Overview
Creating real casino and commercial poker chips is no easy feat! It needs a high level of precision and only the best quality materials. To make sure all chips meet standards, organizations like the Casino Chips and Gaming Token Collectors Club set rules that manufacturers must obey.
Here’s a quick overview of how these chips are made:
Types of Casino Chips
Real casino and commercial poker chips are specialized. Different types exist for home game enthusiasts. Understanding the differences helps decide which set is right for your game.
Clay chips are the most popular choice for real money games. They look and feel professional, usually weighing 11.5 grams each. Clay chips also have a distinct sound, making them easily distinguishable. Lower quality can chip easily. Higher end versions last longer and resist wear and tear.
Compression Molded Chips offer an economical alternative. They’re injection molded, not pressed from molds at high temperatures like clay chips. Compression Molded Chips are glossy with two-tone photographic graphic images printed directly into the chip surface. This makes them popular in contemporary casinos.
Ceramic chips add an interesting twist. They’re not recommended for home use as they’re prone to breakage. Ceramics come with unique designs and color combinations. Printing techniques vary, with some featuring classic Catholic iconography.
How Casino Chips are Made
Casino chips, also known as gaming tokens or cheques, are used to represent real money in casinos. Usually they are made from clay composite material, but metal, plastic and ceramic can also be used. They can be printed with the casino logo or denominations.
The process of making casino chips includes several steps:
- The clays are mixed.
- They are pressed into a uniform shape and thickness using a machine.
- This piece is cut into the desired shape using a die-cutting machine programmed with precise measurements for each chip design.
- The pieces are dried for 14 hours and then baked at high temperatures.
- Intricate patterns can then be added using stamping machines.
- Finally, pigment inks based on color tones are inked onto the surfaces and cured with ultraviolet light.
For smaller orders, this process can be done manually. This gives customers the option to customize their own designs or details instead of using existing templates or stock images. Of course, there will be limitations depending on quantity ordered and budget restrictions.
Materials
Casino chips and commercial poker chips come in a variety of materials. Most common are composite plastic, injection-molded plastic, and ceramic. Let’s delve into what these materials offer and how they are used in production.
Clay Composite
Clay composite poker chips are the most sought-after type of chip. Combining clay with other materials, and complete with a metal core, they offer an attractive design and glossy finish. Such chips also feature slightly textured surfaces, to increase durability and shuffling ability – ideal for gaming environments. They also provide realistic play, essential for any casino style experience.
Due to their construction and coating process, these chips require specific coloring and stamping methods. Professional manufacturers with experience in budget-friendly poker sets must be hired for this purpose. Casino-quality and consumer grade chips may look similar, but their construction differs significantly. Check twice before buying!
Ceramic
Ceramic chips, often called “clay” chips, are the most sought-after and highest quality chips. They are casino grade, with heavy duty one-piece construction and a glossy finish.
They’re made from compressed clay, molded into different sizes and shapes to fit standard molds. They come in full color, or with three colors to represent money denominations.
Logos, denomination printing, stripes, and other markings are printed on thick paper with an adhesive backing. It’s all attached before being pressed into the molds.
The finish varies from glossy to flat matte, depending on design. The chips should last a long time and won’t show much wear and tear.
Plastic
Today, many poker chips are made of plastic. It is a resilient yet light material. The chips are created using injection molding or compression molding.
Injection molding requires plastic pellets (normally ABS) in a hopper. They are heated and melted by a screw-type plunger. Then, the hot material is pushed into the mold. After cooling, the chip is ejected out.
Compression molding is used for more intricate designs with different colors. It consists of extra steps like ‘inlaying’, ’embossing’, or other features to make them unique.
Manufacturing Process
Manufacturing real casino and commercial poker chips is complex. Let’s explore the process in detail:
- Cutting and stamping blanks for the chips.
- Printing the chips.
- Packaging the chips.
Molding
Molding is the process of pushing components into chips with specialized machinery. This requires an injection molding machine, molds to create the chips, and sometimes a stamping device.
First, small amounts of PVC material (like credit cards) are heated and put into a hopper. This feeds it into metal molds with an indentation for each side of the chip. Stamping machines can then be used to imprint graphics, like denomination printing or brand logos. The chips are then removed from the containers using forceps or special tools, so that they don’t get damaged.
Injection Molding
Injection molding is a popular method to make casino poker chips. It starts with melted plastic pellets at high temperatures. The liquid plastic is injected into a custom-made chip mold. Then the mold is cooled and opened, revealing the new chip.
Molds are made to specific sizes, shapes and thicknesses. Both sides can be printed with logos, denominations, or details like placement guides for borders or texture dividers.
The chips come out with smooth edges and are inspected for flaws. The entire process takes 18 seconds per chip!
Decoration
Molded chips must be decorated. Colored inks are used and up to nine colors can be employed. Casinos choose designs themed around their property. Custom poker chips can have custom designs or images, with prices varying greatly.
One popular decoration is hot stamping, which transfers intricate lettering and designs onto the chip’s surface. Screens can also be printed with colored inks and these make collectible chips. These chips are cut from composite materials like paper laminated aluminum foil and PVC plastic. Ceramic chips feature stamped decorations that won’t fade.
Quality Control
Quality control is vital for producing casino and commercial poker chips. Each chip must be made with the best standards to satisfy the casino’s expectations and last long. Quality assurance is part of the manufacturing process. It needs stringent inspection of each chip before they can be called finished products.
