Aesthetic advantages

Zinc alloys offer numerous aesthetic advantages, including the main one, an excellent tactile feeling which conveys a sensation of robustness and solidity to the object and is also pleasing to the eye due to its technical and technological qualities.

In addition, the design of the zinc alloy components is customizable, both through painting which offers a wide range of colors and finishes to adapt to the desired design, and through numerous galvanic treatments, such as, e.g., nickel or chrome plating, to obtain a shiny and wear-resistant appearance over time.

Functional advantages

The functions of zinc alloys in household appliances, on the other hand, are manifold. The zinc die-casting process offers a unique result in the field of alloys: providing a finished product at the first stage of its processing. That automatically translates into significant savings in terms of costs and production times.

Furthermore, the superior fluidity of zinc alloys allows for thinner thicknesses to be created (unlike other materials, especially plastics), reducing the costs of the raw materials used without renouncing the rigidity requirements of the product, which are fundamental for obtaining equally functional but with a small footprint. In addition, the dimensional stability, resistance to vibrations, and impact resistance are further advantages offered by zinc alloys, making them ideal for internal and external parts of small appliances.

The ductility of zinc alloys is another fundamental aspect of this material and brings great advantages for creating household appliances. This property, in fact, makes it possible to use riveting as an alternative fastening method to screws; reducing the machining costs required for threading and the assembly times needed for tightening the screws; no less important are the aesthetic and cost results for assemblies with rivets, which unlike screws can be hidden from view and translate into economic efficiency since fewer components are needed to create the same finished piece.

Finally, among the functional qualities of zinc alloys, we can also mention the excellent level of shielding from magnetic fields of this material, in fact preventing the electronic and electrical components from interfering with each other, compromising the product’s performance.

Environmental benefits

From an environmental point of view, zinc alloys represent an ecological, eco-sustainable, and ideal choice for a circular economy. Zinc alloy parts are totally recyclable. They can be recovered and reused countless times, helping to reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste and other non-recyclable materials. They require less energy for their transformation, which makes their use more sustainable from an energy point of view.

Economic advantages

The use of zinc alloys, unlike other die-casting alloys, undoubtedly has economic benefits in production. The transformation from solid to liquid state of zinc alloys for die-casting requires lower temperatures and therefore consumes much less energy than, for example, aluminum alloys. That also translates into a considerably longer life of the moulds. With the same use, a zinc die-casting mold can also be used for up to a million cycles without deterioration, allowing for considerable savings in production costs.
This aspect is particularly evident when considering the cost of the moulds for producing aluminum parts, which require more frequent replacements.

Practical examples

A significant example of the application of zinc alloys in small household appliances can be seen above all in the kitchen. Most manufacturers of quality household appliances use zinc or zamak alloy components to give their products solidity, stability, and aesthetic finishes.

For example, the external and internal housings of small appliances are often made of zinc alloy to guarantee a resistant and long-lasting structure. This approach is particularly evident in parts that require greater dimensional stability, such as bearing housings and internal supports of appliances.

Even the supports of electric motors are another example involving the use of zinc alloys. These components, found in many small appliances, can be made of zinc alloy instead of expensive reinforced plastics, offering a more environmentally and cost-effective solution.

Conclusions

Zinc alloys are confirmed as an excellent choice for small household appliances, offering numerous aesthetic, functional, environmental, and cost advantages. Their ability to be machined with precision, resistance to vibration and shock, total recyclability, and process cost savings make them ideal for meeting the needs of modern home appliances. Looking into our kitchens, we can appreciate how zinc alloys are successfully applied in the small household appliances sector. Choosing zinc alloys to produce parts and components means combining attractive design, reliable performance, environmental sustainability, and economic advantages.

The post Zinc alloys: an advantageous choice for manufacturers of small household appliances appeared first on Bruschi.

Zinc die casting for doors and windows

Variety of components made of zinc alloys for doors and windows

Generally, when it comes to zinc components for doors and windows frames one thinks immediately about galvanization, a process in which products realized with various kinds of metal are coated with a zinc layer to increase their superficial resistance.

However, it is possible to create a large number of components for doors and windows entirely made of zinc alloy.

