Pressure Die Casting Aluminum Lighting Parts vs Gravity Casting. There are many processes used to create parts for different things. Let’s take lighting fixtures for example. Everywhere you go, whether it is a room in your house or a mall, …
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Tag Archives: Aluminum Alloys
Enhanced Performance of Cast Aluminum Pistons
Federal-Mogul Corp. reports it has developed a new aluminum automotive piston design that withstands the mechanical and thermal loads produced by heavy-duty engines, making it a more reliable component for diesel engines. This will be important to automotive manufacturers seeking to build vehicles with smaller engines, to achieve lower CO2 emissions and better fuel economy, without compromising the vehicles’ power output.
In a diesel engine, combustion takes place in a hollow bowl in the top of the piston. Combustion temperatures may top 750 degrees F (400 degrees C) and pressures may exceed 200 Bar (200 x atmospheric pressure.) Under these combustion conditions, the rim of the piston bowl has an increased failure factor.
Federal-Mogul engineers identified thermal and mechanical failures factors for the piston bowl, and identified free primary silicon particles distributed throughout the aluminum matrix. Aluminum expands eight times more than silicon, so stresses are introduced within the piston every time temperature fluctuates. Also, the repeated mechanical loads could result in fatigue failure from the corners of the silicon particles.
Silicon cannot be eliminated from the aluminum alloy: It delivers low expansion properties and good castability. A previous solution to the problem is fiber-reinforcement, but fiber reinforcements increase manufacturing complexity.
Federal-Mogul’s new DuraBowl design involves pre-machining the cast piston and then re-melting the aluminum-silicon alloy around the rim of the bowl. Rapid cooling follows, which alters the alloy’s microstructure significantly by reducing the size of hardening phases such as silicon particles and intermetallics.
The result is a piston bowl rim which has its first few millimeters significantly strengthened to withstand temperature and pressure, thereby extending engine life four to seven times what may be achieved with a conventional cast piston.
“The strength and efficiency of our solution is that the process is physically simple,” stated Frank Doernenburg, Federal-Mogul director of technology, pistons and pins. “The sophistication is in the control of key parameters, which ensure consistent quality. The result is a technologically advanced, high-performing and very cost-competitive product when compared to both fiber-reinforced and steel pistons.”
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
Aluminium Long-Term Outlook Q2 Update
Aluminium Long-Term Outlook Q2 Update. According to Brooke Hunt, industrial production growth is set to average 3.1% p.a. over the period 2009 to 2020, up slightly from 2.7% p.a. for the period 2000 to 2008. China is expected to lead growth with IP anticipated to increase 10.1% in 2009 – 2020.
The economic recession which followed the failure of some western financial institutions and banks ten months ago was initially expected to have only a small effect on Chinese growth. However, the resultant collapse in worldwide demand and subsequent collapse in requirement for Chinese exported products has had a significant effect on the economy of China. The most recent trade data suggests that the fall in demand for Chinese goods may be bottoming out but the trends indicated by these figures do not carry across to the Chinese aluminium market. We expect aluminium demand to fall by 1% in 2009 to 12.7Mt. This contrasts with compound average annual growth of 17.9% p.a. seen over the first eight years of this decade.
As a large section of the global economy slid into recession in late 2008 and into 2009 global aluminium demand has been destroyed, particularly in mature economies and has led to a forecast surplus in 2009 of 2.5Mt. Although we are forecasting a 6% drop in smelter production in 2009, a greater decline of 8.3% is forecast for demand. Stocks are therefore expected to continue to rise in 2009 reaching 102 days of consumption. For the market to be balanced with the current consumption forecast production would need to fall by 12% in 2009. Brook Hunt is forecasting that LME cash prices will decrease from the 2008 average of $2571/t, to $1445/t in 2009. We have allowed for 70kt, 4.9Mt and 8.3Mt of curtailments in 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively as prices cut into the cost curve. The significant volume of curtailed capacity will act as a cap on prices over the period 2012-2020.
Our analysis of long-run aluminium incentive prices that will provide sufficient incentive (15% IRR) to justify the expansion of capacity to meet incremental demand growth indicates that a price of ~$1928/t ($2009) is required.
Our base case supply forecast is seen as more than adequate to meet projected demand of 57Mt in 2020, equivalent to 3.5% per annum growth. The base case supply forecast can meet projected demand growth of 4.2% per annum, while the combination of Base case and projects in our highly probable category can meet demand growth of 5% per annum through 2020.
