Altair Case Studies Optimizing Die-Casting Simulation and Design in Automotive Industry: A Case Study of U-Shin Automotive

	Optimizing Die-Casting Simulation and Design in Automotive Industry: A Case Study of U-Shin Automotive Altair

Optimizing Die-Casting Simulation and Design in Automotive Industry: A Case Study of U-Shin Automotive

Altair

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
Applicable Industries	Automotive Equipment & Machinery
Applicable Functions	Product Research & Development Quality Assurance
Use Cases	Manufacturing Process Simulation Virtual Reality
Services	Testing & Certification
Challenge	U-Shin, a global automotive parts manufacturer, faced a challenge in die-casting simulation, result analysis, and design optimization for an automotive dead lock pin. The company specializes in automotive system appliances and mechatronics, producing a wide range of products including lock sets, electronic steering column locks, climate control panels, door latches, keyless entry, door handles, switches, power closure systems, and rear access modules. Many of these parts are manufactured with zamak, a zinc-based alloy. U-Shin's zamak foundry, one of the largest in Europe, produces approximately 10 tons of zamak per day. The company faced the challenge of optimizing over 100 tools per year, a process that is crucial for reducing time and cost, and for providing reliable solutions to customers in the automotive industry. Read More
About Customer	U-Shin is a global automotive parts manufacturer, specializing in automotive system appliances and mechatronics. The company's main product line includes lock sets, electronic steering column locks, climate control panels, door latches, keyless entry, door handles, switches, power closure systems, and rear access modules. U-Shin's expertise ranges from mechanical machinery design to electronic engineering and software, offering full support from development and design of various parts and systems to manufacturing. The company takes pride in being a worldwide leader in performing high pressure die-casting with zamak, a zinc-based alloy. U-Shin's zamak foundry is one of the largest in Europe, producing approximately 10 tons of zamak per day. Read More
Solution	To address this challenge, U-Shin employed solidThinking Click2Cast to perform testing and optimization. This software allowed U-Shin to simulate, observe, and gain better insight into the flow and material characteristics of zamak, which is crucial for producing quality and reliable parts. The extensive material database that Click2Cast offers enabled U-Shin to simulate the casting process for various parts under a variety of stresses. One of U-Shin’s projects involved analyzing the failure of an automotive dead lock pin and redesigning the part based on the simulation results in Click2Cast. The point of failure in the dead lock pin occurred during the vibration test. U-Shin continues to use Click2Cast on several automotive projects, allowing the company to better anticipate, modify, and improve designs. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation

Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Applicable Industries

Automotive

Equipment & Machinery

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Manufacturing Process Simulation

Virtual Reality

Services

Testing & Certification

Challenge

U-Shin, a global automotive parts manufacturer, faced a challenge in die-casting simulation, result analysis, and design optimization for an automotive dead lock pin. The company specializes in automotive system appliances and mechatronics, producing a wide range of products including lock sets, electronic steering column locks, climate control panels, door latches, keyless entry, door handles, switches, power closure systems, and rear access modules. Many of these parts are manufactured with zamak, a zinc-based alloy. U-Shin's zamak foundry, one of the largest in Europe, produces approximately 10 tons of zamak per day. The company faced the challenge of optimizing over 100 tools per year, a process that is crucial for reducing time and cost, and for providing reliable solutions to customers in the automotive industry.

About Customer

U-Shin is a global automotive parts manufacturer, specializing in automotive system appliances and mechatronics. The company's main product line includes lock sets, electronic steering column locks, climate control panels, door latches, keyless entry, door handles, switches, power closure systems, and rear access modules. U-Shin's expertise ranges from mechanical machinery design to electronic engineering and software, offering full support from development and design of various parts and systems to manufacturing. The company takes pride in being a worldwide leader in performing high pressure die-casting with zamak, a zinc-based alloy. U-Shin's zamak foundry is one of the largest in Europe, producing approximately 10 tons of zamak per day.

Solution

To address this challenge, U-Shin employed solidThinking Click2Cast to perform testing and optimization. This software allowed U-Shin to simulate, observe, and gain better insight into the flow and material characteristics of zamak, which is crucial for producing quality and reliable parts. The extensive material database that Click2Cast offers enabled U-Shin to simulate the casting process for various parts under a variety of stresses. One of U-Shin’s projects involved analyzing the failure of an automotive dead lock pin and redesigning the part based on the simulation results in Click2Cast. The point of failure in the dead lock pin occurred during the vibration test. U-Shin continues to use Click2Cast on several automotive projects, allowing the company to better anticipate, modify, and improve designs.

Impact #1	The implementation of solidThinking Click2Cast has brought significant operational benefits to U-Shin. The software has enabled the company to better understand the flow of zamak and identify the causes and location of porosity. This has led to improved quality and reliability of the parts produced. Furthermore, the ability to simulate the casting process for various parts under a variety of stresses has allowed U-Shin to analyze and address failures more effectively. One such example is the redesign of the automotive dead lock pin based on the simulation results. Looking ahead, U-Shin plans to work with the Click2Cast team to further explore and develop other functionalities of the tool such as adaptive mesh, stress calculation, and thermal optimization.

Impact #1

The implementation of solidThinking Click2Cast has brought significant operational benefits to U-Shin. The software has enabled the company to better understand the flow of zamak and identify the causes and location of porosity. This has led to improved quality and reliability of the parts produced. Furthermore, the ability to simulate the casting process for various parts under a variety of stresses has allowed U-Shin to analyze and address failures more effectively. One such example is the redesign of the automotive dead lock pin based on the simulation results. Looking ahead, U-Shin plans to work with the Click2Cast team to further explore and develop other functionalities of the tool such as adaptive mesh, stress calculation, and thermal optimization.

Benefit #1	Optimization of injection speed to remove turbulence due to air entrapment.
Benefit #2	Prediction of the critical zone (porosity location) accurately in the part to assist in the proper design modification.
Benefit #3	Reduction in porosity from 0.45mm3 to 0.03 mm3.

Benefit #1

Optimization of injection speed to remove turbulence due to air entrapment.

Benefit #2

Prediction of the critical zone (porosity location) accurately in the part to assist in the proper design modification.

Benefit #3

Reduction in porosity from 0.45mm3 to 0.03 mm3.

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Overview

Optimizing Die-Casting Simulation and Design in Automotive Industry: A Case Study of U-Shin Automotive

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit