Methods for Making Aluminum Hardware Brackets. Hardware brackets are produced and used in many industries today, which is why it is a very important component that should be made and processed properly and correctly. Aluminum brackets are made as parts for lighting fixtures, automobiles, and even in construction because its main purpose is to keep all the parts stable, steady, and as much as possible, long lasting. Before, manufacturers would use steel to make these hardware brackets and would have to weld the pieces together. But these welded pieces become weak overtime, which makes it expensive, time-consuming, and you’d have to exert a lot of effort just to maintain it.

This is why many manufacturers now see the advantages they get when they use aluminum die castings to make their hardware brackets. Die casting involves a process of forcing molten metal under high pressure to be able to produce complex yet more tolerable molds to create parts and housings for different things such as military weapons and lighting fixtures. When making hardware brackets, manufacturers would create them using the process of aluminum die casting, afterwards shaping it easily into parts that they know would make it sturdier, more long-lasting, and of course cost-efficient as compared to steel.

Advantages of Aluminum Hardware Brackets over Plastic:

• Plastic is an insulator, while aluminum is electrically conductive. Plastic will need a special coating to achieve a similar result with aluminum (albeit inferior).
• Plastic does not ground, thus it requires extra grounding metal straps. Aluminum, being a metal, is easily grounded.
• Aluminum has a natural shield against RF and EMI, preventing radio frequency. Plastic does not block radio frequency.
• Aluminum brackets are much stronger than plastic injection moldings.
• Aluminum metal is stiff, while plastic injection moldings are too elastic for numerous applications.
• Plastic molded parts do not do well for chrome plating.
• Plastic can not obstruct electromagnetic emissions.
• Plastic does not do well with many coatings, while aluminum brackets do better on the department.
• Aluminum parts are stable, whereas plastic injection parts are not quite dimensionally stable.
• Plastic molded parts do not do well in conditions of hot and humid temperatures. Aluminum hardware is more heat resistant.
• One big problem with plastic is that they are not recyclable. Only less than 3% of the plastic will be recyclable. Nearly all metals, aluminum die castings in particular, are always readily recyclable.
• Aluminum die castings are non-hazardous and pose no problems to the government.
  
  

A bracket is an L-shaped fixed structure used to connect one horizontal surface and one vertical surface. Brackets are used for both household and industrial purposes. Steel brackets are costly and heavy. The introduction of aluminum brackets made it possible to produce brackets that are lighter and less expensive.

Die cast aluminum bracket are made from molten metal forced into mold cavities. The process of die casting is perfect if you are producing large quantities of small to medium sized parts with good details. Aluminum brackets are good conductors of electricity. Aluminum brackets made by die casting are produced in a faster rate with less labor, ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand small parts daily. Aluminum brackets also have holes die cast into the mold so that no drilling is required after, saving time, energy, and money altogether. Kinetic Die Casting Company makes Aluminum Brackets.

There are many kinds of aluminum brackets: An angle bracket, uni-strut universal right angle surface bracket, and a multi-purpose servo bracket. All these are made with quality aluminum and are designed to give absolute support.

The “Seat-Back Tray-Table” of the Boeing 747-700 Airplane is supported with two die cast aluminum brackets, strong enough to hold glasses, plates, a laptop, and even the arms and hands of someone working on the make-shift table.

Aluminum brackets are also designed to be decorative. They are used for lighting fixtures, chocolate fountains, barns, and many more. Die cast aluminum brackets have become the choice of numerous builders because it is cheap, light, and sturdy.

Finding Die Casting Bracket Castings in many very different locations is interesting. While flying in a Boeing 747-700 Airplane I discovered that the “Seat-Back Tray-Table” is held up using two aluminum die casting parts as Bracket Castings. These bracket castings were attached to the seat back of the seat in front and to a plastic tray table. These aluminum bracket castings are painted white to match their surroundings. These aluminum brackets are strong enough to hold a laptop or a plate of food or even the hands of someone working a puzzle or a book. These brackets are strong because they are designed using geometry that gives the bracket casting strength with corner radii and ribs and gussets.

Aluminum Die Casting Airplane Parts are very common. Most airplanes are made from aluminum as the metal of choice. Aluminum is lightweight and strong.

Another California Die Casting Company closed their doors in 2007, Cascade Die Casting/ Pacific (aka CDC).

This is the information Cascade Die Casting/ Pacific published as their capabilities and mission:

Cascade Die Casting/ Pacific
950 Turnbull Canyon Road
City of Industry, California 91745

Mission for Cascade Die Casting/ Pacific:
We are a leader in the manufacturing of high quality, high value aluminum and zinc cast products and services for our customers. We will accomplish this mission through:
- employee involvement and commitment
- continuous improvement of our people and processes
- ongoing advancement of design and engineering capabilities
- utilization of our national presence

Materials:
Die Cast Aluminum Alloys: A380, A383, zinc and specialty alloys upon request

Capabilities:
Die Casting
High Pressure Die Casting Machines: 400 to 1200 ton
Fully automated die cast cells, shot and process monitoring

Secondary Finishing
Full service finishing including sanding and vibratory deburring
CNC and dedicated machining, testing and sub-assembly

Facilities
Plant 1: 80,000 sq. ft. manufacturing and office space

Customer Service
Production control & material handling JIT/EDI services
Coating processes with certified sub-suppliers
chem-film, anodize, plating and powder paint

Engineering Services
Product, tooling & process engineering, project management
Solid Works, AutoCAD Mechanical Desk Top
Solid Modeling, flow simulation rapid and die cast prototyping capabilities

Major Products:
safety restraint components
seating frames, components
electronic heat sinks, housings
compressor/pump components
power tool tables, brackets, covers
speaker and telephone housings, frames

Key Markets:
Automotive
Telecommunications
Consumer Electronics
Power Tools
Office Furniture
Other

Cascade Die Casting/ Pacific is another example of how difficult it is for a die casting manufacturing company to stay in business in California. Cascade had a long history of being a great supplier here in California and Cascade Die Casting/ Pacific will be missed by their former employees, their suppliers and their customers who need aluminum die casting parts.

Kinetic Die Casting continues to be strong while other die casting companies are closing down or selling out.