Aluminum casting & mold design services

Introduction

Modern manufacturing, particularly the automotive industry, is facing unprecedented pressure for weight reduction due to tightening environmental regulations and increasing demands for sustainability. Adopting high-strength, lightweight materials has become an indispensable strategy to address urgent challenges such as improving fuel efficiency, reducing CO2 emissions, and extending the range of electric vehicles, EVs,. In this trend, high-strength aluminum castings are attracting attention as a critical solution that determines competitiveness for Japanese manufacturing executives and procurement managers, thanks to their superior properties and versatile formability.

This article delves into the strategic value of high-strength aluminum castings in a lightweight society, explaining the manufacturing technologies and stringent quality control that support their realization. Furthermore, by specifically introducing common challenges in overseas procurement and the unique advantages offered by Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam, we aim to assist you in your procurement strategy.

• Major countries aim to improve average vehicle fuel efficiency by over 20% by 2030, Source: METI Automotive Industry Strategy 2020,. Reducing vehicle body weight is extremely important for achieving this goal.
• The average weight of an EV battery is approximately 400kg, accounting for about 25% of the total vehicle weight. Reducing vehicle weight by 10% is said to extend the range by approximately 5-7%.

Strategic Value of High-Strength Aluminum Castings in a Lightweight Society

High-strength aluminum castings are not merely component materials; they are strategic elements that contribute to overall product performance improvement and cost optimization. Their value in the automotive industry, in particular, is immeasurable.

Contribution to Automotive Fuel Efficiency Improvement and CO2 Emission Reduction

It is known that reducing a car’s body weight by 10% improves fuel efficiency by approximately 3-6% and reduces CO2 emissions by a similar amount, Source: Trends in Automotive Lightweighting Technology and Material Development,. This directly leads to improved fuel efficiency not only in internal combustion engine vehicles but also in hybrid vehicles, HVs,. For example, the proportion of aluminum materials used in automotive parts was about 15% in 2020, but it is projected to reach about 20% by 2030, with high-strength aluminum castings at its core, Source: Japan Aluminum Association Statistics,.

Extended Range and Improved Electric Efficiency in EVs and HVs

With the advancement of EVs, larger and heavier batteries are an unavoidable challenge. The average amount of aluminum used per EV is approximately 150-200kg, an increase of about 50% compared to conventional gasoline vehicles. By compensating for this increase and further reducing weight, it is possible to extend the range or improve electric efficiency, power consumption efficiency, without increasing battery capacity. High-strength aluminum castings are widely applied to key structural components of EVs, such as battery cases, motor housings, and chassis parts, significantly contributing to their lightweighting.

Expanding Applications in Aerospace and Industrial Machinery Fields

The demand for high-strength aluminum castings is not limited to the automotive industry. In the aerospace sector, both lightweighting and high reliability are required simultaneously for aircraft structural components and engine parts. The tensile strength of high-strength aluminum alloys is approximately 30-50% higher compared to general aluminum alloys; for example, A356-T6 material boasts a tensile strength of over 300MPa. This allows for thinner and lighter designs, contributing to improved fuel efficiency and increased payload. In the industrial machinery sector, high-strength aluminum castings are adopted for parts requiring high-speed and high-precision movements, such as robot arms and conveying equipment, to reduce moment of inertia and suppress vibrations.

Further Lightweighting Effects Through Combination with Dissimilar Material Joining Technology

In addition to their standalone lightweighting effect, high-strength aluminum castings achieve further weight reduction when combined with joining technologies for dissimilar materials such as carbon fiber reinforced plastics, CFRP, and high-tensile steel sheets. For example, in vehicle body structures, hybrid structures are becoming common where high-tensile steel sheets are used for areas requiring high impact absorption, high-strength aluminum castings for areas requiring lightweighting, and CFRP for areas requiring ultra-lightweighting. In this case, high-strength aluminum castings also play a crucial role as joining members between different materials.

