Aluminum Boxes Uses and Needs. When it comes to storage options, most people prefer to go the plastic or wooden way since of the ease and convenience. But rising trends indicate that more people, especially the men are longing for …
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How the U.S. Can Restore Its Manufacturing Edge
Innovation Imperative in Manufacturing – How the U.S. Can Restore Its Manufacturing Edge
“Nothing is more important than innovation. The minute we stop innovating, we die.” This remark, made by one of the manufacturing company executives interviewed for this report, mirrors the urgency of the findings.
In these challenging economic times, business innovation is more than ever a critical strategic imperative. This article assesses the state of innovation in the United States; describes the most effective tools for promoting innovation, according to the respondents to our innovation assessment survey; and explores how stakeholders — company executives and policymakers alike — can take practical steps to move toward the shared goal of encouraging and sustaining innovation. We hope this report helps to enhance the state of manufacturing innovation in the United States.
Kinetic Die Casting is a california die casting company that manufactures die cast parts. If you would like more information or request a quote, vist our website:Kinetic Die Casting Company
Expanded use of Magnesium Diecasting
“There are three ways to reduce fuel consumption,” says Morales. “We can reduce or eliminate the use of gasoline by developing hybrid cars and fuel cell powered vehicles. We can make our direct combustion engines more efficient. Or, we can reduce the weight of the vehicle to use less gas.” That’s why a special ASM International symposium at the Materials Science & Technology Conference will be held in Pittsburgh, Oct. 25–29, to discuss how lightweight materials can provide effective solutions while maintaining vehicle strength and integrity.
Still, expanded use of magnesium die casting has proven difficult because of the cost of the metal, which has been 2.2-times higher than aluminum, its chief competitor, for the past three years. Also, a decline in imports from Russia and Canada, two of the country’s leading ingot import sources, has caused a supply shortage on the spot market for more than a year.
And, in recent months, China has become the world’s largest supplier of magnesium ingot and has been keeping world prices elevated. Meanwhile, softness in demand from the North American auto and machinery industries—coupled with high magnesium prices—has closed or bankrupted several magnesium die-casting companies. That’s why China—especially from plants in Shanxi Province—has become a major world supplier of magnesium die castings.
U.S. magnesium prices peaked cyclically at $3.65 in July 2008 but have since slipped to $2.29 in July 2009. Since magnesium isn’t traded on commodity exchanges, supply-and-demand fundamentals usually set price trends, except when such outside influences as trade restrictions or punitive tariffs artificially inflate sales costs. Lately, it’s been Beijing’s restrictions on raw material exports. The U.S. and the European Union have filed a World Trade Organization complaint that China is violating Article XI of the 1947 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade—the founding document of what is now the World Trade Organization—as well as the terms of China’s own membership agreement with the WTO.
What’s happening is that China’s supplies of magnesium are so large that Beijing’s recent export restrictions have driven up the costs on world markets while holding them down domestically. The result is a subsidy of sorts for Chinese manufacturers, letting them charge less for finished die-cast goods than foreign firms pay for the raw material.
Also, with magnesium diecasting demand down worldwide, Chinese producers are delaying negotiations on 2010 ingot supply contracts with traders until winter this year—rather than the usual late summer or early fall. Market sources say most consumers are trying to determine how much raw material they will need next year—and that may take some time to crystallize.
Kinetic Die Casting manufactures die casting metal parts creating products like roofing tile molds, lighting parts, and military parts. If you would like more information about Kinetic Die Casting, visit our website:Kinetic Die Casting Company
WTO Ruling Against Chinese Protectionism
A few proposals and bills have been discussed recently by nations such as the U.S., Canada and the EU that call for level playing fields across several industries. Whether these are adopted or even make it to the table is another issue but their outcomes could shape the international commerce scene. At least it appears that the aloofness displayed by past U.S. governments–that crushed domestic tooling companies–is beginning to fade. For example:
* American-made media such as movies and music have consistently been forced to flow through an unregulated–almost underground–albeit state-controlled, “black market”, which filters the media and charges extraordinarily high fees. The WTO recently found this violates principles of “free trade”. Of course, China plans to appeal.
* Since China’s acceptance into the WTO in 2001, they have amassed $1.95 trillion in foreign trade reserves.
