Latest from Issues and Ideas

Awcnz62 | Dreamstime
Tadeusz Ibrom | Dreamstime
Dmytro Hrushchenko | Dreamstime
Assn. for Advancing Automation
Robert Kneschke | Dreamstime
Spaxia | Dreamstime
Foundrymag 210 82570newmagnesi00000054694 0
Foundrymag 210 82570newmagnesi00000054694 0
Foundrymag 210 82570newmagnesi00000054694 0
Foundrymag 210 82570newmagnesi00000054694 0
Foundrymag 210 82570newmagnesi00000054694 0

New Magnesium Diecaster Aims to be Europes Largest

Oct. 7, 2008
Four-cell hot-chamber diecasting operation targets automotive and tool markets with product quality and reliability.
The company aims to build a customer base by promoting the cost- and weight-saving advantages of magnesium for decorative (steering wheels) and engineering (chassis, dashboards) applications.

Euromag operates four diecasting cells, but it has room to expand for up to 12 more machines.

A new light-metal diecasting operation has been established in southwestern Poland, with backing from U.S. investors. EuroMag aims to serve an expanding manufacturing base in the region, particularly producers of automotive and power-tool parts. Typical products include steering wheels, chassis chassis and dashboard components, and shielding elements.

EuroMag was established late in November 2005 and started commercial production in 2007. The company is a holding of Tar Heel Capital, a U.S.-based investment fund that controls other Polish companies, including Radpol S.A., which supplies Poland’s domestic cable market, and Apreo Logistics S.A., which is involved in the country’s freight and shipping activity. One of its strategies is to supply magnesium diecastings as replacements for zinc and aluminum components.

In operation for just over a year, it is already Poland’s largest magnesium diecaster. The plant in Kedzierzyn-Kozle uses hot-chamber diecasting to shorten production cycles and reduce waste. It also allows the operators to achieve higher material yields, with high process stability and efficiency.

In hot-chamber diecasting, molten metal is maintained at temperature up to the point when it enters the die, resulting in lower levels of injection pressure than are required in cold-chamber diecasting. The lower pressure (up to half as much) used in hot-chamber diecasting makes it possible to use lower mold-closing forces, which in turn reduces cycle times.

Hot-chamber diecasting also offers the operators better material yields than cold-chamber diecasting. EuroMag uses a two-furnace system to maintain temperature consistency, which leads to better process repeatability and thus better cast-product quality. "The liquid metal injection characteristics inherent in hot-chamber technology reduces incidence of defects found in the casting structure,” according to the company. "With lower levels of porosity and flow defects, mechanical properties of the castings are improved, secondary processing becomes easier, and the process efficiency is enhanced.”

The new diecasting operation has four, 400-metric ton production cells, with room for an anticipated expansion of eight to 12 additional machines – which should help EuroMag approach its goal to become Europe’s highest-capacity magnesium diecaster.

EuroMag is a supplier to the automotive, power tool, machine tool, and IT industries. The company maintains a modern testing and certification laboratory, and actively designs and develops products for customers.