
Material Advantages of Magnesium
- High Strength-to-Weight Ratio.
- Good Stiffness-to-Weight Ratio.
- Exceptional Damping Capacity.
- High Impact and Dent Resistance.
- Low Inertia/Mass.
- Advantageous for CAFE requirements.
- 33% Lighter than Aluminum.
- Good Corrosion Resistance.
- Excellent Machinability.
- Good Resistance to Fatigue.
- High Thermal and Electrical Conductivity.
- Non-Magnetic.
- A Wide Choice of Finishing Treatments and Coatings.
- Great Opportunity for Parts Consolidation.
- EMI/RFI Shielding.
- Low Heat Content Means High Production Speeds.
Advantages of Thixomolding vs Die-Casting
Lower Porosity
- 0% - 2 % Porosity for Thixomolding.
- 2 - 5 % Porosity for Die Casting.
- Pressure Tight Components.
- Superior EMI/RFI Shielding.
- Hermetic Sealing.
Is due to lack of gas entrapment and excellent packing pressure.
Closer Tolerances
- With Precision Tooling Adjustments, Linear → +/- 0.0008 in/in
- No Draft Features Are Possible.
- Net Shape and Near Net Shape Parts.
- Eliminate Machining.
Are a result of better & more consistent flow (lack of dendrites & oxide skins), and higher, consistent packing pressure, among other factors.
Thinner Walls
- 0.035” Walls are Routine.
- Vs. 0.070” Walls in Die Casting.
- Lighter Parts.
Longer Tool Life
- Many tools have a tool life of > 500,000 shots.
- Lower long term tooling replacement costs.
- This is due to the fact that magnesium is easy on tools to begin with (low reactivity with Fe), and the metal temperature is 1100 °F (vs. > 1250°F for die casting) = less heat checking.
Other Advantages
- Increased Complexity & More Delicate Features.
- Better Cosmetics.
- Environmentally Friendly.