During the EuroGuss 2020 trade show and conference last month in Nuremburg, Germany, three competitions were staged to demonstrate the best results for diecasting design, in aluminum, magnesium, and zinc. Each competition was organized by professional associations for each lightweight material. "The aim is to boost interest in light metals and demonstrate the capacity and innovative strength of the participating foundries," according to a EuroGuss announcement.
The award-winners in the 9th International Aluminum Die Casting Competition, conducted by Gesamptverband ver Aluminiumindustries e.V. (GDA), Düsseldorf, in partnership with the Bundesverband der Deutschen Giesserei-Industrie e. V. (BDG), the Swiss Aluminum Association, and the nonferrous metal industry association in the Austrian Chamber of Commerce.
1st place: An oil-coolant module produced by Hengst SE;
2nd place: A housing HV booster, produced by Druckguss Westfalen GmbH & Co. KG;
3rd place: An upper part of a housing for dual-channel EBS, produced by Alupress AG;
3rd place: A battery housing, produced by Nemak Slovakia s.r.o
The judges also awarded to "special commendations," for housing components for an electric-vehicle control device, produced by Alupress AG; and a string inverter, produced by FBL Pressofusioni Srl.
The magnesium diecasting competition was organized and judged by the European Association for Magnesium (EFM) and International Magnesium Association (IMA.)
1st place: a magnesium piston for a chainsaw, produced by Andreas Stihl AG & Co, KG;
2nd place: a high-voltage inverter housing, produced by Stolfig, Leichtbau Kompetenzzentrum GmbH;
3rd place: a cockpit cross member with visible surfaces, produced by GF Casting Solutions;
3rd place: a motorcycle cylinder head cover, produced by DGH Heidenau GmbH & Co. KG
The EFM and IMA judges awarded two "Special Technology Prizes": for a newly developed, environmentally friendly sand systems, offered by Metallgiesserei Stauss and Bindur GmbH.
Lastly, the zinc diecasting competition was organized and judged by Initiative Zink, with the support of the Assn. of German Die Casting Foundries (VDD.) The awards were selected according to different application classes:
The award for Sanitary Engineering was given to HDO Druckguss und Oberflächentechnik GmbH;
for Locking Technology, the winning design is by Gross Druckguss GmbH;
for Medical Engineering, the award was given to Dipl.-Ing. Siegfried Müller Druckguss GmbH & Co. KG;
for Lifestyle products, the award went to Heiligenstädter Reissverschluss GmbH & Co. KG;
for Electrical Engineering, the winning design is by Georg Frank GmbH; and finally,
for Automotive parts, the award was presented to Druckguss Westfalen Behringer GmbH & Co. KG.