Die Casting for Chassis Components

In 2006 Volvo 3P North America launched a request for quotation for some component of its new chassis. These parts are the brackets which are holding the radiators in the truck. Their main function is to sustain the radiator under the normal solicitations of the road and under the accidental ones. “fonderie 2a”, a foundry specialized in the production of small, medium and large die-cast components, was one of the partners which Volvo 3P inquired. Its proposal included the development of an aluminium high pressure die-casting. This solution showed a significant economic gain in the final cost of the component. It has then been decided to launch a first study in order to enter more in the detail of the solution proposed. “fonderie 2a” had to engineer the parts, taking into consideration of the specifications of Volvo 3P in the fields of mechanical strength, reliability and mountability. In order to answer to these requests, “fonderie 2a” first designed the pieces in order to find a compromise between high pressure die casting requirements and Volvo 3P specifications. Once found the best design, “fonderie 2a” proposed the best alloy for such application together with a specific heat treatment in order to improve the mechanical properties of the parts and validated it by FEM simulation. At the end, “fonderie 2a” realised the first prototypes which have been tested on different platforms: the final results showed that the new pieces can fulfil Volvo 3P's requirements. Following these very positive results, Volvo 3P decided to homologate this new application and introduced them on its trucks.