Reduce Fabrication Costs with Precision Castings

Product manufacturers are constantly looking for ways they can use to reduce the manufacturing casts. Precision castings offer an efficient technique to decrease expenses related to fabrication and machining. Wondering how this process can be economical in the long run?

You can save a lot of money, if you are clear about what you want when the cast design is being prepared. By incorporating many features of the tool design in the casting design, you will be able to save on a lot of extra work and resource. Discuss the design with the engineers to find ways in which the cast design can be optimized to give you better results and stronger casts. In case you want to have the logo or date on the part produced, you can incorporate it in the design itself. So, you don’t have to separately stamp the details on the product after it comes out of the cast.

The metal alloy you choose for the precision castings will also play a major role in determining your production expenses. You will have to choose the best metal alloy for the product based on the features of the element and the purpose of the finished product. If the finished product has to withstand a lot of stress and pressure, then you can choose aluminium alloy for casting. On the other hand, if the finished product has to be lightweight, then magnesium or tin alloys will be perfect for the job. Based on the metal alloy selected, you can alter the temperature, pressure and other conditions during precision castings. By determining the conditions in which the casting is done, the cast can be customized for optimum results. Also, for some metal alloys like zinc and aluminium, you don’t need to spend a lot on finishing. It is because the metal alloy itself has a good finishing, which will be reflected in the metal cast you make. So, you get maximum returns for the money you put in.

Unused casts can be recycled and used again. This is one way in which precision casting helps save you more money. If a cast has come out wrong or broke while removing from the cast, you don’t have to throw it into the bin. Again while finishing or polishing, some pieces of cast may fall. Put all the wastes in the kiln, melt the metal and reuse it again. In a production process, where there is absolutely no chance of wastage, how can one not save money?

An Insight into Magnesium Die Casting

It was during the industrial era that the scientific community and manufacturers worked hand in hand to create processes that could be used for mass production of products. Many new inventions and plenty of advanced technologies were developed during this period of time. These manufacturing processes have been fine-tuned and optimized over years in order to maximize production and reduce costs. One such technique that revolutionized the manufacturing industry is magnesium die casting.

In layman’s terms, die casting is a process that involves forcing hot molten metal into a mould and allowing it to cool. When the magnesium alloy cools, it takes up the shape of the cast. Then the cast can be removed to release the manufactured part. This method may seem to sound very simple, but there are lots of factors that the manufacturers have to be taken into consideration when the manufacturers set up the entire unit for magnesium die casting.

It is not just magnesium alloy that is used for die casting. A variety of non-ferrous metals such as zinc, aluminium, tin and their alloys are also used in this technique. The choice of the metal alloy and other manufacturing conditions depends on the process and the product. The casting time and the amount of material required depends on the die cast design and process flow. If properly planned and executed, the die casting process can be used to mass produce products without loss of quality or waste of raw material.

Magnesium die casting is preferred for many product manufacturing processes as it is lightweight yet strong. This alloy is used in the production of parts and components for automobiles, hand tools and scores of other appliances. This alloy is also preferred for processes in which the operating temperature is more than 120 degree Celsius. Even if the alloy is cast at such high temperature, its surface flatness and bolt tension is maintained. So, you will get superior quality results each time.

When compared to other casting metals, magnesium alloy offers greater corrosion resistance and better machining. Moreover, this metal alloy has high conductivity, superior dimensional stability and stiffness. So, manufacturers can use this metal alloy for processes that involve casting wafer thin wall products.

After magnesium die casting process is completed, the components can be painted or powder coated. However, the casts will require pre-treatment in order to ensure proper adhesion and smooth results.