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Latest News from CWM
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Eric Treiber Appointed CWM President & CEO
Eric Treiber was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Chicago White Metal Casting, Inc. (CWM), a 72-year-old Chicago manufacturing company specializing in the custom production of high-tech Al, Mg and Zn die cast components. The privately held company is widely acknowledged as an innovator and leader in the die casting industry.
Previously, Treiber served as President and Chief Operating Officer, during which time he targeted enhanced transparency with the CWM team, as well as revamping critical aspects of the company’s pricing strategy and fostering greater client collaboration and support. As CEO, Treiber plans to expand on these initiatives and will continue to work openly with industry members to support overall industry growth.
In assuming his new post, Treiber becomes the third generation of his family to lead the business, which was founded in 1937 by Treiber’s grandfather, Walter G. Treiber, Sr. The new CEO takes over from his father, Walter Treiber, who has served as the CEO and Chairman for the past 32 years. Walter Treiber will remain active in the company as Chairman of the Board.
Treiber’s own tenure with the company began in 1990 with a position in materials procurement. Over the years, he has been involved in numerous aspects of the business, including assembly and contract manufacturing, engineering services, client services, high-profile project management, and more.
“The appointment is quite humbling,” Treiber said. “It is an honor to lead such a loyal and hard working team. The position carries with it significant responsibility—not only for maintaining the health of the business, but also the well-being of our associates, suppliers and the many others who depend on us.”
Chicago White Metal has shown impressive resiliency in spite of challenging economic conditions. Treiber attributes the company’s success to its focus on cultivating a diverse client base in a wide array of industries, as well as its long-tenured and dedicated team.
“We are extremely positive about the company’s outlook,” Treiber said, “for 2010 and beyond.”
In addition to his responsibilities at Chicago White Metal Casting, Treiber is an active, longtime member of the North American Die Casting Association (NADCA). In 2010, he will become the Secretary/Treasurer of the organization’s Board of Governors and will continue as the chairman of one of its charitable concerns, the H. L. Harvill Education Foundation.
Operating out of a 136,000-square-foot facility in Bensenville, IL, Chicago White Metal Casting is a custom die caster that specializes in producing components in aluminum, magnesium and zinc. The company, which employs more than 130 people, also offers machining, finishing and assembly services.
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In-Die Degating 1st Wins Mg Process Tech Award
A new magnesium die cast support structure for an automatic-dimming
rear view automotive mirror is now being
produced in a high-pressure, hot-chamber
Mg die casting machine using “in-die de-gating,” two-stage
ejection technology, resulting in significant cost savings.
This new Mg production strategy is based on established
miniature zinc die casting production techniques. The successful application to larger high-pressure, hot-chamber Mg custom die casting equipment has significantly reduced post-casting operation costs
and brought CWM the 2009 "Award of Excellence" for Process Innovation from the International Magnesium Association.
In moving to a lightweight, yet strong, mag die
casting for a new model of their advanced electrochromic mirror's
structural component, Gentex company
engineers put forth a unique challenge for the die design and production of their new unit. They called for a new Mg tooling design that could achieve the post-casting cost-savings
of the high-speed miniature zinc die casting process in the
200-ton hot-chamber mag
die casting machine required for the part.
Chicago White Metal brought its deep
experience in hot-chamber magnesium
part design and production, as a North
American pioneer in the process, to bear on
the project. CWM was joined by another
Gentex supplier, Cast Products, with its
background in tooling design for miniature
zinc die cast parts.
The Mg die casting is now being produced without the use of a trim die-- no final trimming required. This new application story is being featured in recent issues of Design News and Machine Design magazines.
More details, and photos, on this advance in Mg die casting process technology, go to "Case Study No. 41."
For a detailed story on this breakthrough by Design News editor Doug Smock on his "Mechatronics Blog", click here.
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50th-Yr. Celebration for WT's Industry Career
Employee associates, former employees, long-time sales reps, suppliers, industry friends and colleagues, as well as his wife Carolyn and his extended family of four children and many grand-children gathered at CWM in a surprise June celebration of CEO Walter Treiber's career.
The event highlighted the beginning of his 50th year devoted to the industry and the organization he loves.
Heartfelt toasts were made. Milestones in technology advancements, awards and association activities that have helped grow the die casting industry were noted in a moving speech by his son Eric, as CWM president and COO the third Treiber generation to lead the company.
