. Now, let’s see how we turn that raw metal into a medal. The two main production methods we use are die-casting and die-striking.

Medals are primarily made using die-casting or die-striking. Die-casting involves injecting molten metal into a custom mold, perfect for 3D designs. Die-striking uses a die to stamp a design onto a metal plate, ideal for sharp, 2D details.

The choice between die-casting and die-striking depends entirely on your design's complexity and your desired outcome. I remember working on a project for a US Veterans association, similar to the work Sarah Johnson does. They needed a challenge coin with a very specific, three-dimensional element. We used die-casting with zinc alloy to capture that detail perfectly. For a different corporate client who needed a classic medal with a crisp logo, die-striking on a brass plate was the clear winner.

Manufacturing Processes

Let's look more closely at how each method works and when to use it.

The Die-Casting Process Explained

1. Mold Creation: We start with your 3D design to create a two-sided steel mold.
2. Melting Metal: We heat zinc alloy until it becomes liquid.
3. Injection: The molten alloy is injected into the mold under high pressure. This ensures the metal fills every tiny detail of the design.
4. Cooling & Ejection: The medal cools and solidifies within the mold before being ejected.
5. Trimming: We trim off any excess metal, known as flash, to create a smooth edge.

This process is ideal for medals with cut-outs, intricate textures, or 3D reliefs.

The Die-Striking (Stamping) Process Explained

1. Die Creation: We create a hardened steel die with your design engraved into it. Think of it as a very strong stamp.
2. Blank Preparation: We cut sheets of brass or iron into round or custom-shaped blanks.
3. Striking: A powerful hydraulic press strikes the metal blank with the die one or more times, imprinting the design onto the metal.
4. Trimming: The stamped medal is then trimmed from the metal sheet.

This method produces a classic look with very sharp, clean lines and is great for reproducing logos and text with high fidelity.

What Are the Most Common Techniques in Medal Production?

A basic medal is just a canvas. The finishing techniques are what bring it to life. Special finishes add color, texture, and a premium look to the final product.

The most common finishing techniques are soft enamel for adding vibrant, textured colors, and electroplating to give medals a shiny gold, silver, or antique finish. We also use laser engraving for personalization and offset printing for photorealistic images.

These details are what separate a good medal from a great one. A procurement manager like Sarah Johnson, who orders for military units, often needs specific details like micro-engraved serial numbers for traceability. For another project, a French tourism group needed a holographic effect on 20,000 coins for the Paris Olympics. These special touches require expertise. Our advanced techniques, like diamond-cut edges and dual plating options, allow for a high degree of customization to meet these specific demands.

Finishing Touches

Let's explore some of the most popular techniques that add value and distinction to a medal.

Plating: Creating the Final Look

Plating is a thin layer of metal applied to the surface of the base metal. This is what gives a medal its final color.

• Shiny Finishes: Gold, silver, and copper are popular for their bright, reflective look.
• Antique Finishes: Antique gold, silver, and bronze create an aged, high-contrast look that highlights details.
• Dual Plating: We can combine two different finishes, like gold and silver, on a single medal for a stunning effect.

We ensure consistent plating thickness, which was a specific concern for a client like Klaus. Our quality assurance team verifies every batch.

Adding Color: Enamel and Printing

• Soft Enamel: This is the most common method for adding color. The colored enamel sits in the recessed areas of the medal, creating a textured surface. Our patented "ColorLock" technology prevents these colors from fading.
• Offset Printing: For designs with gradients or photographic details, we can print the image directly onto a smooth medal surface and seal it with an epoxy dome for protection.

Customization: Engraving and Edges

• Laser Engraving: We can engrave names, dates, serial numbers, or even GPS coordinates with incredible precision. This is perfect for personalizing awards.
• Diamond-Cut Edges: For a premium finish, we can use a diamond-tipped tool to cut decorative patterns into the medal's border, creating a brilliant, jewel-like effect.

Which Countries Frequently Order Custom-Made Medals?

We are a global company. Our medals are shipped to over 85 countries. But we see distinct trends and needs from different parts of the world.

Most of our custom medals are ordered by customers in the USA, France, the UK, and Russia. These markets focus on military, tourism, and corporate recognition. We also have a strong and growing presence in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Understanding regional needs is crucial. Our multilingual sales team, fluent in English, French, Russian, and Spanish, helps bridge cultural and communication gaps. A client's pain points often vary by location. For example, Aisha in the UAE is concerned about time zone delays and needs a supplier who can provide anti-tarnish guarantees. Diego in Brazil is focused on intellectual property rights for athlete branding. Our experience helps us anticipate and solve these problems.

Global Markets

Here’s a snapshot of what different markets typically look for.

The U.S. and The U.K.

Clients from the US and UK often order for military and corporate purposes. They require strict adherence to specifications, material traceability, and reliable logistics. Sarah Johnson, a defense contractor, needs suppliers who understand compliance. We pass BSCI Social Compliance Audits and use a 3-stage inspection system to ensure every detail is correct.

France and Germany

In Europe, we see a high demand for tourism and corporate medals. French clients, like Mark, order commemorative coins for tourist attractions that must be high quality and delivered on time for the tourist season. German clients, like Klaus, are increasingly focused on sustainability and require detailed reports on materials and production, such as using FSC-certified paper for packaging.

The Middle East (UAE)

Our clients in the UAE demand luxury and exclusivity. They often require 18K gold plating, discreet VIP packaging, and the ability to make urgent design changes for royal events. Our flexible production lines and dedicated account managers are set up to handle these high-stakes projects.

Emerging Markets (Latin America, Southeast Asia)

In markets like Brazil, clients are often involved in sports merchandising. They need anti-counterfeiting measures like holograms and flexible MOQs to test new product lines. Our ability to start with an MOQ of 100 pieces for standard designs is a major advantage for them.

Conclusión

Making a sports medal is a craft of precision and detail. It starts with the right material, moves through a careful manufacturing process, and is finished with expert techniques. We manage every step to create medals that truly honor great achievements.