NADCA Collaborative Engineering White Paper Shows Benefits for Die Casters and OEMs

WHEELING, Ill., Oct. 3, 2005 -- The North American Die Casting Association (NADCA) has developed a White Paper explaining how collaborative engineering can help manufacturers design parts that have a lower overall cost, while improving quality and production efficiency.

"Effective use of the process offers the potential for saving anywhere from 30 per cent to 55 per cent in the cost of a given part," said NADCA President Daniel L. Twarog. "Collaborative engineering provides die casters with a point of competitive differentiation and can often keep business from being sent offshore, since the cost reductions available from more effective designs offset the price advantages of offshore competitors."

Tooling changes, engineering changes and process/materials changes often provide the starting point for embarking on a cooperative engineering project. There are a number of interrelated elements that affect the saving that can be achieved through the process. However, the two greatest opportunities for savings typically occur from engineering changes that reduce the amount of material in a casting or reduce the amount of machining and other post-casting processing.

The White Paper explains the elements needed to effectively utilize cooperative engineering and includes a case history to show how various design decisions can affect the product, quality and pricing for a given part.

For more information, visit http://www.diecasting.org/ .

Based in Wheeling, IL, the North American Die Casting Association (NADCA) represents the world's most effective die casters creating the world's best cast products. Working with a North American die caster guarantees innovation, integrity, accessibility, and reliability.

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