* In India, government placed a six-month ban on lead-filled “Made in China” toys in January, 2009. Several weeks ago, the Indian government placed a new ban on any and all products made of chocolate–which is an extension of their dairy ban on the Communist country. I have absolutely no problem with the steps the leaders in India took to protect its citizens, despite cries of “unfair protectionism” by China–of all people. I don’t know about you, but the thought of injesting melamine isn’t too enticing. I’ve heard that kidney stones and kidney failure aren’t that fun…let alone what it has done to pets and children.
* U.S. Carbon Tarriff has many western supporters. It basically will hold foreign nations that don’t have greenhouse policy restrictions in place accountable through a tarriff starting in 2012. Kudos to them for finally realizing how regulations make American manufacturers uncompetitive when their LCC (low-cost country) competitors do not have to spend the cost required to adhere to them. China’s response? If it passes, they will be forced to retaliate.
Source: http://blog.toolanddieing.com/2009/08/16/wto-ruling-against-chinese-protectionism/
Kinetic Die Casting manufactures products like heatsink die casting, aluminum housings, and lighting fixtures. If you would like more information, please visit our website:Kinetic Die Casting Company
Drove a Ford Pinto in and a Mercedes Benz out
Before I started Kinetic Die Casting Company, in the early 80’s, “John” visited me at a different die casting company. He drove into my parking lot in a green Ford Pinto, about 10 years old. John was an interesting man, a magician who frequented magic clubs and visited Las Vegas on occasion. The most remarkable thing I remember about John other than his red hair was the gold nugget ring he wore.
John’s visit was regarding a new auto parts product idea. He told me that there was only one type of “Auto License Plate Frame” available. It was a flat plastic frame, in black or white typically, that was occasionally painted or had a sticker with the name of automobile dealerships (If you can remember, in the early 1980’s, he was right)
John had an idea for a new product. A license Plate Frame that was made of “metal” that look like gold and needed to look like gold nuggets “just like his gold nugget ring”. John pointed at the ring on his finger as he told me what he wanted. Seemed like a good idea to me so we proceeded to make the tooling for his “Gold Nugget License Plate Frame”. John sold several thousands of these frames and came to me with another idea.
John wanted a License Frame that looked like a “Silver or Gold Chain”. Within a year, John had other ideas for frames that I had made for him.
About a year and a half to two years after meeting John the first time, he drove his new Mercedez Benz to my office with the buyer of his license frame business. The buyer was a larger auto parts manufacturer. John made a lot of money on his ideas. His investment of a few thousand dollars for die casting tooling was well spent.
John, if you see this, please visit me and show me a few more card tricks.
Kinetic Die Casting manufactures products like heatsink die casting, aluminum housings, and lighting fixtures. If you would like more information, please visit our website:Kinetic Die Casting Company
Aluminum Parts Types to Die Casting
The Purpose of the Metalworking Industry and Aluminum Parts Types to Die Casting. Die casting is known in the metalworking industry as to having the highest number of mass produced items. This can be attributed to the method’s versatility. It usually goes like the molten metal is being forced into steel molds that are reusable. This is being done under high pressure. The dies refer to these molds. These can create various shapes, from simple to complex, with the finest degree of repeatability. These can also be trusted on accuracy depending on the alloys that were incorporated in the process. And good samples the more famous when it comes to such trait are the aluminum parts types.
Die casting is known for its output that can have smooth or textured surfaces, depending on what kinds of parts are being employed. These materials can be utilized on good looking and serviceable finishes. These are distributed to various sectors of industrial, commercial and consumer products, that include vehicles, connector housing, sink faucet, toys and a lot more.
Aside from aluminum parts types, the alloys that are usually being used for die casting are zinc, magnesium, copper, lead and tin.
Zinc is said to be the easiest alloy that can be casted. This has high ductility and can easily be plated. Magnesium is the easiest to machine. This is also the lightest among all alloys in the list. Copper has high hardness. This also has the highest mechanical properties. This offers optimum wear resistance and stability in terms of dimensions. Lead and tin have high density. These can produce parts that can be used for corrosion resistance.
The aluminum die casting parts types are lightweight in nature. Aluminum is also known as to having good corrosion resistance. Its mechanical properties are also high, as well as its thermal and conductivity to electricity.
Kinetic Die Casting manufactures products like heatsink die casting, aluminum housings, and lighting fixtures. If you would like more information, please visit our website:Kinetic Die Casting Company
