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Companies have to give careful consideration to how much it will cost to make products they manufacture. There are a variety of ways to make things, but two of the most common methods are die casting and sheet metal fabrication. But to help determine which is best for them, companies, Huarui included, need to look closely at the costs of these two methods. It’s time to take a moment to compare them, in costs and to know what sets them apart.
What is Die Casting and Sheet Metal Fabrication?
To begin, let’s put die casting and sheet metal fabrication into context.
The die casting process is special as the molten metal is injected into mold. The Aluminium die castings metal part will be cast by using this specific mold. After that, the metal hardens and takes the shape of the mold when it cools down. This is useful for both accuracy and details in a part.
Another method is sheet metal fabrication, where larger sheets of metal are cut, bent, and shaped to form your product. The three most used types of metal are steel, brass and aluminum, but they require a series of processes before they can become a final product, such as cutting the metal into pieces, then bent it into the desired shape and finally weld it.
Both processes transform metal to a desired shape, but they do so with different techniques that can have an impact on the cost and time-to-product.
Die Casting vs. Sheet Metal Fabrication: Cost Comparison
Now, let's explore the costs of both methods in-depth. Die casting is typically more expensive than sheet metal fabrication. A big reason for it is that, in die casting, you must make a mold first. The initial cost of making a mold can be high. One more downside is that the machines & equipment used to carry out a die casting process are generally more costly than those used for sheet metal fabrication.
But if a company has to be producing many parts, die casting can save money overall. This is due to the much faster part production rate possible with die casting than with sheet metal fabrication. Even if the upfront cost is more expensive, the rate of production can make the cost per part lower when producing a number of parts at once.
Conversely, though sheet metal fabrication may appear like a more economical option upfront, there are additional costs that can build up. For instance, sheet metal fabrication commonly requires more workers for each of the tasks involved. More labor can also may lead to higher prices, especially if the metal components have to have complex shapes. In addition, thicker or harder sheet metal can make your work more difficult. This complication can lead to increased waste, which can ultimately contribute to higher overall production costs.
What Affects the Costs?
There are a few key factors that can affect the costs of Die casting part and sheet metal fabrication comparison. And one big reason is the type of metal being used. “With some metals it is more expensive, others it is easier to work with,” Sadovskiy said. In addition, the complexity of both the part and the production process is critically important. You might think that such details would be more expensive to manufacture regardless of the production method.
Another important thing to consider is the number of parts you want to be produced. For companies that need many parts, die casting may be the better option. This is due to the fact that die casting can produce parts in a much faster manner, saving you time and money in the long run. If only a few parts are needed, however, sheet metal fabrication may be a better decision, as it can be cheaper in the early stages.
A Specific Example
So let us take a concrete example to see the costs. Let's say that Huarui has to manufacture a large number of metal gears for a product and these gears have complex designs with many fine structures.
The upfront expense will be steep if Huarui opts for die casting. That results in them needing to produce a mold first, which can be costly. Once the mold is made, each individual gear can be produced for much less than that. In this case, they should go for die casting as it will be the better investment considering the volume of gears they want to produce.
However, if Huarui decides to adopt sheet metal fabrication, the first cost will be less as they will not need to make a mold. But there’s a catch: each kit would cost more, as producing sophisticated gears requires tremendous labor, however. There has also been more waste in the manufacturing process which makes the entire process more expensive. In this case, sheet metal fabrication might not be the most cost-effective way for them to produce gears because they need high volumes of gears.
Conclusion
Well, comparing die casting and custom sheet metal parts fabrication costs is not so simple. Die casting generally costs more upfront due to the costs of the mold, but over time it often turns out more economical if a large number of parts are produced quickly. On the other hand, sheet metal fabrication may appear cheaper at first glance, but it actually takes more labor and generates waste, driving up the overall costs. Huarui and others must consider and balance the costs and benefits of each approach carefully, in order to determine which one is right for their unique requirements. These differences are a sign that they city manufactures their products well.