SGA production is estimated at 72.4Mt in 2009, down 10.4% y-o-y and is forecast to grow at 4% per annum to 88Mt in 2014 when capacity utilization is projected at 92%. Consequently, we forecast modest spot price appreciation through 2014 from current levels of $210/t to average $270/t or 14.5% of the LME aluminium cash price. Furthermore, there is little or no risk of being capacity constrained through 2020.
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Aluminum industry takes a 40 percent first-quarter hit
Aluminum industry takes a first-quarter hit. A weak automobile market has put a dent in figures for Switzerland’s aluminium manufacturers who say business in early 2009 slipped 40 per cent.
The Swiss Aluminum Association announced on Monday that factories processed 3,700 tons of light metal in the first quarter compared to 6,100 tons for the same period last year.
The die-casting sector, which is closely tied to the struggling automobile industry, was hit particularly hard, the association said.
The figures show that the industry has slipped further into a recession that began in mid-2008. Global orders for rolling mills and presses slipped 5.8 per cent to 166,400 tons compared to a record year in 2007.
Most of Switzerland’s aluminum is exported, largely to the European Union. But domestic use in 2008 also appears to have slipped about four per cent to 183,800 tons compared to the previous year.
As a result, producers have had to layoff workers and cut back on hours. Industry experts say they do not expect business to turnaround until 2010 at the earliest.
Kinetic Die Casting manufactures zinc and aluminium die casting. If you would like a quote, please visit our website:Die Casting quote
Strontium in A380 Affects Mechanical Properties Favorably
Strontium in A380 Affects Mechanical Properties Favorably
Recent research funded by the Department of Defense and the Defense Logistics Agency and performed at Worcester Polytechnic Institute has shown that different levels of magnesium in A380 changes tensile, yield and elongation properties. Strontium has also been found to affect properties. The research has identified properties in the following ranges: Tensile from 45.5 to 47.0 ksi, yield from 23.8 to 28.5 ksi and elongation from 2.4 to 2.8% For more details see page 3-7 the new 7th edition of the NADCA Product Specification Standards for Die Castings, this book also includes many more useful updates and revisions.
The 2009 Seventh Edition of the “NADCA Product Specification Standards for Die Castings” publication, Item 402, has recently been released. Current corporate members can receive a free print or CD copy, and additional copies discounted by 80%. Individual members receive a 25% discount. For your print copy, please visit www.diecasting.org/publications.
Kinetic Die Casting is a die casting company specializing in aluminum and zinc parts. If you would like to request a quote, please visit our website:Kinetic Die Casting Company
What Auto Parts
The most abundant metals found on earth is aluminum. Aluminum die casting is strong, flexible, lightweight, recyclable, malleable, and corrosion-resistant. These properties are factors that make the aluminum a great choice for material in producing cars and aluminum die casting car parts.
Die Casting, rolling, extrusion, or forging can be used to manufacturing with aluminum. When rolled under extreme pressure, the aluminum becomes thinner and longer. It becomes any of the three widely used forms: plate, sheet, and foil.
In North America, transportation is representative of the largest market for aluminum manufacturing. Where manufacturing of cars and trucks are concerned, the aluminum is the second most widely used component. Top reason for this is because producers are keen in improving the gas mileages of their vehicles. Since aluminum is about one-third the weight of steel, the entire vehicle mass can be reduced significantly. Aluminum Auto Parts Manufacturing will Gain Momentum.
As car manufacturing continue to conduct research about aluminum die casting and how best they can use this metal to manufacture excellent quality vehicles, more companies will start turning to aluminum as an alternative material to steel and iron.
These days, aluminum auto parts made of aluminum die castings include: valve covers, aluminum alloy wheels, carburetors, as well as body and closure panels, or flooring. Aluminum die casting manufacturing is still used at a very low volume. Mass manufacturing production will only be feasible once research finds out how aluminum die casting can really become more useful than steel or as strong as steel.
Concerns for reliability and safety are the major factors that inhibit the full blast manufacturing of major car parts. As car makers gain more confidence in the methods and techniques to manufacture high-quality aluminum die casting auto parts, the public is yet to drive the more economical cars made out of aluminum die casting.
Kinetic Die Casting is located in North Hollywood,California. KDC specializes in manufacturing zinc and aluminum alloy casting parts. If you would like a quote, please visit our website:Kinetic Die Casting Company
Posted in Auto Parts
Tagged Aluminum Alloys, Aluminum Auto Parts, Die Casting Company, Steel
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