Among these zinc alloy products some of them are more traditional and characterized by a long productive tradition in Zamak, such as corner transmission, case, external casing for panic exit handles, while some of them are more modern and linked with the recent developments of home automation, such as the keypad case for the remote opening of doors and windows or the covering plate for hotel door locks.

In this article, after briefly depicting the advantages that make zinc alloys a winning choice for the building industry, we will examine more in depth the productive process of some components for doors and windows. These products will be reviewed analyzing their productive process, their capability to undergo superficial or finishing treatments and the possibility of optimization in terms of design.

Competitive advantages of Zamak

Producing the previously mentioned components in zinc alloys results in a great advantage both for the final consumer and for the producer of windows and doors.

The use of zinc as raw material and the hot chamber die casting process allow the reduction of finishing operations and make it possible for the product to undergo a number of protective or aesthetical superficial treatments and for the production time to be reduced.

Differently from other materials, such as aluminum for example, that need different processing in different phases, Zamak allows the die caster to obtain, with a process that can be almost entirely automated, components ready for assembly. Moreover, thanks to the physical-chemical properties of Zamak, it is possible to reach final shapes with centesimal tolerances and to avoid the expensive mechanical operations that are required for the finishing of other metals.

Finally, a last competitive advantage of zinc alloys compared to other materials is the possibility to reach a minimum thickness of about 0.3 mm that, together with the capability to obtain complex geometrical shapes, allows a great design freedom.

To deepen your knowledge on superficial treatments for building industry components read the article Zinc Die Casting Finishes for Building Sector.

Requirements for zinc components for doors and windows frames

Zinc components for doors and windows frames can be characterized by a prevailing technical or aesthetical purpose but often it is necessary to comply with both these requirements. The products employed in this industry, indeed, are exposed not only to the final user sight but, in the majority of cases, also to external atmospheric agents. For this reason it is necessary to guarantee a superficial resistance able to remain unchanged over time. Indeed there are few pieces that stay hidden in the internal part of the frame and often also these components become visible when the frame is opened: therefore aesthetical quality is one of the main requirements for this industry.

However, we must not forget that components that at first sight seem to perform an exclusively aesthetical function, such as, for example, the cover plates of some locks or the external casing of handles, actually hold functional mechanisms and, with technological advancement, they have to comply with increasingly strict technical requirements

Let’s look at these components in detail, taking into consideration their productive process and the possibilities and the advantages that they offer in terms of design, and economic saving.

Components for traditional doors and windows frames

As previously mentioned some components in zinc alloys for doors and windows have a long die casting tradition. Already since the middle of the last century the technical advantages connected to the material and to the technologies of its processing did not go unnoticed. Below some brief case studies that depict the manufacturing process of these components.

Corner transmission

The corner transmission is a purely functional component: it is the mechanism that transmits the motion received by the rotation of the handle for the vasistas opening of frames. As already defined, the component becomes visible when the user opens the window and thus, even if it is often hidden, it is necessary for it to have a pleasing aesthetical appearance for the final user.

For this reason designers have to  design a product with functional characteristics and, in parallel, also an aesthetical value.

Thanks to versatility and to the characteristics of zinc it is possible to find, already at a design level, technical solutions for both the objectives. Even in the case of a functional component with an aesthetical quality, such as the corner transmission, die casting allows the achievement of a finished object with minimum thickness, narrow tolerances and aesthetic value such as to satisfy the final user.

Case

The case is a component of the opening and closing mechanisms of doors and windows. The piece has a technical function because it holds together and covers the linkage mechanism of transmission of the rotary motion in linear but, in addition to this function, as in the previous case, the case is distinguished by a noticeable aesthetic value because it is directly inserted in the living environment. Precisely for this aesthetic value the case undergoes superficial treatments aimed at increasing the superficial quality: this component, depending on the customer needs, can be coated or chromed.

Choosing Zamak for the production of the case is eventually profitable not only from a technical and aesthetical point of view, as already observed, but also from an economic perspective. In fact, zinc alloys allow the die caster to diminish the number of secondary operations because, thanks to their fluidity characteristics, they allow the realization of complex shapes. Thereby, thanks to Zamak, it is possible to obtain a number of details and micro details already during casting phase, without having to perform mechanical operations in other phases of the productive process.