Founded in a Chicago loft above a fish market in 1937 by Walter Treiber, Sr., under his son's leadership CWM
has grown to a state-of-the-art 136,000 sq. ft. plant and office facility serving leading high-technology OEMs worldwide. Return to Top
CWM 3-way Win in NADCA Casting Competition
Three entries by Chicago White Metal Casting were winners in each of their
categories in the 2009 Die Casting Design Contest of the North American
Die Casting Assn., scoring a first-ever triple win for CWM in this international contest.
 For Aluminum Die Castings, 1 to 10 lbs., CWM was the winner with a baseplate control support structure for a dental workstation, serving as a rigid platform
for mounting air, water and pneumatic control lines concealed with a cosmetic
cover. Cut-out features over a 6 in. length across the 8.5 in. center width of this
plate restricts the edge-to-edge metal flow, creating a challenging die fill. CWM
employed its Magmasoft simulation software in developing the optimum gating
system for this component.
For Aluminum Die Castings, under 1 lb., the winning as-cast die casting went
to the CWM automotive mirror mount. This casting achieves the structural
integrity and critical dimensional accuracy required to withstand years of
trouble-free operation through wide changes in temperature and humidity. The
ball end is held to a tolerance of +/-0.1 mm that must be maintained over
a long production run.
For Magnesium Die Castings, over .5 lbs., CWM's third winner was a set of two
hot-chamber Mg side-walls for a medical imager, providing exterior cosmetics
as well as critical functions to this state-of-the-art desktop unit: the die cast walls
assure cassette alignment and support for rollers and motors. Die cast Mg offered
optimum dimensional accuracy and repeatability, with flatness held as-cast to
.032 in. or less over almost a 20 in. length, and significant weight reduction. A
proprietary injection system eliminated edge gating, with metal injected directly
into the die casting.
More details, and photos, on the award-winning Mg medical imager side-wall die castings, above, go to "Case Study No. 37."
For photos of all three of the 2009 award-winning die castings, go to "Triple-Win Case Study No. 40."
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Magmasoft® Simulation Avoids a Horror Story
Since CWM put the advanced Magmasoft software simulation system to work, its accurate thermal and metal-flow predictions prior to tooling design and prototyping have helped achieve first-piece production success with some especially challenging die cast part designs.
A recent project was a particularly dramatic example of the prevention of what could have been a tooling and production horror story. The product designers had developed what they believed was an excellent design for a successful die casting and were anxious to proceed. CWM engineers were wary of complete die cavity filling for certain part features and recommended a detailed Magmasoft simulation. Before proceeding with tooling design, the analysis was performed using the customer's CAD data. Results of the simulation modeling not only confirmed CWM's suspicions, but demonstrated that the original part design would have resulted in production dies incapable of being modified for successful production.
Component design changes recommended were agreed to and new flow simulations were run. The final production part met all customer requirements.
To download a PDF Tech Brief on the operation and benefits of the Magmasoft system for die casting, click CWM_Brief#23, "Magmasoft Process Simulation" in the Application/Tech Brief section of CWM's OEM Die Casting Center on this website, with over 60 free design guides & aids. To go directly to the Design Center, click: Entry Page.
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CWM CNC Centers Increased to 27
With the addition of two new Leadwell CNC machining centers to its CNC Machining Division, an MV-40 and MV-50 unit, Chicago White Metal has increased its number of centers to 27, V.P. Brian Andrews announced.
The new Leadwells, in addition to further expanding CWM’s capability for highest RPM spindle speeds and precision, enable still larger parts and more efficient multiple operations to be programmed. A wider range of prototyping, dedicated machining and post-casting machining can be performed in house.
For more on CWM's CNC capabilities, click here.
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Eric Treiber Chairs NADCA Govt. Affairs
Eric Treiber, CEO and President of CWM, has been named Chairman of the North American Die Casting Association's Government Affairs Committee, it was announced by Dan Twarog, President of NADCA.
Fostering Alliances for the Industry
This Committee, on behalf of the entire die casting industry, is charged with aiding the fostering of strategic alliances with legislators in Washington and increasing the effectiveness of grassroots efforts of industry companies in helping achieve a positive legislative agenda. Its current program is focussed on the importance of retaining a strong, competitive manufacturing base in the U.S.
