Advantages of Magnesium Die Casting for Part Manufacturing

Gurelan works with Magnesium using hot-chamber die casting and uses the commercial AZ91D alloy to manufacture parts for a wide range of industrial applications.

But what advantages does Magnesium offer compared with other alloys used in die casting?

1. Lower density and lighter parts

One of the main characteristics of Magnesium is its low density.

According to data published by Gurelan, its density is 33% lower than that of Aluminium alloys and 73% lower than that of Zamak.

The AZ91D Magnesium alloy used by Gurelan has a density of 1.81 g/cm³ at 20°C.

This characteristic makes it possible to manufacture very lightweight metal parts for applications where weight is a key requirement.

Lower density can also provide advantages in terms of transportation and handling.

2. Longer die life compared with Aluminium

Another advantage highlighted by Gurelan is the service life of the dies.

Dies used for Magnesium die casting can last three to four times longer than those used for Aluminium.

A longer die life means lower replacement and maintenance requirements.

3. Ease of machining

Gurelan also highlights the ease of machining Magnesium.

This characteristic allows higher productivity during any subsequent machining operations that a part may require after the die-casting process.

4. Greater vibration absorption

Magnesium offers a greater capacity to absorb vibrations.

This property is particularly beneficial for applications where vibration absorption is required and can also help reduce noise when handling parts.

5. Compatibility with Zamak dies

A distinctive feature of the process used by Gurelan is the compatibility and interchangeability of Magnesium with dies used for Zamak.

This is possible thanks to the use of hot-chamber technology for Magnesium die casting.

As a result, certain dies used for Zamak may also be compatible with Magnesium manufacturing without the need to incur additional costs associated with changing the die.

Why use Magnesium to manufacture a part?

Low density is one of the most notable characteristics of Magnesium, but it is not the only one.

The combination of light weight, long die life, ease of machining and vibration absorption capacity gives this material a range of advantages for certain industrial applications.

At Gurelan, the manufacture of Magnesium parts using hot-chamber die casting is complemented by in-house die design and manufacturing, as well as the production resources required to carry out any subsequent operations needed for each part.