For a further analysis of the characteristics of zinc we suggest you to visit the page from the International Zinc Association website.

Moreover, still concerning saving, the possibility of processes automation given by its technical characteristics makes Zamak competitive in comparison to other metals. In the specific case of the realization of this component it has been possible to automate the casting process up to the complete threading of the object without the contribution of personnel and therefore with a consistent saving on the cost of direct operators.

Case for panic exit handles

The case for panic exit handles is the housing of the mechanism that is connected to the central handle that allows the opening of the door. Every panic exit handle has two lateral cases that cover the opening mechanisms and they perform both a technical and aesthetical function.

Relatively to the aesthetical function, the use of zinc alloys makes it possible to perform a great variety of finishing aimed at obtaining functional or aesthetical objectives, such as, for example, the treatments to protect the component from weathering. This allows a great freedom of choice for product designers: in this way they can follow functional criterions without renouncing aesthetical factors.

Also relatively to technical aspects, the choice of zinc alloys provides actual advantages to the productive process. The possibility of producing components with thin walls thickness allows the die caster to create components employing less raw material in comparison to other metals, with a self-evident advantage in terms of costs for raw material and for energy necessary for the change of state.

In the specific case of the external case for panic exit handles various analysis, conducted with specific simulation software, made it possible to obtain an optimized product with a noticeable reduction of wall thickness starting from the previous design provided by the customer.

Zinc alloys for automated windows and doors

As defined, if for some zinc components for doors and windows frames die casting is a technology that has been used for a long time, for some others components, which are more innovative and modern, this kind of production is substantially a new field. Home automation and associated technologies are growing steadily and so is the smart locks market. If it is true that doors will still have hinges, locks and handles it is also true that it is necessary to reconsider these components to make them able to support automation and electronics. However, new functionalities require the design of new solutions: in fact, for example, the presence of circuits and electronic commands necessary implies an activity of redesign and redefinition of the components. Thanks to their fluidity and their chemical-physical characteristics Zinc alloys, manufactured with the die casting process, allow the creation of complex shapes and thin walls resulting therefore particularly suitable for the production of components for home automation. In particular, two components that can be produced with zinc alloys appear with an increasing frequency on the market, so much that they have become common used. These components are the keypad case for remote opening of windows and doors and the cover plate for electronic locks.

Plate for electronic locks

The first of these zinc alloys for windows and doors components is the covering plate of electronic locks. The plate, considering its covering function, has to primary meet aesthetical requirements. However, in parallel, it also has an housing function for the electronic components that allow the opening of the locks: for this reason, as in other previously mentioned cases, besides the aesthetical value also technical aspects have to be considered.

The die cast, after the casting process, is separated from the injection channel, then it is thermal deburred and threaded. Afterwards it is prepared for the superficial treatment with polishing process and it is galvanized to obtain the finishing of satin or polished chroming and gliding. These treatments increase not only the aesthetic value of the product but also its superficial resistance and, as a consequence, its lifetime. Zinc alloys, also in this case, allow the producer to obtain, through optimized and automated processes, products with an excellent superficial quality at competitive prices in comparison to those for the same product realized with other metals.

Keypad case for the remote opening of windows and doors

A second zinc component for doors and windows frames that is increasingly common is the keypad that allows the opening of doors and gates by code. Also in this case the requirements are both technical and aesthetical: the piece, exposed to the weather conditions, has to resists salt spray tests, to keep an excellent aesthetical quality over time and to host, protecting them, the internal electronic components. Zinc, characterized by dimensional stability and resistance to the different weather and climatic conditions, proves to be an optimal choice. Finally, the capability to take complex shapes and to achieve an high level of detail and precision allows the customer to design the component with freedom in such a way that he or she can obtain the most satisfying product.

Conclusion

The employment of zinc alloys through hot chamber die casting process, in comparison to other alloys or technologies, often results in an economic advantage for the producer of components for doors and windows frames. In fact Zamak allows the reduction of secondary operations and the automation of a consistent part of the processes: with a great saving in terms of time and costs. Moreover, the design freedom, the possibilities offered by optimization and the great variety of superficial treatments that it is possible to perform on zinc components for windows and doors frames allow the achievement, without waste of time and material, of products that are compliant with the requirements defined by the customer and that are ready for the final user.