Let us look at the processes involved in making sure the chips reach the highest quality standards:
Weight and Dimensions
When it comes to quality control for casino and commercial poker chips, weight and dimensions are paramount. Each chip must weigh between 8.5 and 10 grams. Plus, they must have a uniform size of 39mm in diameter. These standards ensure chips are easily stacked, organized, and tokenized when in use.
At the factory, chips undergo a stringent quality control process. Firstly, an automated machine sorts random chips taken from the production batch. Those that are out of the range are set aside. Those within spec, move on to the second step – dimensioning.
Another automated machine measures the diameter of each chip. Chips which exceed the range of 39mm are placed with those from the first test. Once all chips pass both tests, they can be packaged and shipped for use at casinos and home games!
Color
Color is vital when making poker chips. Manufacturers use edge spots and patterns that they screen onto the surface. The designs show authenticity and consistency in size, weight, and coloring.
The first step is to apply a color coat to the background. Then, if wanted, a straight-edged pattern can be added. This includes various shades of shading and highlighting on any textured surfaces. Every chip is checked for printing accuracy, weight, diameter, and height, before being sold separately or in sets.
The colors for casino chips are regulated across casinos. Clay and ceramic composite chips, available commercially, may have more colors and designs. High resolution artwork must be given to manufacturers for mass production. Any customization relies on design themes or motifs.
Edge Spots
Edge spots are symbols or images that show the manufacture of an individual poker chip. They can range from a simple “X” to numbers, letters, or detailed images. Edge spots are usually made with custom metal moulds and applied to clay chips before baking. They don’t provide quality assurance but do give a professional look to casino-style poker chips.
Edge spots serve several purposes. Casinos can identify fake chips from their own sets. It’s easy to tell tournament chip colors apart. Ownership can be verified if chips are stolen. Plus, custom sets for corporations and individuals can be identified. They can also recognize casino owners and employees.
Molding tools aren’t needed for edge spot designs; they’re simple. Companies offer personalized edge spot designs, making them perfect promotional products. Popular symbols include 10K, 25K, 50K. Corporate logos can be used instead of standard denominations.
Finish
The finish of gaming chips is paramount during manufacturing. There are two steps: preparation and application. To achieve the best quality, chip makers prepare using a variety of materials, systems, and treatments. For instance, acrylic water-based coatings mixed with pigments for colors, metallic pastes/dusts to brighten, and holographic images.
Application requires even coating on both faces of the chips. Die boundaries should be visible, and all denominations properly identified by color – e.g. brown for $1 chips. Quality control is essential – manufacturers use advanced machines and manual inspection by trained personnel.
Customization
Casino poker chips have a great advantage! You can customize them to match your style, organization, or event. Pick the shape, size, color…and even the graphics! Let’s take a closer look at the possibilities of customizing your chips:
- Shape – choose from a variety of shapes such as round, square, octagonal, triangle, or hexagonal.
- Size – chips come in a range of sizes from 39mm to 43mm.
- Color – choose from a variety of colors such as blue, red, green, yellow, or pink.
- Graphics – add your own graphics to the chips such as logos, text, or images.
Design
Designing custom chips is a thrilling venture. It depends on the chip type. Traditional casino chips, modern home game poker chips, or commemorative coin chips can be made more valuable with a logo.
Logos on casino or home poker chips are 2D. They use full-colour artwork and many colours, such as Pantone and CMYK. Casinos have high standards for the chips and need to be perfect.
Coin-style poker chips have an extra step. They have an imprint of artwork with raised lettering on their edges. This showcases the logo while still displaying the denomination values. These coin style chips look professionally crafted and are very attractive.
Logos
Logos are key when making custom poker chips. The size and form of the logo depend on the chip type and how it will be used. Ideas may include custom artwork/graphics, logos, text, as well as things like professional photography, metallic imprints, and full color images.
Customers may emboss or print logos onto Poker Chips. Embossing is when each chip is stamped with raised characters using customized dies. Logo prints are usually spot-style designs made with ceramic ink pigments and fired at high temperatures before being sealed. This process is often used for complex logos or intricate designs like full color graphics, when making larger quantities.
Denominations
Casino and commercial poker chips can be customized. Most commonly, the denominations are $1, $5, $25, and $100. Higher denominations can be as high as $10,000.
Different colors usually represent different denominations. Black is for $100s, red is for $5s, and whites are for singles.
Customization of chips goes beyond printed denominations. Some poker players customize their chip sets with their own image or logo, printed directly on the chip face. This way, they create unique sets of poker chips that fit their needs. They can display stunning pieces with custom details printed directly on them!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What materials are used to make real casino chips?
A1: Real casino chips are typically made of a combination of clay, metal, and composite materials. Clay chips are usually made of a combination of clay and other materials such as sand, chalk, and dyes. Metal chips are usually made of a metal core with a plastic coating. Composite chips are made of a plastic core with metal insertions.
Q2: How long does it take to make a real casino chip?
A2: The process of making casino chips usually takes around 7 to 8 weeks. This includes the development of the artwork, the manufacturing of the mold, the production of the chips, and the quality assurance process.
Q3: Is it possible to purchase real casino chips from a manufacturer?
A3: Yes, it is possible to purchase real casino chips from a manufacturer. Companies such as ChipLab and The ChipRoom specialize in the manufacturing of custom casino chips.
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