Changes in die casting will impact purchasing decisions

Staff -- Purchasing, 12/9/2004

There are several trends that will affect purchasing decisions for die-cast parts during the next several years than can best be handled by buyers and design engineers working in tandem, according to Daniel Twarog, president of the North American Die Casting Association. The trends include:

• Greater use of customized alloys.
• Rapid tooling techniques.
• New applications for smaller production runs.
• Re-evaluation of the total cost of domestic vs. offshore sourcing.

The die casting industry expects that customized alloys will continue to enhance the use of die castings into a wide range of new markets. Alloys will be customized to enhance heat transfer, yield stress and fatigue. Buyers and engineers will have to work closely, Twarog reckons, since die-casting methods—and results—vary depending on the metal/alloy used.

Rapid tooling techniques can compress tool and die development to two weeks from the traditional 8 to 10 week timeframe. He suggests that buyers need to encourage engineers to work earlier in the design stage with them, so their die-cast parts suppliers capture all the benefits of the new process.

Significant technical and process advancements in aluminum and magnesium make these metals suitable for structural parts. When functional products are designed for volume production, engineers and buyers often look to high-pressure die casting. Twarog says. Now, the ability to maintain close tolerances and eliminate all machining makes more economic sense than ever.

"Many buyers are evaluating the total cost of sourcing and discovering that domestic suppliers often are more efficient and cost-effective than offshore sources," says Twarog. He suggests that being close to suppliers of precision parts is critical because leadtimes are compressed and local suppliers can handle product design changes with rapidity.