Aluminum, magnesium, zinc, as well as brass, are the prominent raw materials used by modern-day foundries to die cast components. For additive printing, however, raw materials titanium, stainless steel, silver, gold, gypsum, bronze, brass, and so on, are used in general. Below is a comparison between 3D Printing and die casting, two of the most prominent manufacturing methods available for your component needs.
Comparing 3D Printing versus Die Casting
The early commercial usage of die casting traces back to the 19th century as well as the creation of typesetter print blocks. However, in stark contrast to metal die casting, 3D printing is a relatively newer manufacturing method, which became viable commercially around the mid 1980’s.
3D printing is considered “additive” in general, since it adds successive layers of material to manufacture the desired objects with the 3D modeling software such as AutoCAD to name one. Also known as Additive Manufacturing, 3D printing is a manufacturing process that transforms digital files as well as drawings into better, more legible 3D structures.
Which is Ideal for your Project?
When it is about design compatibility, both 3D printing as well as die casting is specialized and require the use of high-end equipment in state-of-the-art foundries. 3D printing may be ideal if the manufacturing is low-volume and the part requires complex internal cuts. Choosing 3D printing for your component needs will also enable free-forming designs that may be tough to replicate via the traditional manufacturing methods.
However, for large-scale production, metal die casting may be the ideal option. Die casters prefer to die cast parts since global foundries are equipped with the right tools and safety measurements, which aids in manufacturing. Foundries tend to recycle aluminum through various sources; the raw aluminum will achieve tight pressure tolerances, as well as manufacture stronger and durable castings in aluminum die casting.
At present, foundries use the post-treatment methods such as anodizing make use of variant processes as well including the popular semi-solid aluminum die casting method. Semi-solid metal casting will aid die casters to exert an infinite number of designs into manufactured components for an array of industries. For your specialized component needs, picking the right manufacturing method available is critical, besides picking the right raw material as well.