Diecasting cuts out machining
Kemlows' Manufacturing Manager, Geoff Eustace, pictured with the line of three Brother TC-series machining centres
By machining from a near-net-shape diecasting specialist subcontractor Kemlows saved 70% on material costs on a complex telecommunications component
Hertfordshire-based high-pressure diecasting specialist, Kemlows provides a one-stop-shop service from consultation through product design or re-engineering to casting production, machining, finishing, assembly and on-time supply of top quality products. About a 20% of contracts are for finish-machined components with customers principally in the UK, but also in Germany, the Czech Republic, Mexico and the USA.
Kemlows started value-added machining of aluminium and zinc castings in 2000, mainly using a Brother four-axis twin-pallet machining centre. More recently, the die caster installed three further Brother machines.
The telecommunications component was migrating from small batch production up to medium volumes. Manufacturing cost has been substantially reduced by modifying the design and machining it from a high-pressure aluminium diecasting, rather than from solid billet.
As a result of using the near-net-shape technique, 70% of the material is saved from being turned into swarf, avoiding the inconvenience of managing it on the shop floor and the expense of recycling. The machining cycle is much faster, as only 0.75 mm has to be skimmed from the surface of the castings.
When the cube-shaped component was produced from the solid by another subcontract machinist, over 60% cent of the volume was removed. Almost all of this aluminium is saved by using a casting. A further 10% of material has been taken out following consultation with the customer and re-engineering its IGES solid model in Kemlows’ SolidWorks CAD system.
The additional saving was achieved by reducing the size of internal bosses and other unnecessarily thick sections. Material was also taken away from the exterior by introducing pockets all around the part, including on the base.
The resulting casting combines minimum material volume with a geometry capable of being cast without cooling problems or difficulty in making the tool. Time-line for this particular project was just 12 weeks.
Kemlows' machining facility runs 24 hours a day, producing a vast range of castings spanning many industries including telecommunications, automotive, defence, brewing, electronics, medical, white goods and leisure items such as model locomotives and jack stars.
Managing director Carm Teoli says, "We have eight aluminium casting machines with locking forces up to 840 tonnes, enabling us to produce parts from a few grammes to 8 kg shot weight. Our long experience in supplying the highly demanding automotive sector in particular has helped us to develop a strong team and a wealth of experience in diecasting."
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