Aluminium meets stainless steel

New challenges make the daily business in aluminium die-casting particularly exciting. Even after decades of experience, there are new tasks that require a completely new way of thinking. The Power-Cast Vobra GmbH & Co. KG was able to make use of the special requirements of the food industry to start a successful project for the customer and itself.

To this day, stainless steel as a material is crucial in the food industry. Especially the low susceptibility to rust as well as the resistance against acids pay a large role here. Using aluminium has never been an option.

Together with one of their customers, a leading company in the field of drive technology for conveyors, Vobra developed a solution, from which both parties benefited. Both companies have been working together in the industry for many years, among other things, Vobra delivers the end caps for motor units. Previously, in the food industry, expensive and heavy stainless steel castings needed to be used.

The idea: combine both. Finally, after intensive, joint development work, a thin stainless steel plate could be paired with the well-known easily modifiable aluminium lid. The flat plate is inserted into the die cast tool and interlocked with the aluminium in the casting process. Obviously, such a sophisticated method requires that all processes are coordinated. After all, two completely different materials are combined at extreme high temperatures. The benefit: stainless steel will still come into contact with the foodstuffs, however, a large part of the lid consists of the more lightweight and cost-effective aluminium.

As this is a completely new process, it was not clear from the start whether the implementation would work. A risk, that paid off. Cost savings of approx. 40% and 65% reduction in weight could be achieved. Worlds, in an area where everything is already maxed out.

So it's not surprising that the customer is now purchasing around four times as many parts than before the change. An innovation that works well for both parties.