AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
FUEL EFFICIENCY
ULTRASEAL INTERNATIONAL
INCREASING DIE-CASTING PRODUCTIVITY
AND REDUCING COSTS
As manufacturers within the automotive
industry strive to meet the challenges of
a highly competitive global marketplace
– particularly within the realms of fuel
efficiency and environmental impact – the
die casting industry is undergoing a period
of change and development. Tim Butler
at Ultraseal International discusses these
trends and how Lubrolene water-free
die-release technology can bring about
significant quality, cost, productivity and
environmental benefits for manufacturers.
In recent years we’ve seen a shift towards
lightweighting in the automotive industry
with increasing use of aluminium for
powertrain components and a rapid growth
in aluminium structural components such
as shock towers, rails and torque boxes.
In fact, structural casting is now being
adopted in higher volume, mid-sized vehicle
platforms that need to be manufactured
to a consistent quality in multiple global
locations.
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PECM Issue 38
Fundamental in delivering that functionality
is the process of die-casting. Supporting
manufacturers to move away from multi-
component welded assemblies for vehicle
structures, high pressure vacuum die-
casting technology is able to provide a
complex, one-piece structural component,
significantly reducing the assembly, number
and weight of components in a vehicle.
In practice, substituting traditionally
steel components with lightweight,
one-piece structures contributes
significantly to reduced vehicle weights.
That means greater efficiency, reduced
fuel consumption and lower levels of CO2
emissions – all key focusses for automotive
manufacturers as legislation around the
world places greater emphasis on fuel
efficiency, emissions and the environmental
impact of vehicles.
Further to this, lightweight structures,
and the weight reduction associated, are
essential for the increasing adoption of
electrified vehicles. A segment of the market
forecast to grow strongly in the medium
term, major OEMs are investing significantly
to develop the necessary technology cost-
effectively.
Developments in die-casting technology
have facilitated the design of larger, more
complex, structural components which
assist the automotive industry with its
weight reduction goals. This approach
accommodates larger components such as
door and window frames, instrument panels
and cross members to be produced by die-
casting, and has led to a trend toward larger
die-casting machines and increasing shot
weights.
However, the complexity of large one-
piece components makes it difficult to
design internal cooling which successfully
reduces the temperature of all parts of the
die uniformly. This can lead to localised hot
spots and solder problems.