Choosing the perfect zinc die caster is an important issue: this choice could determine the good or bad outcome of a product. In order to reach clients’ expectations is important to consider every production aspect: to organize it in the best way possible it is important to analyze the entire production process.
The importance of choosing the right zinc die caster
The right partner is able to help its customers to reach planned goals and to develop a product or component but, on the other hand, having a bad zinc die caster could prevent the client to obtain results.
To obtain a significant cost reduction zinc die casters can offer to its customers a co-design service, to improve the design or functionality of the product, or a reduce costs service helping the client on its VAVE, that due to this collaboration turns to be tailor made.
In fact during the initial phase of die casting process the designer need to be focused on different aspects to obtain a functional product that at the same time reaches aesthetic requirements. The perfect balance between these two elements allows to obtain a product that can meet clients’ expectations with a cost saving approach. In this case supplier’s technicians can help the designer: this means stay on the client’s side in its VAVE.
What is VAVE?
VAVE is a systematic decision-making process. Its purpose is to solve problems, reduce costs and, at the same time, to improve the value of a product. Suppliers, with a customer centric approach, can help clients in their VAVE with an improvement of an already existing component or process, or designing a new one.
With the supplier’s expertise, specialized in a particular field, in fact can be even better.
Why VAVE is so helpful?
VAVE can help a company to generate new ideas and lead it to innovation, having a more competitive price, better products in a cost saving way.
The right zinc die caster is able to help companies’ VAVE in order to obtain a more functional product with a cost and time saving approach, identifying the lowest cost way possible mixed to the highest worth to accomplish products functions.
VAVE could be the best way to reach long term goals to better collaborate with zinc die casters. This relationship must be based on trust and share information and ideas. In fact zinc die caster involvement during VAVE can lead to an exchange of ideas and proposals for changes in terms of component design, manufacturing or assembly process and logistic.
How can saving be obtained in die casting?
A die casting company can obtain savings in different ways: first of all choosing the material, then finding the right assembly process and finally using simulation tools such as MAGMASOFT to prevent any problem during the process.
The supplier is able to obtain an important saving in terms of money and time for the client centralizing operations in its plant, in order to reduce lead time and unpredictable issues due to segmentation, before being assigned to different zinc die casters or other suppliers.
Surface treatments, mechanical operations and assembly in fact could be done in the same plant to guarantee to the client finished or semi-finished products using one supplier that simplifies the procedure.
In this case, also the product quality is increased due to these procedures, to the optimization of the entire cycle and to the prompt participation in case of non-compliance products.
Optimization of phases for cost reduction
Regarding cost reduction in die casting field is important to have a look on simulation phase. Simulation is a key element of die casting process, implemented at the beginning of the production of the component.
Simulation is one of the most important way through which is possible to obtain a significant cost reduction during every step of die casting process. In fact every step that can be improved allows a saving during productive life of a component: for these reasons it is important to analyze every part of the entire process to understand how to save in economic and time terms.
Cost reduction in production process
In terms of cost reduction reduce time and cost production are the most important parameters to optimize during die casting process:
- Reducing cycle time
- Reducing masses of feeding channel and overflows
- Obtain a thermal balance of the mould reducing wear to reach the requested aesthetic quality
Reducing cycle time
Cycle time can be reduced simplifying each segment of die casting process or minimizing its duration to act in order to obtain cost reduction: implementing necessary phases and cutting the non-necessary ones, not damaging product quality.
Reducing masses of feeding channel and overflows
To avoid any secondary deburring is necessary to eliminate runners and overflows to obtain finished or semi-finished components that during secondary operations will be treated to reach clients’ expectations with a cost saving approach.
Obtain a thermal balance of the mould reducing wear to reach the requested aesthetic quality
It is necessary to reach a correct thermal balance of the mould to avoid cold laps and other issues. Summarizing working deeply on mould design can prevent other defects and, consequently, is possible to reach a better outcome of the product.
There are other aspects to be analyzed but they are not related to die casting process directly. In this category is possible to highlight the management of the process, phases of sorting and controlling of products and finally the packaging, that is the first element that a client sees. Every aspect can be seen as a way where is possible to obtain saving if it is optimized in a correct way.
Conditions to be beared in mind during die casting process
In die casting companies there are different person involved during die casting process such as the producer of raw materials, the toolmaker, the die caster, the designer and other responsible for secondary operations.
In particular the designer has a central role during product design of a product. In fact its role is fundamental also before casting, when there are many other conditions to consider: for example is important to estimate the right number of cavities of the mould. If this number is underestimated the company cannot satisfy its clients’ orders, while if this number is overestimated the production can face a higher risk of producing scraps.
These conditions have an important role from an economic point of view and for the relation with the client.
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