Benefits of zinc die casting

When designing components and selecting the right material, most engineers focus heavily on material weight, which is why zinc is often overlooked for lightweight die casting applications. Many applications require lighter parts—especially in automotive and handheld device applications—so engineers choose aluminium or magnesium when zinc could in fact be a more economical choice. At first glance, one might assume that zinc has no place in lightweight applications, but when considering the entire die casting process, can the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for lightweight zinc components?

Castability

Zinc is the most fluid of all alloys; it is no wonder die casting manufacturers like working with it. What most engineers do not realise is that, because of zinc's greater fluidity, die castings can be made thinner, more intricate and more complex, eliminating the need for secondary operations that are almost always necessary for aluminium and magnesium alloys. With less material used in thin-wall applications, parts automatically become lighter, creating savings in material costs and energy—during melting and recycling.

Extended die life

One of the biggest upfront costs in die casting is the investment in quality tooling. The tools used in the die casting process are usually heat-treated steel. Tooling costs vary depending on the size and complexity of the component, as well as the tooling type—conventional or Multi-Slide. Due to the low melting temperature of zinc die casting alloy, dies for zinc parts can last up to 10 times longer than dies used for aluminium and about five times longer than dies used for magnesium. When designing high-volume, complex components, zinc

Cycle time

During the die casting process, molten metal is injected into the die to create the part. Once the metal has solidified, the component is ejected from the tool. Cooling time in the tool varies depending on the alloy and part size and is often dictated by the size of the runner system. Zinc uses the hot-chamber die casting process, which produces four to five shots per minute. Aluminium is a cold-chamber die casting alloy, producing only two to three shots per minute. Since cycle time can determine up to 60 percent of the final part cost, using a zinc die casting alloy could offer additional savings.

Did you know that our proprietary Multi-Slide zinc die casting process can achieve upwards of 45 shots per minute?

Mechanical properties

Standard zinc alloys are stronger than aluminium and magnesium alloys at room temperature. Strength is inherent in the alloy itself and does not require secondary processing like most aluminium alloys—this saves on the overall cost per part.

EZAC is an alloy offered by Dynacast that is stronger and harder than any other die casting alloy. It is approximately 2.5 times stronger (yield strength) and 1.5 times harder (Brinell) than the most common aluminium die casting alloy, A380. With its zinc characteristics, EZAC is an excellent option for those seeking a high-strength, creep-resistant alloy.

Try our interactive metal selector tool to compare the physical and mechanical properties of other die casting alloys.

Dynacast has over 80 years of experience in the die casting industry. Year after year, our team of engineers improves and optimises our zinc die casting machines and processes to provide the highest-quality service to customers around the world. Contact our team today to learn more about our die casting capabilities and let us help you determine whether zinc is the right choice for your next project.