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The post Productive Versatility of Zinc Alloys for Doors and Windows appeared first on Bruschi.

The necessary premise to obtain Zamak components for household appliances able to become an added value for the entire object is the creation of a relationship of understanding and trust between the die caster and the producer of appliances. In fact, only through the mutual exchange of expertise and knowledge it is possible to achieve optimal results, able to meet not only the customer’s requirements, but also the expectations of the final consumer.If you want to learn more about saving opportunities connected with the choice of the right die casting supplier we suggest you to read the post How the right die casting supplier can help your company’s VAVE. 

Advantages of Zamak components for household appliances

In the first part of this article we are analyzing the main advantages that result from the choice of zinc alloys for household appliances components with an eye to the needs of the household appliances producer and to the expectations of the final consumer. Thereafter we will present some brief case studies able to illustrate the processes and the strategic choices that have been adopted in order to obtain optimized products.

The advantages on the side of the household appliances producer that will be considered are:

• Co-design
• Functional beauty
• Design freedom
• Freedom of superficial treatments
• Finishing and assembly
• Cost reduction

  From the final consumer side we will consider the value added by zinc component in a household appliance in these regards:

• Appearance, quality, resistance
• Cleaning
• Recyclability
  

  Advantages from the producer’s point of view

  There are many advantages on the producer side, for some of them we will offer a more complete analysis while for others we will just discuss some details, providing indications on where to find articles that address these subjects more in detail.

Co-design

As anticipated, it is only through a relationship of understanding and trust that it is possible to question established methods and procedures in order to define new ones able to lead to an optimization of processes and products. To establish such a relationship it is necessary to choose a supplier of Zamak components for household appliances with the competences, the experience and the knowledge necessary to undertake, together with the customer, the co-design process. In fact the right supplier will be able to work on the design of the component suggesting optimization strategies for molds and filling flows, shapes and walls able to lead to the creation of unique and exclusive products.

To discover some of the co-design strategies that it is possible to implement to reduce weight, and as a consequence costs, of household appliances we suggest to read Weight reduction for white goods industry.

Functional beauty

The co-design process shall be led by the principle of functional beauty, which is the removal of unnecessary details aimed at improving the aesthetical qualities of the functional parts.

The achievement of functional beauty is synonym of true collaboration between designers and manufacturers, in fact it implies a joint and targeted action that allows the obtainment of results able to satisfy both sides.

To achieve functional beauty, thanks to the synergy achieved during the co-design phase, it is necessary to put at the core of the process the coexistence of functional and aesthetical elements without forgetting that, to obtain really valid results, it is necessary to consider options compliant with the die casting productive process.

In the article Functional beauty: the case of Nespresso KitchenAid Artisan 5KES0503  it is possible to find a more detailed definition of functional beauty and its exemplification through a case study.

Design freedom

Functional beauty and co-design are tools that help the producer of household appliances to obtain products able to meet his or her requirements. However, both the hot chamber die casting technology and the choice of zinc alloys allow a great design freedom. In fact through the die casting process it is possible to obtain complex and articulate shapes with very thin walls that allow the creation of unique components and customized details and shapes.

Freedom of superficial treatments

The surface of zinc alloys die casts is particularly suitable for superficial treatments and finishing. In fact components can undergo various kinds of treatments in order to achieve an external appearance that is appealing and customized according to the requests of the customer. These treatments are, for example, chrome plating, powder coating and liquid painting. Moreover, the advantage given by this kind of treatments is not only aesthetical but it results also in an augmented superficial resistance of the products, and, for extension, of their life time.

Finishing and assembly

Thanks to the introduction of automation, anthropomorphic robots and ad hoc realized machineries it is possible to automate a great number of secondary operations, such as assembly and finishing, and of quality control. The possibility to undertake these operations with a reduced contribution of personnel allows the customer to obtain ready-to-use components at a competitive price and with a reduced cycle time. Moreover, the development of automations and ad hoc machineries allows quality and compliance controls to be done quickly and in exemption from the risk of human error with a noticeable decrease of returns due to not compliance.

Costs reduction

Beyond the saving opportunities allowed by automation and accuracy in designing the mold and the filling flows, it is important to underline also the cost effectiveness resulting from the choice of zinc as raw material for the creation of die casts.

