6
Use Caution Using CAD
Don’t allow CAD ease and speed to bypass consulting on draft, radii, holes and shut-off specs.
T e ease of confi guring CAD drawings with specifi cations for diecast part
draft, radii, cored holes and shut-off details has led many OEM engineers to place and dimension such features without consulting their diecasting supplier. Most design engineers are unaware of the specifi c requirements for cooling-line
placement in the diecasting die constructed for their part. To avoid late part design revisions or higher-cost parts, always consult your diecaster before placing features. A vertical shut-off on a diecast part could require expensive hand cleaning, but early preplanning that relocates the shut-off can eliminate costly operations.
Capitalize on the benefi ts of custom prototyping.
7 New rapid prototyping technol-
ogy and CNC machined prototypes bring advantages to OEM die cast- ing product programs. Working from customer CAD
fi les, prototyping allows engineers to gain a fuller understanding of the steps required in die design as the prototype is being developed and dur- ing fi nal production and fi nishing. In the case of multiple CNC machined prototypes, identical fi xtures designed and built for prototype machining can be used as-is or slightly modifi ed for required post-casting machining.
8
Lower Cost With Unit Dies
Take advantage of unit dies’ alloy interchangeability.
Die investment can be lowered with the use of a “unit” die, which allows a part to be designed to ac- commodate its tooling size limita- tions and limit the use of core slides. T e tooling savings, compared to self-contained production dies, can be considerable. Still greater fl exibility and cost savings can be realized by working with a custom die caster who off ers unit die production in all of the most widely used die casting alloys— aluminum, magnesium and zinc. For example, an OEM product
initially planned for aluminum unit die production might later gain a market- ing advantage by a change to lighter- weight magnesium. A diecaster who pours both materials could make a low- cost unit die modifi cation for magne- sium production. T e modifi ed tooling will run with the same effi ciency as the original aluminum unit die.
@ 30 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | Sept/Oct 2011
ONLINE RESOURCE
Visit
www.metalcastingdesign.com for an interactive design tour of a diecast instrument panel.
Leverage Prototyping
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