Die Casting In Australia

A History of Experience

High pressure Die Castings have been made in Australia since the 1920s.

During WW2, capacity was expanded considerably to produce aluminium, magnesium and zinc Die Castings and the aluminium and zinc capacity expanded further to satisfy the needs of the automobile industry during the 1960s. Since then the focus has been on developing competitive, world class manufacturing, to world markets.

Die Casting is a vital manufacturing process

Die casting is vital to many manufacturing industries - automotive, whitegoods, hardware, electrical and electronics, computers and many others. Die casting provides components in aluminium, zinc and magnesium alloys efficiently, accurately with good mechanical properties and consumer appeal.

Die Casting is a sophisticated process

The various Die Casting processes, high pressure, low pressure, gravity and squeeze casting each involve quite complex physical processing. Without adequate knowledge, understanding and experience of these processes, sub-optimum results are likely. However a sophisticated application of the knowledge base can create Die Castings with outstanding performance.

The Australian approach to Die Casting

The Australian Die Casting industry has generally placed a strong emphasis on the application of scientific knowledge and know-how to Die Casting manufacture. Having the latest model machine is not itself sufficient to ensure success, nor will having cheap labour or low electricity costs alone necessarily result in high quality low cost components.

Australian Die Casters have developed an integrated approach, developing a culture and a structured educational system, which are considered vital ingredients to successful manufacture of Die Casting.

An approach that can integrate concepts such as:

Lean Manufacturing

Design of the whole process

Integrated workcells

Economical small run size

Activity based costing

Tool design skills

Tool-making capability

Industry Association

The first Die Casting industry association formed in 1954, when companies realised the benefits of working together to develop common support systems. These exist today through the Australian Die Casting Association (ADCA)

Research & Development Centres

The first research and development centre focusing on Die Casting commenced in 1972. Since then the steady increase in industry participation and government support, has seen the evolution of a significant R & D capability in Die Casting and allied areas.

All Australian based companies have the opportunity to participate in these R & D projects.

Education System

As well as an excellent state based education system offering courses from skilled trades to post graduate studies, Die Casting short courses are available on a case by case basis by skilled practitioners.

Knowledgeable Workforce

As a result of these educational courses being supported since 1990, Australia has had a pool of knowledgeable and skilled people who have been exposed to all aspects of Die Casting technology.

The close working relationship between R & D centres, Universities and industry means that sophisticated technology can be quickly and effectively applied on the shop floor at the manufacturing cell.

Toolmaking Capacity

Australia has a significant tool-making industry with the ability to manufacture complex cavity dies for use in all Die Casting processes.

Abundant Metal Supply

Australia is a major world supplier of aluminium, zinc, copper (and potentially magnesium). While prices are generally based on world parity pricing, supply is reliable and deliveries always very fast.

Molten Metal Delivery

Most companies procure their alloys in ingot form, however, larger volume users can negotiate the supply of aluminium in molten form.

Support Infrastructure

Readily available in the manufacturing centres of Australia are all the services necessary to maintain a die casting plant. These include machinery supplies, furnace manufacturers, heat treatment, tool steels, welding, alloy supplies, lubricants, refractories, surface finishing, machining, tools, electronics, information technology, safety equipment...

Competitive Energy Costs

Australia has an abundance of energy, black coal, brown coal, natural gas and electricity.

Prices are world competitive, but more importantly, supply is reliable and available for the long term.

Labour Costs

By world standards, Australian labour costs are in the middle range, less than many European countries but higher than developing countries. However, clever design of the Die Casting and the process and the use of robots to remove parts from machines and perform secondary processes, ensure that the labour component in the Die Casting cost is a very small amount. The result is world competitive pricing of Die Cast components of high performance and quality.

Investment

Australia has many advantages as an investment target. Political and legal systems are sophisticated and stable. Inflation is low, industrial land is inexpensive, interest rates are low, tax and depreciation rates are competitive. Building and expanding a business has a lot going for it.

Quality Systems

Australian industry was quick to adopt the international quality system, ISO 9000爏eries. This allows international companies to assess and have confidence in the quality systems of Australian manufacturers. Specialist systems such as Automotive Standards and the UL System are also in wide spread use.