When can die casting offer advantages over producing a design as an extrusion?
A. Extrusions made from aluminum, magnesium, and zinc alloys exhibit strength and rigidity similar to die castings; however, the ductility is generally higher. Tooling and production costs are comparatively low, making the process very competitive. Extruded designs that require changes in cross section, or features such as holes and slots, can often be converted to die castings, eliminating the machining operations required for extrusions. The choice is usually governed by the number of machining operations, but occasionally by minor differences in material properties, such as strength or surface treatment characteristics.