In fact zinc alloys are different from other metals or metallic alloys for their competitiveness in costs and production times. Zinc alloys do not require high temperatures to melt and, as a consequence, also the cooling times result reduced. These factors, in their turn, mean a cycle time that is short if compared to the one of other metals and in an increase of the productive capacity of the plant.

Zinc can be competitive also in comparison to plastic materials: for example, to obtain the stiffness and resistance of zinc, plastics have to be reinforced with glass fiber or with special polymers with a resulting increase of the costs for the material.

Advantages from the customer’s point of view

Customer experience is what the customer feels when approaching to a product. In defining the quality of this relationship there are a number of variables connected to the actual situation, but also to consumption and market trends. Specifically, for the relationship between the user and the appliance some important factors are: the performance of the product, its usefulness, appearance, texture, resistance, the global perception of the object and its alignment, or misalignment, to consumption trends.

Let’s now analyze some relevant factors, able to influence the customer experience for a home appliance and to determine the perception of value and quality of the object.

Appearance, quality, resistance

Zamak components for household appliances are able to convey good visual and tactile sensations. From a visual point of view an element made of zinc, which is coated or chromed, distinguishes itself from the rest of the body of the appliance resulting in a prominent and valuable element. Also from a tactile point of view a metal functional element gives feelings of greater reliability and resistance in comparison to the same component made of plastic. In this way it is possible to obtain a differential advantage given by the visual and tactile feelings of the user that result in a perception of value.

Cleaning

On the customer side an important aspect when choosing an appliance is the easiness of cleaning. To clean chromed zinc is easier than to clean other surfaces: the metal has an hard and smooth surface that lends itself well to be polished and on which it is easy to find, and to remove, stains and rings. The added value determined by an appliance that is easy to clean is not only aesthetical because, in this case, also cleaning variables intervenes, which are particularly important if the object is intended for the treatment of food.

Recyclability

In the last few years, consumers gained an always greater awareness in matter of environmental sustainability and recycle. The search for easily disposable products and with little environmental footprint has been able to modify markets that were solid and it caused changes in sales and supply chains. Household appliances, characterized by a quite long life time are an excellent source of recyclable materials. Zinc is a valuable material that offers the possibility to be recycled repeatedly and that allows C2C productive practice, namely the kind of production that from the beginning establishes the re-employment of the used materials. Therefore, for the consumer, choosing household appliances with zinc components proves to be a guarantee of recyclability and eco-friendly practices.

To know more about the advantages connected to recyclability in the production of Zamak components for household appliances we suggest you to read White goods: improving sales through sustainable choices.

Case studies

The household appliances with Zamak components can be large or small and intended for professional or domestic use.

Below we present three case studies, the first one is about a small coffee machine intended for the consumer market, the second one is about a professional coffee machine and the third one is about a component for white goods such as the hinge for washing machines.

Appliance for domestic use: coffee machine

Among the zinc alloy components for household appliances we would like to focus on a component of the coffee machine: the cup support, a functional component with a primary aesthetic quality.

The optimization of this product started with a PDCA study that made it possible to consider and to analyze all the phases of the process and to undertake the actions necessary to optimize it.

Thanks to the study it has been possible to identify the appropriate parameters for the regulation of the fusion and for the filling of the mold and the time intervals necessary to optimally complete the productive process. Thanks to the results of the analyses conducted during the simulation phase it has been possible to estimate the changes in the superficial quality and the cycle time variations depending on the temperatures of the mold.

Moreover, thanks to the results of the study, it has been possible to focus the attention on the most value adding actions to the entire productive process: this way it has been decided to make the production more effective with the introduction of an automation dedicated to the processing of the components.

In particular the automation concerned the superficial treatment of the cup support, a component that, due to its particular shape, could not undergo processing of the internal surface before chroming phase. For this reason it has been identified a mold filling that allowed the reduction to zero of the faults in the not workable part. Furthermore, already during the die casting phase, a superficial roughness such as to allow a good result of the subsequent chroming treatment was obtained.

To deepen this subject we suggest you to read the article Zinc Die Casting for small appliances: components for coffee machines and to watch the video Die casting for household appliances: coffee machines 

It is possible to gather more information on the future development of the coffee machines market reading the article Using zinc in die casting for smart coffee makers.