Eric brings to his chairmanship a background in helping develop industry-wide relationships with the U.S. EPA, which included participation in the agency’s Sustainable Industries Metalcasting Sector Program, plus the SF6 Emission Reduction Partnership for the Magnesium Industry.
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Industry Manuals Now Online at Specal Pricing
For some time CWM has offered a selection of important die casting design and specification reference manuals and CD-ROMs for purchase through its website. Now, for OEMs considering the die casting process, this valuable reference material will be available to OEMs in the U.S. and Canada by convenient, rapid online credit card ordering through the PayPal system.
The authoritative reference selections offered at special CWM OEM discounts include the latest editions of: The 178-page "Product Design for Die Casting" Manual, the 220-page "Product Specification Standards for Die Casting" Manual and the CD-ROM version of this Standards Manual, all published by the North American Die Casting Assn.
To access the Reference Manual section and online Order Form in the "OEM Die Cast Design Center" of the CWM website, click here: Reference Manuals/CDs.
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NADCA Updates Die Casting Spec Standards
The acknowledged in-depth reference manual on product standards for the specification of custom die castings has been updated and released by the North American Die Casting Assn.
Among comprehensive alloy and related data is new information on RoHS and REACH compliance; a new simplified formula for calculating draft angles; information on tools for improving Product Integrity and First Article Inspection Requirements; and expanded information on avoiding porosity. Updated specification drawings have been added throughout.
The updated 2009 edition of this 220-page $120 "Product Standards" Manual is available to OEM product designers, engineers & purchasers, as well as independent product design consultants registered at CWM's OEM Resource Center, for the special CWM discount price of $75. It is also available from your CWM Regional Sales Representative.
For more details on the NADCA Product Standards Manual and special CWM Discount Order Form, go to: NADCA Standards Manual.
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500% Cost Saving: Die Cast vs Machined Brass
The low-volume production of a small precision component for a medical device, produced in CNC machined brass, was put through value analysis against possible alternative production efficiencies. Results of the review indicated that a CWM net-shape 4-slide miniature zinc die casting could replace the machined part with no sacrifice in mechanical properties, at a significant cost reduction. The precision component is now being die cast at a 500% unit cost saving.
To download a PDF of the full case study of this part, click here for Miniature Die Casting Case Study No. 39 on the Case Study page in the OEM Die Cast Design Center section.
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Guide to "Selecting Best Die Caster" Released
This concise 10-point OEM checklist can be a helpful guide to making the optimum supplier decision for successful results in producing a new housing of component as a custom die casting.
It is designed to help assure that OEM engineers and purchasers raise the right questions regarding custom die casting supplier capabilities and receive unbiased recommendations.
This "Application/Tech Brief" is just one of the nine content sections of CWM's OEM Resource Center on thlis website, where a wealth of free die casting design guides & aids are available for viewing and download.
To download this new PDF Tech Brief (no. 36) on "Selecting the Best Custom Die Caster for Your Next Project," go directly to the OEM Design Center's Application/Tech Brief page.
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5 Most Popular Diecast Literature Downloads
Over 7,800 die casting design and production documents have been downloaded in PDF format by OEM visitors to the OEM Die Cast Design Center of Chicago White Metal Casting's website. Here are the five most popular downloads (over 1,040 downloads have been made of CWM's "Design & Specification Guide" alone):
Design & Spec Guide for Custom Parts
16-pages, at the Design Guide Section
12 Ways to Reduce Costs of Die Cast Parts
6-pages, at the Design Guide Section
Quick Guide to Die Cast Surface Finishing
8-pages, at the Design Guide Section
Evaluating Materials & Processes
4-pages, at the Engineering Bulletin Section
Design & Production Preplanning
1-page, at the Engineering Bulletin Section
In addition to the over 70 such custom design guides, bulletins and tech-briefs available-- published by CWM and industry sources-- there is a Frequently Asked Question section on die casting design and production subjects. Plus a Webinar section of 5-min. to 10-min. Online Webinars that can be viewed free, 24/7. After completing a brief registration, OEMs can return to the Design Center at any time using only their email address.
For a 1-page Quick Tour of the OEM Die Cast Design Center, Click Here.
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