Manufacturing Technology and Quality Control for High-Strength Aluminum Castings

Manufacturing high-strength aluminum castings is not simply about melting aluminum and pouring it into a mold. It requires the selection of specific alloy compositions, precise heat treatment, and advanced casting technology with stringent quality control.

Alloy Composition and Heat Treatment Technology for High Strength

High-strength aluminum castings are appropriately formulated with alloying elements such as silicon, Si, magnesium, Mg, and copper, Cu,. For example, alloys like A356 and A357 are widely used to achieve both excellent castability and mechanical properties. These alloys can significantly improve tensile strength and yield strength by undergoing heat treatments such as T5 treatment, aging treatment, or T6 treatment, solution treatment + aging treatment, after casting. T6 treatment can increase tensile strength by approximately 50-80% compared to the as-cast state, Source: Heat Treatment Technology for Aluminum Alloys,. This heat treatment process requires extremely precise temperature and time control, as even slight deviations can affect product strength.

Selection and Characteristics of Casting Methods

For the manufacturing of high-strength aluminum castings, the optimal casting method is selected according to the part shape, required quality, and production volume.

• Sand Casting: Suitable for manufacturing complex internal structures and large parts, with flexible response to heat treatment. Often used for small-batch, multi-variety production and prototype parts. Production cycle time is relatively long, ranging from several minutes to several tens of minutes per piece.
• Low-Pressure Die Casting: Molten metal is slowly filled into the mold under low pressure, resulting in fewer gas entrapments and oxide inclusions, yielding high-density, high-quality castings. Ideal for mass-produced parts requiring strength and reliability, such as automotive wheels and suspension components. Production cycle time is several minutes per piece.
• Die Casting: Molten metal is filled into the mold under high pressure, achieving high dimensional accuracy and excellent surface finish, and enabling thin-walling. Suitable for mass production, with a very fast production cycle time of several seconds to tens of seconds. However, there are some restrictions on heat treatment.

Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam proposes the optimal casting method according to customer requirements and manufactures high-quality high-strength aluminum castings.

Casting Simulation and Process Optimization for Defect Reduction

Casting defects, shrinkage porosity, gas defects, cold shuts, etc., significantly reduce product strength and reliability. To prevent these defects, Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam has introduced advanced casting simulation software to predict and analyze molten metal filling behavior and solidification processes in advance. This allows for optimal gate and riser design, cooling conditions, and casting temperatures, reducing the defect occurrence rate to the absolute minimum. The target value for general casting defect rates is below 100 ppm, Parts Per Million, but Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam sets even stricter targets and maintains a proven record of below 50 ppm.

Quality Assurance System

Quality assurance for high-strength aluminum castings is thoroughly implemented at each stage of the manufacturing process.

• Non-Destructive Testing: X-ray radiography and ultrasonic flaw detection are used to detect internal defects, shrinkage porosity, gas defects, foreign matter inclusions, etc.,. Especially for automotive safety parts and aerospace components, 100% inspection may be required.
• Mechanical Property Testing: Tensile tests, hardness tests, impact tests, etc., are conducted to confirm that the product’s mechanical properties such as strength, ductility, and toughness meet design requirements. Tensile strength after heat treatment is strictly controlled to be within ±5% of the design value.
• Dimensional Inspection: Three-dimensional measuring machines and other tools are used to confirm that the product’s dimensional accuracy matches the drawings. For complex-shaped parts, hundreds of measurement points may be checked.

Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam has established these inspection systems in compliance with international standards, ISO 9001, IATF 16949, etc., providing products that customers can use with confidence, Source: Quality Control and Inspection of Aluminum Alloy Castings,.

Challenges in Overseas Procurement of High-Strength Aluminum Castings and the Advantages of Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam

For Japanese manufacturing to maintain global competitiveness, overseas procurement of components is essential. However, overseas procurement of specialized parts like high-strength aluminum castings presents unique challenges.

