Choosing the right material for your project can have huge ramifications on tooling costs, durability, repeatability and several other factors that can impact profitability, development time and the reliability of your product.
It is key when deciding on which material to use, to carefully consider the application along with the required strength and surface finish of the component or product.
Find out more as we briefly look at the differences between using Zinc, Aluminium and Magnesium and the effect it may have on your project.
Zinc
| The best choice for thin walled castings and for manufacturing to tight tolerances |
| Recognised as offering the greatest mouldability |
| A heavy material that can give additional perceived quality |
| Ideal for a wide range of casting sizes even very small, highly detailed parts |
| Range of alloys available offering different costs, mouldability and performance |
| Lower melting point and better fluidity |
| High strength and corrosion resistant |
| Smoothest surface finish |
Three commonly used zinc grades are Z2, Z3 and Z5 with Z3 covering the vast majority of applications.
| PROPERTY | Z2 – Zamak 2 | Z3 – Zamak 3 | Z5 – Zamak 5 |
| Tensile Strength | 397 MPa | 268 MPa | 331 MPa |
| Yield Strength | 361 MPa | 208 MPa | 295 MPa |
| Impact Strength | 38J | 46J | 52J |
| Shear Strength | 317 MPa | 214 MPa | 262 MPa |
| Density | 6,800 Kg per cbm | 6,700 Kg per cbm | 7,700 Kg per cbm |
| Hardness | 130 Brinell | 97 Brinell | 91 Brinell |
| Thermal Conductivity | 105 W/mK | 113 W/mK | 109 W/mK |
Aluminium
| The most commonly used diecasting material |
| Lightweight |
| Strong |
| High strength and corrosion resistant |
| Range of alloys available offering different costs, mouldability and performance |
| Easy to machine |
| Cost effective |
Magnesium
| Very lightweight |
| Strong |
| Excellent corrosion and temperature resistance |
| Range of alloys available offering different costs, mouldability and performance |
| Easy to machine |
| Quicker ejection rate than aluminium |
MDL understands what it takes to produce components with an exceptional surface finish.
We also have the expertise to produce zinc die cast components that will flawlessly accept powder coating, wet paint coating, chrome plating, copper plating and other finishes. Finally, our attention to detail is unsurpassed and dictates the way in which every product is lovingly hand finished and assembled.