Why Draft Angle in Die Casting is a must. In the process of die casting, having the correct draft angle combined in die casting molds is a very vital thing. It is one of the factors that will affect the …
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Tag Archives: die casting tooling
Aluminum Sand Casting Parts May Be Better
Aluminum Sand Casting Parts May Be Better. Several Requests For Quotes (RFQs) for aluminum part prices come to Kinetic Die Casting and it is obvious that the requester does not understand the difference between aluminum sand casting parts and aluminum die casting parts. Today, we will discuss the pricing difference between sand casting and die casting of aluminum parts.
2,000 Aluminum Parts Casting Decision
If your product is limited to less than 2,000 aluminum parts in the entire product life cycle or stated differently you will want less than 2,000 aluminum parts in your product life cycle and never need more parts, sometimes a part produced by the aluminum sand casting is a better choice for you.
Here are my aluminum part price calculations:
Aluminum Sand Casting Parts:
Typical Tooling Cost: $500 – $2500
Typical Part Cost: $13 – $15 each (machined)
So using $500 tooling price (lowest typical) and $13 for part price:
Cost for 500 parts: $ 7,500
Cost for 1000 parts: $13,500
Cost for 2000 parts: $26,500
Aluminum Die Casting Parts
Typical Tooling Cost: $10,000 – $12,000
Typical Part Cost: $2.50 – $3.50 each (machined)
So using $10,000 die casting tooling price (lowest typical) and $2.50 for part price.
Cost for 500 parts: $11,250 ($3,750 more expensive)
Cost for 1000 parts: $12,500 ($1,000 less expensive)
Cost for 2000 parts: $15,000 ($11,500 less expensive)
As you can see, the cost is equal or less for an aluminum part as a sand cast part, if you will buy less than 2,000 parts. If you feel your product life is more than 2,000 parts, you should consider buying aluminum die casting parts. If your product life is greater than 5,000 parts your savings are so significant it is embarrassing. Contact Kinetic Die Casting Company 800-2524-8083 (sales@kineticdc.com) if you feel you are paying to much for your aluminum castings.
The Die Casting Tooling that works
The Die Casting Tooling that works. The cost-efficient and well-timed manufacture of a broad collection of fundamental equipment components owes much to die casting tooling. This is a essential performance area wherein the die casters and the designers have to put their heads together in product development and design. At this early stage, issues revolving around tooling and production have to be determined along with the recognition of the numerous trade-offs that may be taken to successfully control overall project costs.
One fine example of the triumphant cooperation of designers and die casters in die casting tooling is in the automobile industry. Through their combined efforts, aluminum auto parts have been productively calculated and developed so much so that today aluminum now is the No. 2 material utilized in automobiles. The major impetus that inspired the designers–die casters’ mutual efforts is the rising cost of fuel which provoked consumers’ improved interest in lighter, more fuel-efficient and environment-friendly cars.
Among the die casting tooling factors measured in aluminum auto components is the approximation that reducing car weight by 10% could result in expenditure by 6% to 8%. Another deliberation which may be parlayed in prospective die casting tooling is that a car weight decrease of 50% may be realized if the body of an automobile is completed of aluminum. Considerable fuel savings would be attained in such a shift, which was considered at about 3,000 liters saved for the standard lifetime of a car, one die casting tooling endeavour that should be most welcome in these oil-crisis prone times.
Kinetic Die Casting manufactures zinc and aluminium die casting. If you would like a quote, please visit our website:Die Casting quote
How Trim Dies Save Money on Die Casting Parts
How Can Trim Dies Save Me Money on Die Casting Parts? – Is a question, I get asked frequently from potential customers and current customers.
I will discuss what a die casting part trim die is and what it does, but first we need to know a little about how die casting parts are made. The Die Casting Trim Die is part of the die casting part tooling package.
- Die Casting is a manufacturing process where a company melts metal, typically aluminum or zinc, and then injects that metal into a die or mold using extreme pressure.
The molten metal is under so much pressure that the metal “flashes” out around the edges of the part inside the die casting mold. This excess metal is also called “flash”. This flash is typically very thin, sometimes paper thin, wall of metal. The flash is frequently sharp and can cut fingers if not handled carefully. After the part cools sufficiently, the flash must be removed before we can ship the die cast part to our customer.
- The most common ways to remove flash are:
- Using a file or sander – Somewhat labor intensive and subject to “artistic interpretation” from the worker. Not always consistent in the process.
