Zinc Die Cast Manufacturing for Kitchen Appliances
Most households have beautiful zinc cast products in their kitchens. Zinc die cast manufacturing is great for all main kitchen appliances such as blenders, stand mixers, hand mixers, toasters, food processors, food slicers, etc. The process of die cast manufacturing creates a very good surface finish and dimensional consistency. It is best suited for large quantities of small–to–medium–sized castings. The process of die casting produces more castings than any other casting process, keeping the incremental cost per item low. While there are many different types of die cast manufacturing, such as aluminum, magnesium, copper, and lead. Zinc die casting is proven to be one of the best die casting metals for kitchen appliances and other manufactured products. PHB Corp. is a world leader in both zinc and aluminum die cast manufacturing. On average, PHB can cast about 90lbs of zinc per minute. The amount of time it takes you to read this article, let’s say five minutes, PHB would’ve cast about 450lbs. of shippable zinc castings.
Zinc Die Castings Provide the Best Mechanical Properties and Finishes for Kitchen Appliances
With all the different types of die cast manufacturing –aluminum, copper, lead, etc.– why should zinc die casting be chosen for kitchen appliance manufacturing? For starters, zinc mechanical properties compete with and exceed those of cast aluminum, magnesium, copper, etc. No other alloy provides a combination of strength, toughness, rigidity, bearing performance, and environmental sustainability as Zinc. These characteristics — paired together with PHB’s superior secondary and finishing capabilities — make zinc alloy the best choice while saving time and money. PHB also offer faster low, medium, and high production than its leading competitor.
There are two families of zinc casting alloys. There is conventional (or ZAMAK alloys), and then zinc alloys with more aluminum than conventional. Within these two families you have many different alloys:
- Conventional or “ZAMAK”
- Alloy 2
- Alloy 3
- Alloy 5
- Alloy 7
- Non-conventional or “ZA”
- ZA-8
- ZA-12
- ZA-27
PHB Corp.’s Zinc Die Cast Manufacturing is Environmentally Sustainable
PHB Corp. provides a sustainable process with their zinc die cast manufacturing. An entire assembly can be cast by one single unit to eliminate expensive manual assembly operations. Zinc casting creates fantastic fluidity, strength, and stiffness which make for thinner walls and reduces the amount of material required. PHB has a tremendous amount of experience casting zinc and melting down waste zinc for reuse in an effort to create as little waste as possible. For example, in 2018 alone, PHB melted more than 70,000,000 pounds of zinc alloy, with the capacity to almost double that number. Using more of what they initially buy, PHB increases efficiency, sustainability, and recycleability while maintaining production of high quality die cast manufactured products.
What PHB’s Zinc Die Cast Manufacturing Capabilities Provide
PHB Corp. is one of the highest volume producing zinc die cast manufacturers for a single division in the world. In addition to the twenty (20) 800-ton hot chamber zinc machines — more than anyone else has under one roof — PHB also has two (2) 100-ton hot chambers, a 250-ton hot chamber, a 400-ton hot chamber, and (3) 600-ton hot chambers, and 22 of those machines are set up as automated work centers. Aside from the impeccable line of equipment, PHB also has many attributions in place that keeps them a leader in die cast manufacturing. Those include:
Engineering Team Brings over 100 years of Experience with Die Cast Manufacturing
PHB Corp.’s engineering team is experienced designing dies that are ideal for casting zinc alloys. Using the proper die materials to heat-treat and stress relieve to proper specification, PHB can ensure long die life. Metal composition tests, which are required daily at every machine, ensures perfect alloy quality at each die cast machine. PHB’s engineering team also helps customers design parts to achieve the desired end product application. Our magma flow capabilities and expertise are accompanied by our tool-building knowledge to decide the correct usage of hot oil and water lines for an optimal process as a die casting manufacturer.
PHB Corp. uses various additive equipment such as Visitrak shot monitoring, vacuums for decreasing the risk of getting blisters, and a central die spray system for consistent spray concentration on high volume parts. With having over four decades of experience in manufacturing large, highly cosmetic zinc castings, PHB has become the trusted leader in zinc die cast manufacturing in the nation. PHB runs a 3-shift production line and a 3-shift support staff that offers tool repair, maintenance, etc. for every client. The process control team and in-house metallurgists use PHB’s 100+ years of die cast alloy expertise to make certain that alloys are at optimal chemical composition for the highly cosmetic parts being produced. Unlike leading competitors, PHB can control the content of metal that is used, making PHB superior in quality cosmetic zinc die casting.
In-House Capabilities
PHB Corp. offers a multitude of in-house capabilities, raising the bar for other top zinc die casting manufacturers. We re-melt scrap parts and excess gate shot materials in-house, while continuously improving with scrap reduction to minimize waste and increase our company’s sustainability. Along with our design building capabilities, we also provide in-house die, trim die, and secondary tool repair and stress relief to keep tool steel in optimal condition. PHB works hard to keep additive, secondary and finishing operations in-house not only to save time and money, but to give customers more control over the specifications of the product. This also gives PHB more control over the quality of work that’s produced.
Automation and Robotics
For nearly a decade now, PHB Corp. has worked with new technology, regulations, and standards to stay at the top level in the field. PHB Corp. now provides custom build cells with their engineering capabilities, electrical interface, robotic technology, as well as robotics for machining and secondary services. Robotics deburr near-finished products for more consistent flash or burr removal, and for precision saw cutting. Using automation and robotics dramatically cuts down on labor costs and therefore overall costs for customers. By having a single robot loading inserts and spraying, they are able to dramatically reduce cycle time and make for a more efficient process, costing customers less.
Check out what all PHB can do for you with our in-house capabilities.
Exceptional Secondary Services to Accompany Superior Zinc Die Cast Manufacturing
From design concept to production and packaging, PHB Corp. is a world leader in zinc die casting. We help customers figure out the best alloy to use and which process to use depending on their application or part being made. Having the capability to work with both hot and cold chamber zinc die casting, our clients range from large appliance manufacturing companies to the automotive industry. PHB provides the integrated services required to be your complete global manufacturing resource, all under one roof.
PHB also offers close-tolerance CNC machining including turning, milling, drilling, boring, and tapping capabilities. With the ability to produce both high-quality zinc die castings and CNC machining services. PHB is your one-stop-shop for your casting and machining needs. Additionally, PHB provides a number of value-added services for our customers, saving our customers time and money. Value-added services include impregnation, leak testing, millipore cleanliness testing, wet painting, powder coating, plating, and more. With our testing and quality assurance processes, we ensure the highest quality products are manufactured and delivered to our clients on time.
Check out more of PHB Corp.’s die casting capabilities, or request for a quote today!
