Process Improvement in Zamak Injection Machines for Automotive Component Fabrication

The die casting process should be designed with precision in the equipment, control system, and process variables due to the high working temperatures and pressures applied over a short time. This work aims to improve the reliability of the injection process of control cable Zamak terminals for the automotive industry, by reducing the consumption of standard components in the injection system and associated costs. A study was made of the different equipment of the company and, through the maintenance management software, a survey of the failure modes associated with the different components was carried out. Aiming to reduce failure occurrences, improvement actions were developed and subsequently validated. A significant improvement was accomplished by the proposed modifications, the thread failures were reduced by 82%, corresponding to a cost reduction of 85% for pump recommissioning.