- Using a trim die – A trim die cuts consistently .005″ to .010″ close to edge of the die casting part like a cookie cutter. Is also the fastest way to remove flash.
The trim die is in two parts and each half is bolted on either the upper or lower platen of a trim press. The trim press has typically 15 to 20 tons of closing pressure. The press raises and lowers as the worker actuates the buttons. The die casting part fits perfectly in the trim die bottom, the trim die top half closes on the part and uses a cutting edge to cut the excess metal (flash) away from the part.
Because the trim die cuts the flash from the part accurately and consistently, the part quality is always better when a trim die is used to remove the a flash. So, less money is wasted on poor part quality. The trim press also operates faster than the die casting machine so the flash removal takes less time and labor, thus saving money in part production.
Each of our die casting production cells at Kinetic Die Casting Company has at least one trim press to accommodate a trim die for every die casting production part order. Every customer who owns a trim die, saves money on their part price. Call us today for a FREE competitive part price proposal to make your parts 818-982-9200.
Unit Dies for Die Casting Tooling
Unit Die Tooling is an inexpensive way to make Die Casting Parts. There are several reasons why unit dies are less expensive, we will start with the cost of new die casting tooling.
New Tooling – Class A Tool
To make die castings we need to make tooling first. A complete class A Tool usually consists of a set of cavity inserts weighing about 30 pounds and a mold base that weighs about 1500 pounds. This mold base usually costs about $8,000 to $12,000 in steel and labor. A complete class A die can cost more than $100,000.
New Tooling – Unit Die Tool
A unit die consists of a set of cavity inserts weighing about 30 pounds, a unit die weighing about 150 pounds and a master unit die holder weighing about 1200 pounds. The master unit die holder stays in the die casting machine. One master holder can work with hundreds of unit die holders. The typical tool cost for a unit die is usually less than $40,000.
Part Cost – Class A Tool
Since a Class A Tool in larger than a unit die, it takes a four to eight hours to set the tool in a die casting machine. Since it is also heavier it takes one to two hours to preheat the tool to optimum operating temperature.
Part Cost – Unit Die Tool
A unit die can be set in a die casting machine in less than two hours. The preheat time for a unit die tool is less than an hour.
Kinetic Die Casting Company has dozens of unit dies waiting for cavities to install. We purchased 10 pallets of unit dies during the Drumheller Industries Die Casting Auction. WE will be happy to mount your cavity in our holder to save you time and money on your next production run.
Drumheller Industries is Closed (Die Casting Company)
Drumheller Industries is Closed (Zinc Die Casting Company) – Today I drove past the building of Drumheller Industries on 10967 Tuxford Street in Sun Valley, California. I was saddened that the building is for sale. Drumheller Die Casting Company was a zinc die casting company that was in business over 40 years. Scott Drumheller, the last owner of the company, told me his grandfather started the company by building special hot chamber zinc die casting machines. These machines will cast and trim the zinc die casting parts automatically so that the parts drop into buckets.
For over two years, I talked to Scott about the possibility of purchasing his company. He has had declining sales and fewer customers every year. The value of his company was dropping. Unfortunately, Scott felt he needed a job but did not want to work for another die casting company. He wanted to continue Drumheller operations until he had to stop.
In July 2012, Scott Drumheller told me he needed to pay either a penalty or a fine to the state of California to stay in business. This fee was vary large, and amounted to more than 10% of his annual sales. He decided to close Drumheller Industries unless someone would purchase his corporation from him and his liability to the state of California.
I offered to pay him a sales commission and two or three times the value of his equipment for his equipment and his customers. He insisted that the corporation ownership needed to be part of the package. I do not understand how it could benefit him to scrap his equipment for one third of the amount of money that I offered to pay him and why he believed I would take his corporate liabilities or even why he thought it was fair to insist the corporate transfer as part of the package. We could not come to an agreement and he chose to scrap his equipment instead of selling the die casting machines to Kinetic Die Casting Company.
Another California Die Casting Company has closed. This is very sad to me. There are less than one third of the die casting companies in California as there were 20 years ago.
The good news to me is that my company, Kinetic Die Casting Company, is thriving and growing while other companies are declining and closing. Our customers feel safe buying their parts from us. We purchased the mold bases and die casting tooling from the Drumheller die casting auction to service their customers.