Appliance for professional use: coffee machine

Professional appliances have to meet the expectations of the workers that use them daily and of the consumers of the service made possible by the appliance.

The professional coffee machine we are discussing in this case study is an example of the above mentioned situation: the appliance has to be considered efficient by the professional but it also has to give the same impression to the less expert eye of the customers.

A challenge, in manufacturing components for this product, has been to realize a chromed wall with the name of the appliances brand imprinted on the surface.

The obtainment of a writing in relief directly during die casting does not allow the component to undergo the polishing operations that components to be chromed usually undergo. For this reason it has been implemented a strategy aimed at obtaining a surface suitable to be chromed right after die casting. Studies conducted with special simulation software allowed the right injection and outlet points to be found and to be moved to the internal wall of the component in order not to affect the surface quality. Moreover, filling flows have been optimized to obtain a surface without air inclusions and porosity and the vacuum valve allowed a further reduction of these faults bringing the scrap rate close to zero.

Only zinc could have allowed this result: with other materials such a thin relief and a superficial quality such as to guarantee an excellent result of the galvanic treatment without previous preparations could have not been obtained.

On International Zinc Association website it is possible to read a data sheet of this product with a brief description of the optimization process  undertaken for its components.

White goods: washing machine

The hinges for the washing machine porthole are a functional component that can be produced in zinc. An interesting aspect, related to the realization of this product, is the necessity to assemble plastic bushings on the die cast. To optimize this productive process  it has been found the solution to design an automation able to perform the necessary semi-automatic assembly operations. Thanks to the system controlled remotely by PLC it is possible to place the hinges in different positions according to the version to be assembled. The introduction of this automation allowed the reduction of the cycle time and of the manual contribution of the operator with a consequent cost reduction. Moreover, automation has allowed precise outputs to be obtained, compliant with high qualitative standards.

For more information and to watch the machine for the semi-automatic assembly in action watch the video Bruschi – Die casting for household appliances: hinge for washing machines.

These are just some of the components for household appliances that it is possible to produce in Zamak, in fact, as mentioned above, the great versatility of the material allow a wide range of solutions to be created.

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The post Zamak components for household appliances: advantages and case studies appeared first on Bruschi.

Products have been chosen on the basis of different principles: we privileged variety, selecting components that are produced for different sectors and complexity, in order to communicate our expertise and competence in satisfying the client’s requests.

Here the list of the videos:

• Die casting for household appliances: coffee machines
• Die casting for automotive: electronic steering wheel lock
• Die casting for automotive: sunroofs
• Die casting for building industry: windows and doors
• Die casting for household appliances: hinge for washing machines

Let’s give the floor to our experts.

Die casting for household appliances: coffee machines

In this video we show the production of a component for coffee machines and we describe the technical solutions implemented to obtain a perfect chrome finish.

This product is the bottom section of a coffee machine for the consumer market. It is an aesthetic component that comes into view and in contact with the end customer: for this reason there are specific technical and quality aspects to consider. During analysis stage, indeed, we have faced technical and process difficulties caused by the particular shape of the component, which could invalidate the requested standards thus reducing the quality of chrome finish.

It is exactly the particular geometry of the piece that does not allow the working of the internal surface and it is for this reason that, after careful analyses of the production process and considerations on the shape of the component, we decided to obtain a surface that was suitable for chroming process already after casting phase.

In order to reach this aim we have undertaken virtual and physical prototyping and simulation activities that have allowed the definition of optimal parameters for the production of the component. Thanks to simulation and prototyping we have identified two properties on which we have specifically focused our attention: roughness and surface quality. To achieve the expected result already during casting stage we tried to take the most out of production parameters. The lapping of the mold has been the chosen solution to obtain surface roughness already during casting phase; simulation and tests during production phase allowed us to modify the mold in order to obtain the requested surface quality and standards.

The adoption of these technical solutions and the modified parameters have therefore allowed us to obtain a product suitable for polishing and chroming treatments.