Common Challenges in Overseas Procurement

• Quality Stability: If an overseas supplier’s quality control system does not meet Japanese standards, the occurrence of defective products and quality variations can become an issue. The average quality defect rate in overseas procurement is reported to be approximately 3-5%.
• Delivery Compliance: Delays in production plans, logistics problems, and complex customs procedures can lead to unstable delivery times.
• Technical Communication: Differences in language and culture can lead to misunderstandings, preventing technical specifications and requirements from being accurately conveyed.
• Exchange Rate Risk: Fluctuations in exchange rates can cause procurement costs to vary, making budget management difficult.

Challenges Specific to High-Strength Aluminum Castings

In the procurement of high-strength aluminum castings, in addition to the above challenges, more specialized issues arise.

• Proficiency in Heat Treatment Technology: As mentioned earlier, precise heat treatment is indispensable for achieving high strength. Whether an overseas supplier is sufficiently proficient in this technology and can consistently provide high-quality heat treatment is a crucial point.
• Reliability of Inspection System: It is necessary to confirm whether non-destructive testing and mechanical property testing equipment are in place and whether their operation complies with strict Japanese standards.
• Supply Chain Transparency: Ensuring transparency throughout the entire supply chain, from raw material procurement to final product shipment, and ensuring traceability, is extremely important for identifying causes of quality problems and managing risks.

Strengths of Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam

Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam possesses unique strengths to overcome these challenges and provide optimal high-strength aluminum castings to Japanese manufacturers.

• Production System and Quality Control Compliant with Japanese Quality Standards: Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam inherits the technology and know-how of its Japanese parent company, Daiwa Light Alloy Industry Co., Ltd., and implements strict Japanese quality standards in Vietnam. We have obtained ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certifications and operate a thorough quality control system. Our proven quality defect rate in overseas procurement is below 0.5%, significantly lower than the industry average.
• Stable High-Strength Aluminum Casting Manufacturing Track Record by Skilled Engineers: Japanese engineers with many years of experience are permanently stationed to provide thorough technical guidance to Vietnamese engineers. This ensures stable high quality and high yield in the manufacturing of high-strength aluminum castings, including heat treatment technology. Over the past five years, we have supplied over 1 million high-strength aluminum casting parts to the Japanese market.
• Smooth Communication in Japanese and Prompt Response: With Japanese staff permanently stationed, smooth communication in Japanese is possible for technical discussions, delivery adjustments, and more. This minimizes the risk of misunderstandings and allows us to respond quickly and accurately to customer requests.
• Geographical Advantage and Cost Competitiveness of Vietnam: Vietnam is located at the center of the ASEAN region, with excellent access to major sea and air routes. This can potentially shorten lead times to Japan by approximately 2-3 weeks. Furthermore, Vietnam offers competitive labor and electricity costs, allowing for an expected cost reduction of approximately 15-25% compared to domestic Japanese production while maintaining high quality (Source: Trends in Foreign Direct Investment, FDI, in Vietnam’s Manufacturing Industry).
• Specific Case Study: An automotive parts manufacturer aiming for lightweighting and cost reduction of high-strength suspension parts switched their procurement to Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam. As a result, they reduced the unit cost of parts by 20% and consistently met the required tensile strength of 320MPa. The quality defect rate was also kept below 0.1%, significantly contributing to supply chain stabilization.

Conclusion

In a lightweight society, high-strength aluminum castings are indispensable strategic materials for improving automotive fuel efficiency, extending EV range, and enhancing performance in the aerospace and industrial machinery sectors. Their manufacturing requires specific alloy compositions, precise heat treatment, and advanced casting technology with stringent quality control.

While overseas procurement of high-strength aluminum castings involves challenges such as quality stability, delivery compliance, and technical communication, Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam offers optimal solutions to these challenges through its production system compliant with Japanese quality standards, skilled engineers, smooth communication in Japanese, and Vietnam’s geographical and cost advantages.

For Japanese manufacturing executives and procurement managers, Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam will be a reliable partner in optimizing the balance of quality, delivery, and cost. We will continue to strive for technological innovation and quality improvement to contribute to our customers’ product development and competitive strength. When considering the procurement of high-strength aluminum castings, please feel free to contact Daiwa Aluminum Vietnam.