1
Designing & Moulding
CAD designs become physical masters. Direct-castable resin printing replaces hand-carved masters and compresses your design-to-sample cycle.
- 3D Printer
- Resin
- Laser Cutting Machine
10 steps to start your own factory
Jewellery Manufacturing Full Factory Setup
Buying machines one at a time is how factories end up with an expensive bottleneck. A diamond setting machine rated at 20,000 stones per hour will never reach that figure if the wax feeding it is inconsistent, and it will not matter if your burnout furnace cannot keep up behind it.
So this page is laid out the way production actually runs — ten stages, in order, with the equipment each one needs. It is the same workflow our 2026 catalogue maps, and it is how we plan every factory build and upgrade we quote for.
The workflow
Ten stages, in production order
Stage four is where automation changes the economics most sharply — but it only works if stages one to three are sound.
2
Moulding
Masters are converted into reusable rubber or silicone moulds for repeatable wax production.
- Vulcanizer
- Liquid Silicon
- Aluminium Frame
3
Wax Injection
Vacuum wax injection fills moulds cleanly and consistently — the quality of this stage decides how well the setting stage performs.
- Wax Injector
- Wax
- Vacuum Pump
- Spru Wax Mould
- Shoulder Iron
4
Diamond Setting
The automation stage. A single machine replaces the output of 10–15 manual setters (catalogue claim) at ±0.02 mm placement accuracy.
- Diamond Wax Setting Machine
- Compressor
- Air Dryer
- Tray Setting
5
Mixing & Burning
Investment is vacuum-mixed and the wax burned out, leaving a clean cavity ready for metal.
- Auto Gypsum Vacuum Mixer
- Auto Gypsum Cleaner (Water Jet)
- Flask
- Flask Tong
- Rubber Base
- Investment Powder
- Burnout Furnace
6
Melting & Casting
IGBT induction melting delivers fast, clean, uniform melts with reduced oxidation and flameless, silent operation.
- Casting Machine
- Melting Machine
- Graphite & Ceramic
7
Hand Polishing & Micro Setting
Hand finishing and micro setting handle the detail work automation leaves behind.
- Polishing Motor
- Ring Expander
- Tweezer & Plier
- Bur Tools & Hammer
- Saw Blade & Graver
- Micro Setting Machine & Microscope
8
Shouldering & Marking
Laser welding closes and repairs; laser marking applies hallmarks, brand marks and traceability codes.
- Laser Marking
- Laser Welding
- Tick Welding
- Hydra Welding
9
Final Polishing
Bulk and electro finishing bring the whole batch to a consistent commercial finish.
- Magnetic Tumbler
- Vibrator & Ultra
- Barrel Polish
- Electro Polish
- Consumables
10
Measuring Instruments
Assay, weigh, gauge and verify — the quality gate before anything leaves the floor.
- Gold Testing
- Weighing Scale
- Caliper & Gauge
- Metal Locator
- Magnifier & Eye Glass
- Currency Counting Machine
Already running?
Upgrading beats rebuilding
Most of the factories we work with are not starting from nothing. They are running, profitable, and hitting a ceiling — usually at the setting bench.
See the setting machinesFind the real bottleneck
It is rarely where people think. If setters are working overtime but casting sits idle half the day, the constraint is stage four — not capacity overall.
Check the stage before it
A setting machine is only as consistent as the wax it receives. Inconsistent wax injection at stage three shows up as rejected pieces at stage four.
Check the stage after it
If you triple setting output, burnout and casting have to absorb it. Otherwise you have moved the queue, not removed it.
Phase the investment
Start with the constraint, prove the gain, reinvest. We would rather quote you one right machine now than five wrong ones today.
Work it out
Setting throughput calculator
Turn your order book into a stones-per-hour figure and see which setting machine covers it, how many hours a day it would run, and what it needs from your floor.
Rated speeds are the published figures for each machine (the store sheet where one exists, otherwise our catalogue). Real output on your floor depends above all on wax quality, so treat the result as a sizing guide, not a promise, and send us your samples before you decide.
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Stones per month
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Stones per hour required
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Smallest machine that fits
| Model | Rated speed | Hours/day for your volume | Utilisation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X4 Pro Plus | Up to 15,000 stones per hour across all stations | — | — | — |
| ST-HDSSM | Up to 20,000 stones per hour | — | — | — |
| Pro Mini | Up to 10,000 stones per hour | — | — | — |
| PRO SERIES | Not published | n/a | n/a | Ask for the datasheet |
What each machine needs from your floor
| Model | Nozzles | Power | Air | Footprint | Labour claim |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X4 Pro Plus | 4 nozzles | Single phase, 220V 50Hz, 3 kVA peak power | Not published | 950 × 750 × 1400 mm | 10–12 skilled manual setters |
| ST-HDSSM | 8 | 3.5 kW | 90 psi (0.6 MPa) | 1450 × 750 × 1395 mm | One machine can do approximately 15 workers' job |
| Pro Mini | 3 suction nozzles | 1.3 kW | 80 psi (0.4 MPa) | 711 × 660 × 736 mm | Does the work of 10 skilled setters |
| PRO SERIES | — | Not published | Not published | 780 × 730 × 1400 mm | Not published |
Every setting machine also needs a compressor with an air dryer, tray setting, and consistent wax from a controlled injection stage.