The polishing stage is carried out on still rough pieces, whose external surface is smoothed so that the subsequent chroming process has a good result. The next stage is indeed chroming phase. Chroming process is an aesthetic galvanic process that gives to the die cast a charming and protective aspect: the chrome surface, indeed, protects against corrosion. It is a process composed of various passages where the products are immersed in aligned tanks to receive sequentially processes of degreasing, copper plating, nickel plating and chromium plating. It is this final stage that gives, thanks to the extremely brilliant aspect, an important added value to the component, making it a distinctive element of coffee machines.

Die casting for automotive: electronic steering lock

In this video we present an automotive component whose mold has been designed in an unconventional way and on which it has been introduced an automatic threading system.

This component of the electronic steering lock has required an unconventional mold design because it is characterized by a complex shape. Indeed, the inner section of the product, which is designed to hold an electronic card and to contain sliding parts, has caused the main difficulties in mold design. Therefore, the structural complexity of the component, connected with the production process, has determined the necessity to obtain a considerable level of accuracy during mass production.

Considering that the product is designed to internally contain an electronic card and further functional elements, it is necessary the total lack of die casting defects (for example burrs) that could compromise the functionality of the product or of the elements inside the component. In order to achieve the requested precision and quality standards, mold has therefore been designed with an unconventional approach. The configuration with which it has been designed is indeed the opposite of the traditional one. The piece is picked up by its external part and not by the internal part as it usually happens: in this way we avoid both burrs and extractors in the internal part of the product.

After the optimization of mold design we also introduced during production cycle an automatic system for threading. This system, integrated into casting area, allows both the cutting of sprue runners and the simultaneous threading of two M8 holes. There are two important benefits that result from the implementation of this system: first of all we avoid manual operations (so the operator is free to deal with activities with greater added value) and, moreover, we obtain productive efficiency and continuity, with a resulting cost and time saving. Die casting technology, in particular die casting for electronic steering lock, thanks to our innovative approach and to the technical expertise of our engineers, constitutes a great choice for the production of automotive components because it ensures production accuracy also for the most complex products.

Die casting for automotive: sunroofs

In this video we present a component for automotive industry characterized by very close tolerances and complex geometries.

This part is a component for car sunroofs that has a complex shape and is characterized by very thin areas. Therefore it requires a high level of detail and accuracy. To meet the requests of the costumer we have adopted specific technical solutions that have assured the functionality of the piece and, at the same time, have allowed us to obtain a product free of every minimal deformation.

These solutions have been implemented in mold design phase and during the simulation of the filling flow, while the implementation of the injection channel, tilted sliders and ejectors has been managed in every detail to achieve complex shapes. For the simulation we have used Magmasoft software, which has allowed us to optimize filling flows in the entire die cast and in particular in the thinnest areas. The outcome has been a uniform and homogeneous filling. In addition, to increase even more the accuracy of the result, we have employed the vacuum technology, a tool designed and realized here in Bruschi to guarantee dimensional stability.

The technical solutions devised by the engineers have allowed us to achieve a product that has excellent technical features, compliant with our production process and that meets the complete satisfaction of the costumer. For the automotive industry, in this case for the production of sunroofs components, die casting technology allows the achievement of products with close tolerances and complex shapes that fully meet strict standards of the sector.

Die casting for building industry: windows and doors

In this video we show the production of the cover of the opening and closing system for windows and doors.

The component is part of the opening system for windows and doors: so it is characterized by functional and aesthetic properties. On the one hand, the functional properties are determined by the fact that the component contains in its inside other elements of the opening system. The aesthetic properties, on the other hand, derive from its nature of external element that comes in contact with the end costumer. For this reason the piece must have an optimal surface quality.

Therefore, to design and produce this component, we have considered various different aspects and we have found solutions able to ensure aesthetics and functionality. As regards aesthetics we focused on avoiding the formation of air entrapments in the die cast to obtain a surface suitable for powder painting. To obtain this kind of surface quality we used simulation software and the vacuum valve: these solutions permitted us to reduce painting scrap from 30% to about 0%. Concerning the functionality, instead, we have developed in collaboration with the costumer a re-design activity of the internal part of the component, aimed at reaching thin wall thickness that would maintain the properties of the product unchanged. Thin wall thickness, in windows and doors opening system, are important because the component has in its inside the fixing and the sliding system of opening mechanism and the reduction of thickness improves its functionality. The benefits provided by the reduction of thickness are considerable and concern less quantity of raw material and cycle time reduction. However, the production of the component does not confine itself to casting process. Indeed we have designed and realized an automation for the threading of 6 M5 holes. The threading phase is immediately after casting stage: the product passes through a vibrating device and after on a rotating table with three threading stations. The implementation of this automatic threading system has resulted in a considerable reduction of timing of the secondary processes.

