Magnesium Casting

Magnesium castings of all types have found use in many commercial applications, especially where their lightness and rigidity are a major advantage, such as for chain saw bodies, computer components, camera bodies, and certain portable tools and equipment. There is a significant market opportunity for a cost effective magnesium die casting alloy that has better die castability attributes than existing magnesium alloys, plus an improved as cast surface finish that is suitable for high spec products and parts. Substituting magnesium in the casting or forging process is an easy way to shed pounds from the part, as magnesium (the origin of the term mag wheels) is approximately two thirds the density of aluminum. Magnesium alloy castings can be produced by nearly all of the conventional casting methods, namely, sand, permanent, and semi permanent mold and shell, investment, and die-casting. Magnesium castings have been produced by a range of casting processes, in a number of foundries around the world for many years. Magnesium alloy sand castings are used extensively in aerospace components.