February 14, 2025
DIE CASTINGS the shape of things to come (1970)
With over 105 years in business, it's interesting to look back at TCDC's history and how we've advanced as a company. This brochure is from the 1970's.
A few highlights of what's changed:
- Furnace: In 1970, the breakdown furnace held 9,500 lbs. Today, in our Minneapolis plant, we have two furnaces. One holds 32,000 lbs., the other 20,000 lbs. of aluminum.
- Alloys: In 1970, we were still running zinc. Today, we only run aluminum alloys A380 and A360 in our Minneapolis plant.
- Trimming and Secondary Operations: In 1970, trimming was done manually. Today, parts are robotically loaded and trimmed in the cast cell.
Since TCDC was founded, the industry has evolved. We've seen increased process control, via closed loop systems. Shot speeds have gotten faster, providing an increased ability to properly fill a part. Automation has played a key role in the last few decades, with spray, ladling, and part extraction being automated, thus reducing labor costs and increasing part quality via stable, repeatable processes. Tooling and process design has also benefited greatly from the use of simulation software, eliminating much of the trial-and-error methodology used in the first century of die casting. Contact us to learn more.