Years of experience in die casting for windows and doors, technical skills and know how, have made it possible to produce a component characterized by specific aesthetic and functional properties and able to satisfy the costumer’s requests.

Die casting for household appliances: hinge for washing machines

In this video we show the production of the hinge for washing machine and the technical solutions adopted to guarantee the functionality of the product.

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As the Journal of Industrial Engineering International reports, customers are more and more calling for environment-friendly products and this demand puts pressure on the whole supply chain, because it involves manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and customers. The latter are asking for a greener supply chain that promotes environmental protection and, at the same time, are also developing a well-defined purchasing behavior, which avoids unsustainable products and services. Businesses are therefore studying new methods in order to reach green supply chain management (GSCM), the integration of environmental issues and supply chain that results in reducing manufacturers’ impact on environment while enhancing an organization’s performance.

White goods recycling system

As far as white goods are concerned, emphasis is placed on their recycling cycle: manufacturers must therefore focus on materials. According to AHAM, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, household appliances are increasingly being recycled: they are overtaken only by automotive industry as a source of recycled materials. The growing interest towards recycling has allowed to achieve significant results in the household appliances industry, also thanks to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, specifically with the Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program, which in 2017 has recycled almost 70 million pounds of ferrous metals, 4 million pounds of nonferrous metals, 17 pounds of plastic and 3 million pounds of glass. As data highlight, consumers are increasingly aware of the importance of recycling and are more and more adopting a responsible and sustainable purchasing behavior: white goods industry is therefore continuously renovating and appliances’ manufacturers must face new challenges that environmental consciousness generates, developing products with recyclable materials through sustainable processes.

Metals recycling

White goods are characterized by a long life cycle, normally 10 to 18 years, and when they are no more usable they provide a consistent amount of recycled materials, specifically metals. As stated by The Global Metal Waste and Recycling Market report, the most recycled metals are iron, steel, aluminum, copper, lead and zinc; in addition to that, the report indicates the leading recycling industries, which are building, automotive, shipbuilding and consumer appliances. Metals are among the main materials that undergo a recycling process: they are perfectly suitable for recycling, indeed metals are valuable, can be easily transported thanks to their density and, furthermore, they present properties that allow them to be recycled repeatedly. In the U.S. metal recyclers manage thereabouts 120 million tons of recycled metal every year, with the metal recycling industry having registered nearly $27 billion in 2018.

Zinc recyclability

White goods are complex machines composed of several elements and different materials, among which zinc represents an intelligent and recyclable choice. As a matter of fact, zinc has exceptional metallurgical and chemical properties that remain unchanged also after recycling process, making zinc a suitable material for a wide range of modern products, such as white goods and small appliances.

To calculate zinc recycling rates experts rely on two main methods: the End of Life (EoL) recycling rate and the Recycled Content. Usually EoL is preferred because it measures the quantity of available zinc recovered at the end of product life and recycled, whereas the Recycled Content approach considers the amount of recycled material in a given product. Recent analyses report that around 45% of zinc at the end of life is estimated to be recovered and recycled; in developed regions, such as Europe and North America, this percentage reaches 50%.

Typical Recycling Rate Indices

What is more, zinc not only is itself recyclable, but also contains numerous substances that are recyclable: this quality certifies zinc as Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C), a concept inspired by nature that promotes circular economy. According to this approach a product is designed already considering future reuse and, at the end of its life, it is seen as a new source instead of waste: materials and elements that compose the product are thus recovered and again inserted into the processing cycle.

Zinc benefits in white goods manufacturing

Taking into consideration customers’ request for quality products manufactured with sustainable practices, zinc constitutes an ideal material for white goods components. Indeed, zinc presents high recycling rates and excellent aesthetical quality, combining two of the most demanded characteristics by end-users. Highlighting zinc properties can therefore be an efficient promoting strategy, thus meeting customers’ expectations, providing environmental-friendly solutions and improving selling rates.

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