Who uses aluminum die casting? Producers of aluminum die casting are essentially upstream businesses which serve original equipment manufacturers. Among these companies downstream of aluminum die casters are car manufacturers which require carburetors, radiators, gas tanks, valve covers and other die cast auto parts.

The US military is one strategic customer for aluminum die casting manufacturers. There are armored vehicle units in the military equipped with aluminum enclosure housing that suppresses fires in a matter of milliseconds.

Other customers of aluminum die casting companies are the computer firms which need special components for their hardware. These special parts include aluminum heat sinks which are mounted on the printed circuit board. The good thermal property of aluminum helps prevent overheating of computers. The same property also makes aluminum die casting ideal for traffic light housing.

Hence, producers of lighting fixtures likewise belong to the client list of aluminum die casting companies. Lamps with aluminum lighting fixtures are favored by manufacturers and consumers alike because of these are less expensive in addition to the good thermal properties the metal part possesses.

Other consumer products that contain aluminum die casting parts include golf ball heaters, other golf products, refrigerators, guitar amplifiers and chocolate fountains. Indeed, aluminum die casts parts are just around, provide one just looks closely enough.

Aluminum Lighting Fixtures – All You Need to Know. Prior to the invention of aluminum die casting, most lighting fixtures have been exposed to welding techniques so as to produce the essential parts to this type of electrical component. Not only does this system provide an expensive and prolonged process of making just a few outputs, welding also require a lot of hands to work, necessitating a huge amount of labor. With this limitation in the widespread need for lighting fixtures to be made in different dimensions and specific designs, the science of die casting has also incorporated the production of aluminum lighting fixtures.

Aluminum lighting fixtures, as with all other products of aluminum die casting, are made with net shape. In the process of making aluminum lighting fixtures, die caster do not need to perform heavy welding, and can simply mold dies to produce the best lighting fixture in accordance to the requests of their clients. One of the best things about lighting fixtures made from aluminum is that it upholds thermal properties, thereby making it easier for a lot of household equipments and electronic gadgets to diffuse heat. Shipping costs wouldn’t also be a problem for most die casting clients as the material used is guaranteed to be lightweight. Most of the lighting fixtures before used to be made with plastic, however are found not to last long when compared to the longevity of those made from aluminum. The electrically conductive components of these fixtures also compliment the main functions of the outputs made from aluminum die casting.

DETROIT (AP) — Firefighters are still at the scene of what’s left of the Diversified Chemical Technologies plant on Detroit’s west side. On Monday, fire ripped through the building, triggering explosions that sent flames and smoke shooting through the air.

Several explosions were heard from inside the plant, where dense black smoke billowed from the blaze that began about 2:30 p.m. Monday. No injuries were reported and fire Deputy Chief Edward Smith told the Detroit Free Press the blaze was under control by about 6:30 p.m.

Smith said fire crews were expected to remain at the scene extinguishing the fire until Tuesday morning.

Police circulated through the west side neighborhood asking people to stay inside their homes, although residential evacuations were not ordered.

Firefighters did evacuate about 300 employees and some surrounding businesses. Diversified Chemical Technologies’ Web site says its complex encompasses 750,000 square feet of office, laboratory and manufacturing space.

The company produces chemicals for clients ranging from the automotive to food and beverage industries, according to its Web site. Smith said the plant contained petroleum products but would not say what triggered the explosions and fire.

A company employee declined comment when reached by phone Monday evening. Messages seeking further detail were left with the fire department.

He notes that magnesium alloys emphasize lightness and toughness of new generations of computer notebooks being manufactured for business, industrial, public safety, military, gaming and personal use. Also, the power tool industry increasingly is relying on die-cast magnesium components to offer durable, lighter weight designs that are easier to handle and manage over long work shifts. “Users may think that lighter weight means less power, but the opposite is true: using lighter die-cast magnesium for a pneumatic tool’s housing or a worm drive power saw’s gear case allows the design to accommodate a larger, more powerful motor for the same or less weight,” says Patzer.

Lightweight, high-tech magnesium has crossed over from the purely industrial- and mechanical-type applications into the high visibility world of furniture design. For example, the world’s first magnesium-framed chair is the Go Chair design of Bernhardt Furniture in North Carolina. Patzer explains the design blends science and nature, taking full advantage of magnesium’s light weight and high strength-to-weight ratio.

This isn’t to say that automotive engineers have given up on magnesium. ASM International’s Ground Transportation Committee has focused its technical program on magnesium, aluminum, titanium and ultra-high-strength steels. Arianna Morales, staff researcher at General Motors based in Warren, Mich., and chair of the committee says in a statement, “the materials showing the way to future vehicles may be light in terms of weight, but they are far from ‘lightweight’ in importance.” She says these metals—especially magnesium—will be critical to meeting new U.S. government mandated fuel economy standards of 36 miles per gallon for passenger cars by the year 2014.

What is aluminum die casting? The manufacturing process involved in aluminum die casting is roughly the same as that used in the production of pre-fabricated concrete building materials such as the hollow blocks that commonly go into the construction of houses. The big difference of course is in the material used. Water, cement and aggregates such as gravel and sand are used In pre-fabricated concrete, while in aluminum die casting, molten aluminum is the base material.

High pressure is used to inject the molten aluminum into a steel mold or die cast. This high-pressure injection system is necessary to immediately fill the entire cavity of the die before any part of aluminum casting hardens or solidifies. Immediate filling of the die cavity help prevent discontinuities in the aluminum die casting. To further help ensure that the aluminum casting is injected even into difficult-to-fill sections of dies with thin parts, the molds are designed with vents to allow air to escape during the injection process.

Most of the molds used in the aluminum die casting are water-cooled to help hasten the production process. Once the injection is complete, the molds are opened and the die castings are ejected. The finished aluminum castings may amount to thousands or hundreds depending on the design of the die cast.