Send these figures with my enquiry How to choose between them
Before the layout
Plan the utilities first
These are the three that derail installations. All figures are catalogue-stated.
| Requirement | Machine | Catalogue specification |
|---|---|---|
| Compressed air | Pro Mini (Mini Pro) / ST-3D 1000 (now X4 Pro Plus) | 80 psi (0.4 MPa) |
| Compressed air | ST-HDSSM | 90 psi (0.6 MPa) |
| Single-phase power | Pro Mini (Mini Pro) | 220V 50/60Hz, 1.3 kW |
| Single-phase power | IG-1/2 induction melting | 230V/50Hz, 3.5 kW |
| Power | ST-3D 1000 (now X4 Pro Plus) | AC220V 50Hz, 2.5 kW (store sheet: single phase 220V 50Hz, 3 kVA peak) |
| Power | ST-HDSSM | AC220V 50Hz, 3.5 kW |
| Three-phase power | IG-3/4 / IVC-1/2 | 440V/50Hz, 7 kW |
| Three-phase power | IG-10/20 | 440V/50Hz, 12 kW |
| Water cooling | All induction melting | Water chiller, typically 630 × 630 × 960 mm |
| Power conditioning | Portable gold testing machine | UPS and isolation transformer compulsory |
Send us your floor plan
Give us your available space, incoming power supply and target monthly output. We will lay the equipment out against your plan and tell you what to buy first — and what can wait.
Footprints at a glance
| Pro Mini (Mini Pro) | 711 × 660 × 736 mm · 135 kg |
|---|---|
| PRO SERIES | 780 × 730 × 1400 mm · ~550 kg |
| X4 Pro Plus (ST-3D 1000) | 950 × 750 × 1400 mm · 850 kg |
| ST-HDSSM | 1450 × 750 × 1395 mm · 835 kg |
Answers
Factory setup questions
The questions we are asked before every factory build.
What machines do I need to start a jewellery factory?
Equipment for ten stages, in production order: a 3D printer and resin; a vulcanizer and moulds; a wax injector with vacuum pump; a diamond wax setting machine with compressor and air dryer; an investment mixer and burnout furnace; induction melting and casting machines; polishing motors, bur tools and a micro setting microscope; laser marking and welding machines; magnetic, vibratory and barrel polishers; and XRF gold testing, scales and gauges. The full list for every stage is on this page.
In what order should I buy the machines?
Follow production flow, not price. A setting machine bought before you can produce consistent wax will sit idle, because bad wax upstream defeats ±0.02 mm placement accuracy downstream. If you are upgrading an existing floor rather than building new, the usual sequence is: fix the bottleneck stage first, confirm the stage before it can feed it, then confirm the stage after it can absorb the new output. We will walk your floor with you before recommending anything.
Can I set up a jewellery factory in stages instead of all at once?
Most of our customers do exactly that. The common path is to start by outsourcing casting and buying the setting and finishing equipment, because that is where quality and labour cost bite hardest; then bring casting in-house once volume justifies the induction melting and burnout investment. Tell us your budget and your monthly volume and we will map a phased plan rather than quoting the whole floor at once.
What utilities does a jewellery factory need?
Power, compressed air and water cooling are the three that catch people out. Setting machines need 80–90 psi (0.4–0.6 MPa) working air pressure, so a compressor and air dryer are mandatory, not optional. Induction melting above 2 kg capacity needs three-phase 440V/50Hz — 7 kW for the IG-3/4 and 12 kW for the IG-10/20 — and every induction model needs a water chiller, typically 630 × 630 × 960 mm. Plan these before you plan the layout.
How much floor space does a jewellery factory need?
Work from the machine footprints. A Pro Mini setting machine is 711 × 660 × 736 mm at 135 kg; an X4 Pro Plus is 950 × 750 × 1400 mm at 850 kg; an ST-HDSSM is 1450 × 750 × 1395 mm at 835 kg. Add the induction melting unit and its chiller, burnout furnace, polishing line and bench positions, plus clear operator access on every machine. Send us your floor plan and target output and we will lay the equipment out against it.
Does Semsons Tech supply everything, or do I need multiple vendors?
We supply all ten stages. Our 2026 catalogue covers more than 2,000 products across diamond setting, laser marking and cutting, laser and spot welding, XRF gold analysis, 3D printing and resins, wax injection, investment and burnout, induction melting and vacuum casting, polishing, cleaning and finishing, enamel dispensing, production machinery, gemological instruments and consumables. Some gemological testers we supply are recognised third-party brands rather than our own manufacture, and we tell you which is which.
Do you provide installation and operator training?
Yes. We commission machines on your floor and train your operators on your own wax, your stones and your designs — not on a demonstration sample. The control system on our setting machines is self-developed by Semsons Tech, which means support does not depend on escalating to a third party abroad. We have served the industry since 1978.
Let's plan it
Tell us what you want to produce
Monthly volume, jewellery types, available space and incoming power. That is enough for us to come back with a staged equipment plan and a quotation.
Plan my factory setup
Tell us your target output and constraints. We will map the equipment across the ten stages and tell you honestly what to buy first.