Highlights

High-Tech High-Pressure Die Caster Arrives at CANMET-MTL

The CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory (CANMET-MTL) received its 1200-ton high-pressure die casting equipment from BuhlerPrince in November 2011. The equipment is capable of producing high-integrity components from aluminum and magnesium alloys for automotive applications. When completely installed in February 2012, the state-of-the-art two-platen die casting equipment developed by the Switzerland-based company will be the first of its kind operating in North America. The equipment is capable of producing complex net-shaped die-casting parts and high-integrity castings, and of running squeeze-casting and rheocasting processes in addition to performing regular high-pressure die casting.

The complete production cell—which will have an automatic part extractor, a melting furnace, a melt transfer system and a vacuum control system (with an estimated investment of $2.5 million)—can run actual industrial production processes and will be used to optimize process parameters for producing structural parts for automotive applications at a rate of up to 60 components per hour. Canadian and international casting producers and automotive companies including Orlick Industries, Meridian Lightweight Technologies, COSMA International and General Motors have partnered with CANMET-MTL to prepare new proposals for using this state-of-the-art equipment in the coming months.