Die Casting alloys Process Cost
Die Casting alloys is an efficient metal casting process that injects molten metal into a mold under high pressure to produce parts with complex geometries and high precision.
Initial investment
Die casting has an initial cost, including the cost of mold manufacturing, equipment purchase, and related auxiliary equipment.
These costs make die casting unsuitable for small-scale production, as the cost amortized to each part increases significantly.
Mold cost
Mold is one of the most important parts of the die casting process, and its cost includes design fees, material costs, manufacturing fees, inspection fees, etc.
The processing cost of the mold also includes machine tool processing, EDM, wire EDM processing, polishing, etc.
Material cost
The cost of these materials varies depending on the alloy type and market volatility.
For example, the price range of the aluminum alloy A380 is $2.85 to $3.00 per kilogram, while the price range of the ADC10 is $2.70 to $3.20 per kilogram.
Energy consumption
The die casting process requires a lot of electricity and water, and electricity and water bills are important cost components.
Labor costs
Die casting production requires operators to monitor and maintain, and worker wages are also part of the cost.
Surface treatment and shipping costs
Surface treatments such as electroplating, spraying, etc. will increase the cost.
While the shipping cost varies according to the different modes of transportation (air, land, ship).
Depreciation and maintenance costs
Molds have a limited service life and are gradually damaged by factors.
Such as high temperature, high pressure, and molten metal erosion during the casting process.
Different casting processes have different degrees of loss on the mold.
For example, the die casting process wears out relatively quickly due to its high pressure and high speed.
Maintenance and replacement also add to costs, including the repair of molds, replacement of wear parts, and eventual scrapping and remanufacturing.
Other expenses
Including mold trial costs, management fees and profits, etc.
For example, the processing price of magnesium alloy die castings is 30% higher than that of aluminum and zinc alloy die castings.
Die Casting alloys raw material cost
Aluminum
The price of aluminum alloy in 2024 will be about $3530 ton.
Zinc
The price of zinc alloy in 2024 will be about $3571 ton.
Magnesium
The price of magnesium alloy in 2024 will be about $2852 ton.
From the perspective of raw material costs, magnesium alloy has the lowest price.
Followed by aluminum alloy and zinc alloy has the highest price.
This shows that magnesium alloys have a cost advantage in raw material procurement.
Production Process and Cost
The complexity of the production process and the cost of production of die casting alloys will also affect the cost of the final product.
Aluminum
The production process of aluminum alloy is relatively mature, the technical level is high.
And the production efficiency is high, so its production cost is relatively low.
Zinc
The production process of zinc alloy is also relatively mature, but its production cost is slightly higher than that of aluminum alloy.
Magnesium
The production process of magnesium alloy is relatively complex, the technical level is relatively low, and the production cost is high.
Cost estimation of the post-processing process
The post-processing process of die casting includes shell crushing, sand removal, cutting, grinding, shot blasting, pickling, shaping, repair welding, repair and other steps.
Crushing and sand removal
This is the main step in removing residues from the surface and interior of the casting.
Often requiring the use of mechanical equipment such as vibrating screens and sandblasting machines.
Cutting and grinding
It is used to remove burrs and irregularities of castings to ensure dimensional accuracy and surface finish of castings.
Shot blasting and pickling
Shot blasting can remove oxide scale and impurities on the surface of castings, and pickling is used to remove the oxide layer on the surface of castings and improve surface quality.
Shaping and repair welding
For castings with complex shapes or defects, shaping and repair welding is required to ensure that they meet the design requirements.
Haichen Solution
Optimize raw material procurement
Through industry associations, enterprise cooperation and necessary regulatory means.
Jointly maintain the stability of the magnesium alloy price market and ensure the sustainable development of the industry.
Improve equipment and mold utilization
Increase investment in simulation technology, simulation software, and design to improve the efficiency of mold design and manufacturing, and reduce mold trial time and cost.
Improve the durability and reuse rate of molds, and reduce the tooling cost per product.
Improving the production process
Develop high-strength, high-thermal conductivity and heat-free magnesium alloys suitable for integrated die castings to meet the high performance requirements of magnesium alloy materials in different fields.
Improve process and mold design to improve product quality and reduce costs.
Reduce transportation costs
Choose to build factories as close as possible to reduce product transportation distances and costs.
Improve production efficiency
Use high-pressure casting technology to produce high-volume thin-walled parts to improve production efficiency.
Using low-pressure casting technology, the filling is stable.
And it is more suitable for forming large and complex magnesium alloy castings.
