Brescia leader in die casting molds

Among the industrial records that our province can count, an important role is occupied by the molds for the die casting of light alloys. HPCD, high pressure die casting, represents the most significant national district, with companies generating over 3 billion in turnover in the production, foundry and transformation of non-ferrous metals. This sector also needs to keep up with the times to resist in the market. Not changing behaviors progressively leads to a slow decline in the performance and quality of companies. Furthermore, if you accept poor quality products or services, the motivation to innovate diminishes and you risk exiting the market. On the horizon, there is the risk of closures and the loss of numerous jobs.

The challenges and prospects of the sector were at the center of the round table “Diecasting – In mold companies, how to transform special steel from cost into value. The role of purchasing criteria in the innovation process, according to consolidated guidelines in the international market”, organized in Bedizzole at the CS Metal Europe headquarters. The company stands out as the exclusive distributor in Italy of special steels under the ProTerial brand, formerly Hitachi Metals, an absolute novelty, in line with the current needs of the industry that uses special steel for hot applications. The brand identifies a high added value in terms of high mechanical characteristics and favorable technical contribution given to the entire production chain, distinctive factors that guarantee a high life cycle of the components, achieving a reduction in global costs for the supply chain of up to 30%. %. “With the guaranteed quality of special steel – declares the general manager, Corrado Patriarchi – we can increase the income for all those involved in the production chain by 50%. Continue to favor the criterion of list cost and not value, as an asset of primary importance, ultimately puts jobs at risk. This is why we want to bring about a cultural change in the Die Casting sector to avoid waste of material, energy and manpower”. Italian Metallurgy, gave the example of a medium mold for a steering box. “The cost is around 150 thousand euros of which processing alone represents 60%. It is these numbers that we need to reflect on to guide purchasing decisions of steel in a more responsible way for the market, the economy and the environment. It is also a strategic choice to avoid being tied to a single source of supply perhaps coming from countries very different from ours”. 90% of commonly used objects are made with noble steel and represent 5% of all steel production.

“This 5% – continues Patriarchi – is therefore a primary good which phenomena such as the pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian war have highlighted how dangerous it can be to depend on foreign suppliers for raw materials. Every year half of the steel produced in the world comes from China and 46% is imported into Europe. And China has different values ​​from ours. The European production force must once again become the beacon and take advantage of foreign excellence to best support the performance required by the market”. The round table saw the participation of Taishiro Fukumaru, president of ProTerial Europe who emphasized the Japanese company’s commitment to total quality and attention to the environment. “The distinctive characteristics of our steels – explains the president – ​​are summarized by the registered trademark Isotropy, identifying a material with a metallurgical structure and chemistry designed to guarantee the best resistance to thermal fatigue, higher thermal conductivity, machine tool workability optimized, a longer life of the equipment in operation and greater resistance to cracks inside the cooling channels. In short, it is 100% reliable.” The result in economic terms for the supply chain is significant: savings in manpower, energy, material, ordinary and extraordinary maintenance costs of the mould. “ProTerial – concludes Fukumaru – has also introduced as its latest innovation the new 10 KT forging press which allows heat recovery useful for recreating energy for the entire internal steel supply chain. The three-dimensional laser measurement system allows us to maintain constant and continuous control of the thermal gradient during the entire deformation process, consequently guaranteeing homogeneity of structure throughout the entire section even at the heart of the bar and reducing energy consumption”.