The future of die casting in the automotive industry

As the automotive industry increasingly designs and produces more sustainable, electronically powered vehicles, manufacturers will need to adapt by converting traditionally ICE-compliant parts to comply with EV requirements—this means higher-voltage batteries, more efficient heat sinks, lighter-weight components and sustainably sourced materials. As more automotive companies offer customers hybrid and EV technology, now is the time to reconsider part designs and effective materials to keep pace with automotive trends.

Although the events of 2020 temporarily significantly decreased demand for EVs and other automotive vehicles, the global electric vehicle market demand is expected to rise at a CAGR of 41.5% from 2022 to 2027 -- with the market size expected to surpass US $718 billion by 2030.

The importance of reducing component weight in automotive and EV designs

Benefits of aluminium in automotive applications

Aside from these factors, one major roadblock to widespread electrification is that it increases the vehicle's kerb weight—a development that needs to be countered by the use of lightweighting techniques. Lighter components make for lighter vehicles, which in turn improves energy efficiency for both electric and hybrid vehicles. Considering the rapid development of electric powertrains, batteries, charge ports and transmissions, and their impact on vehicle weight, the need for suppliers with extensive experience and capabilities in lightweight manufacturing is increasing.

That is where aluminium comes in. Aluminium's strength, corrosion resistance, low weight and heat-dissipating properties offer significant advantages to mechanical designers. Thin-walled aluminium castings can also withstand the highest operating temperatures of all die cast alloys. Specifically for the automotive industry, choosing alloys with these properties improves the fuel efficiency of hybrid vehicles and allows both hybrid and electric cars to accelerate faster, brake more quickly and handle better.

Zinc as an alternative weight-saving solution

For parts where weight is not a factor, zinc can be an excellent alternative. Because most engineers focus heavily on the weight of the material itself, zinc is often overlooked for lightweight die casting applications, when it could be a more economical choice.

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.

Another benefit of zinc is the extended die life it provides. Due to the low melting temperature of zinc die casting alloys, 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 becomes extremely cost-effective when considering the tooling investment.

Die casting vital shielding components for increased electronic features

Another roadblock in the EV industry is the need to manage the ever-increasing number of electronic sensors. Precisely cast, thin-walled housings are needed to position electronic components and other parts, such as heat sinks, within a net-shape design. Die casting enables designs with internal features to be manufactured into the part without additional operations, significantly increasing accuracy and saving on costly secondary processes.

As autonomous vehicles become more popular, sensors, radars and cameras are becoming increasingly advanced and critical to vehicle function. Alloys such as zinc, with high wear resistance and structural integrity, are ideal for creating the multi-faceted, highly complex shapes used in automotive safety and electronics components. Alloys such as aluminium, with high thermal conductivity and lightweight properties, are ideal materials for battery packs, motor housings and heat sink systems.

Processes and alloys matter

As the EV and hybrid vehicle industry continues to grow rapidly, choosing the right manufacturing process and alloy is critical not only to vehicle safety and performance, but also to project success and budget. Lightweighting offers many benefits, including reducing the energy consumption needed to propel heavy vehicles, while die cast alloys can also provide solutions for the increase in electronic components in vehicles through their net-shape designs and thermal properties. Contact our team of skilled engineers to begin your DFM project.