Die casting is a manufacturing technique that is used to make complex metal parts economically with reusable molds called dies. Usually the technique makes use of non-ferrous alloys like Copper alloys, Zinc alloys, Magnesium alloys, and Aluminum alloys. The selection of material will depend on number of factors like melting point, density, corrosion resistance, strength and costs.
Brass is a common alloy that is used in die casting. It is an alloy of Zinc and Copper with about sixty percent Copper and forty percent Zinc. The various costs that are involved in Brass die casting are discussed below.
Material Cost
The weight of the material needed for die casting and its unit price will determine the material cost. The quantity of brass that is needed for the process will depend on the volume of the finished part. The maximum wall thickness of the part may also play a role in the material costs. The weight of die casting material will include the weight of metal that fills the die channel.
Usually, parts with thin walls will need more channels to make sure that the die is filled quickly and uniformly. This will increase the quantity of material required for the process and will eventually increase the costs.
Production Cost
Die casters use the hourly rate and cycle time to determine the production costs. The hourly rate will depend on the size of machinery being used for die casting. Die casting machines are usually categorized by the tonnage of clamping force that they offer. The necessary clamping force can be understood from the pressure with which the molten metal is injected and the projected area of the part. This means that larger parts will need more clamping force and expensive machinery.
The cycle time can be divided as injection time, cooling time, and resetting time. If you can decrease any of these times, the production cost can also be reduced. One technique to reduce injection time is to decrease the maximum wall thickness. In addition, some materials can be injected at faster speeds than others can. This will also affect the production costs.
Tooling Cost
This cost has two main components, the cost to machine the cavities and the die set costs. The die set cost is determined by the size of the part. This means that larger parts will need large and expensive die set. The cost to machine the cavities will depend on the geometry of the parts. The main factor affecting the cost is the size of the cavity to be machined and its depth.
Die casting elements that need additional machining will add to the tooling costs. The material used and its quantity will affect the tooling life and will affect the tooling cost in long run. Die casting materials with high casting temperatures will lead to short tooling life and the effect can be much pronounced in higher productions.