Case Studies
of CWM Die Cast Housings and Components

Al, Mg and Zn Die Casting Case Studies released with permission from Chicago White Metal Casting's archive of production examples, covering a wide range of medical, telecommunications, commercial, industrial, and recreational applications. The following studies, in PDF format, are available to Design Center registered OEMs and OEM Product Design Consultants by immediate download. Adobe Acrobat Reader required for viewing.

Mg Process Technology Award to CWM
IMA 2009 Award of Excellence: Process Technology
(No. 41) New Mg die cast support structure for an advanced rear view automotive mirror is now being produced in a high-pressure hot-chamber mag die casting machine with trimming operations eliminated. Employing “in-die de-gating,” two-stage ejection technology, borrowed from miniature Zn die cast production, savings include eliminating the trim die build. (Includes photos) Download Case Study No 41.

CWM Scores 3-Way Win in NADCA Casting Contest
NADCA 2009 Casting Competition Triple Award Winners
(No. 40) Two Al and one Mg die casting Awards were won by CWM for a first-ever triple win for outstanding custom die castings in the annual North American Die Casting Association's International Die Casting Competition.(Includes photos) Download Triple-Win Case Study No 40.

Mini Die Cast Replacement for Brass: 500% Saving
(No. 39) A value analysis of alternate production efficiencies for a low-volume CNC machined brass small component for a medical device resulted in a miniature zinc net-shape die cast replacement at a 500% unit cost saving. Download Case Study No 39.

GPS Satellite Tracker: Ultra-rugged, Lightweight Unit
(No. 38) Project managers for this satellite positioning system designed a Mg die cast enclosure as advanced as the new technology inside: ultra-rugged; lightweight for field use; waterproof; dustproof, with fail-safe EMI shielding. Download Case Study No 38.

Imager Housing Walls: More functions, Fewer parts
NADCA Competition Award Winner
(No. 37) Two Mg 12 x 17 in. precision die cast housing walls for an all-in-one multi-media desktop medical imager provide light weight, multiple functions and reduced part counts. Each high-tech hot-chamber mag die casting delivers 25 tight-toleranced features as-cast. Download Case Study No 37.

Award-Winner: Mag Die Cast Ultrasound Housing
International Mg Assn. Award of Excellence
(No. 36) Eight precision components form the self-contained display and keypad plus probe connector unit for a new all-digital portable ultrasound system. A total component weight of 1.725 lbs. makes the unit lighter than a molded plastic design, with greater drop strength. Winner of a “Design Award of Excellence” from the International Magnesium Assn. Download Case Study No 36.

Die Cast Mg + Overmolding = A Breakthrough Case
International Mg Assn. Award of Excellence
(No. 30) Handheld fiber optic cable analyzer introduced in a high-tech magnesium die cast housing with elastomer overmolding. Innovative case, claimed to be the first overmolding of a complex die casting, offers improved performance over plastic at a 20% saving. Download Case Study No 30.

Dirt Bike Hub Has 35 Gear Teeth Cast to Zero Draft
(No. 28) First motocross design produced on American soil in 20 years features many rule-breaking design innovations, such as its “sweet,” solid shifting clutch, made with two high-tech Al die castings. The Al hub has 35 gear teeth cast to zero draft. The crankshaft and engine cover are AZ91D hot-chamber mag die castings, providing strength and light weight. Download Case Study No 28.

Rugged Portable Al Die Cast Laser Unit Housing Outperforms Plastic
(No. 27) A wireless remote laser unit to aid pipelaying accuracy and efficiency is claimed to be the most powerful laser device of its kind allowed by law. New model offers an Al die cast metal housing to meet extreme, rugged field conditions, difficult for plastic housings to survive. Download Case Study No 27.

Award Winner: Al Die Cast Propane Vaporizer
NADCA Competition Award Winner
(No. 25) Two intricate Al die castings are the heart of a vaporizer-regulator for propane and natural gas vehicles, winning an industry award for their casting excellence. Meeting important thermal and weight specs, the two castings that make up the unit have channel walls, and the spaces between them, that measure 0.040 in. (1.016 mm) thick. Download Case Study No 25.

Mg Professional Digital Camera Case Eliminates Dual Plastic Case & Stamped Metal Body
NADCA Competition Award Winner
(No. 22) First professional digital camera in a magnesium die cast housing, jointly developed by Kodak and Nikon. Mag, selected over the usual alternative of plastic encasing a stamped metal body or an Al casting, provides ruggedness, light weight and the quality feel of metal. Download Case Study No 22.

High-Tech Die Cast Mg Parts for Optical Survey System
(No. 21) World leader in global positioning systems selected Mg die castings for the key housing components in their new optical surveying instrument. Machined parts were rejected as cost prohibitive; plastic would not provide the required stiffness for highly accurate readings. Download Case Study No 21.

Only Mg Met Strength & Weight Specs for Voice and Data Analyzer
(No. 20) Ruggedness, impact strength and light weight were key requirements for this handheld field unit for on-site analysis of voice and data. Specifications were met by this hot-chamber Mg die casting housing, which survives 4-foot drop tests to concrete. Download Case Study No 20.

Zinc Die Casting for Key Structural Component for Workstation Computer
(No. 19) Computer workstations from Silicon Graphics incorporated a zinc die cast rear cap frame, which combined important structural function with superior cosmetic appearance. The Zn die cast component, selected for its excellent strength, rigidity, EMI shielding characteristics and part consolidation potential, was the first use by the company of a die casting in one of their workstation computers. Download Case Study No 19.

Advanced Portable Video Imaging System Called for High-Tech Al & Mg Castings
(No. 18) Designed as part of an advanced digital video processing and control system, Sony engineers specified “perfect parts” for their new professional video camera. CWM high-tech die casting was selected to produce 11 aluminum and hot-chamber magnesium housing components for the new camera. Superior as-cast surfaces were primary specifications. Download Case Study No 18.

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