DFM for aluminium die castings

When you think of an outdoor deck, the first material that comes to mind is probably wood. But what if there is a better option? Something that will not degrade, warp, rot or require regular annual maintenance? The innovators at Calgary-based SigmaDek knew there had to be a better way and approached Dynacast to help them find it.

All the benefits, none of the drawbacks

Properly maintained, a deck is an extension of your living space and an asset to any property. But as any deck owner knows, they can require a lot of work. Year after year, wooden decks demand regular maintenance—from resurfacing to varnishing. Without it, they can become dangerous eyesores.

Of course, until now, wood has always been the default material used for decks. But not any longer if SigmaDek has anything to do with it. We spent some time with Brian Boettger, VP Product Development, to find out more.

A collaboration of experts

In order to achieve this dream, Brian said they recognised "we needed 'best in class' partners if we were to build the business to its full potential. We identified Dynacast as that partner and reached out to them very early on."

The advantages of aluminium

However, to manufacture the precision components SigmaDek required, they needed die casting expertise, which is when they turned to Dynacast. "Our expertise is not in die casting, so having the opportunity to work with the team at Dynacast was invaluable. They had a complete understanding of the process and its various idiosyncrasies to help fine-tune the design of each part," said Brian.

Rising to the challenge

To deliver parts that provided the required strength without increasing the price, Dynacast's engineers improved the design for manufacturability (DFM) for more than 30 unique die cast parts.

Changes included eliminating undercuts and adding draft angles to certain features, as well as adjusting wall thicknesses, structural ribs, gates, runners and overflows. By making the parts easier to die cast, the DFM modifications produced a significant cost benefit. Savings came in the form of less complex tooling, faster cycle times and fewer secondary machining operations.

Introducing a world first

The result? The world's first fully fabricated, non-wood decking system that meets all SigmaDek's safety and maintenance goals.

Strong, sustainable and designed to enhance the beauty of any home, SigmaDek is the result of the finest minds in die casting and decking working together to achieve a world first. In the words of Brian Boettger, working with Dynacast meant "we are able to deliver a product to the end-user which we are confident meets or exceeds anything else in the marketplace."