cutting costs in designing a high pressure die casting process - anderson die casting

In some companies, cost, quality, and speed are three components of the dynamic equation that forces customers to make choices they may not want to make.
For example, a company may tell their customers that if the cost remains the same, but the speed needs to be improved, the quality of the castings must be reduced to compensate.
Again, if the customer says the cost is reduced, the company may tell them whether it is quality or speed (or both)
The price must be reduced in order to reduce the price.
However, many customers are no longer willing to make these sacrifices to keep prices down.
They all want it.
The question is: is this possible?
Can a company produce faster, higher quality and lower cost castings at the same time?
The answer is No.
At least if we continue to do business as we have been doing.
Something has to change. but what?
Until recently, most of the process of high pressure die casting was done by using "trial and error --
And tried the real way
But it also drives up costs, limits quality and delays in production.
Unfortunately, some projects are very complex and using "trial and error" means that high-quality castings will never be produced;
The final result is that the casting does not meet the needs of the customer, while spending a lot of money for the die casting mold. MAGMASOFT -
The process simulation software is designed for high-
The pressure die casting process helps to avoid the uncertainty of "trial and error" and provides a clear picture of what happens throughout the mold design and casting process.
With this software, it is possible for engineers to simulate, understand, change and optimize casting conditions before the process is introduced into the workshop.
For more than 20 years, modern die casting machines have been using process simulation software every day.
To better understand the project, the first batch of simulations were carried out as part of the quotation process.
After winning the bid, simulate the mold design.
Before good casting conditions are shown, both the feed and overflow system and the position of the cooling and heating channels change.
Potential weaknesses can be identified, corrected, and the simulation can be re-run before reaching the customer's goal
Before casting.
The use of simulation in today's engineering process is obviously faster, the casting quality is higher, and the cost is lower.
Customers can get the quality, price and speed they want while providing the bottom line for die casting improvements --
A satisfied customer.
However, it is not easy to prove the cost of simulation software.
When the mold is in the machine, it is one thing to determine the cost, and this process will produce a high scrap rate --
However, understanding the cost of casting is a more difficult task when using simulations.
Generally speaking, the cost per hour for die casting machines and operators is easily estimated.
It is more difficult to track the melting cost of each mold or use oil, electricity, water or spray lubricants
Casting machines, especially when they are not used for production.
After all, if you can get the right casting by using the simulation, you won't have those initial production costs to determine-
But you may forget that you are saving money as well.
Again, there is no money spent on the wages of engineers, maintenance, and machine operators who do not have to produce-and correct -
Castings of lower quality are also difficult to calculate.
Nevertheless, some basic calculations can be carried out.
Mold test costs on small and medium die casting machines can be estimated as follows: die casting machines and equipment: $150/HR process engineer, internal tools-
Manufacturer, machine operator: Warm up mold at $150/hour, test on machine, check casting quality and replace another production mold after, estimated to take five hours, it cost $1,500 in total.
Assuming that to reach an available prototype, there are three trials in total, the total number is: 4,500 USDIf molds must be ground and welded, and the reduction in die life is common.
Assuming a 10% reduction, the cost of tool components is $50,000, which will increase the cost by $5,000.
As shown in the figure, the first test of the new mold can easily cost more than $10,000.
So how expensive is this software?
The cost of software, hardware, and user training can quickly increase to $120,000, and if it is fully recovered at a time, it is an amount for a medium-sized die-casting person who is difficult to swallow.
However, software manufacturers often offer other options to their customers.
For example, mold casters can rent the software for $4,000 a month and charge the payment to the sales price.
This solves this problem. With only 5 items a year, the mold casters can break even.
Even a small mold caster should be able to handle the cost.
Considering the good timing, adding software before a new project will allow die-diggers to earn revenue from the project before the first rent expires.
Investing in analog software may seem expensive, but it allows the caster to provide his customers with what they want: high-quality casting, faster timeto-
Market, including-
Even less. costs -
All of this will help ensure good caster/customer relationships, ongoing business --
Overall, the bottom line has improved.