Early in the product development process the designer must assess
the question of material supplies and pricing, not only for
current conditions, but also over the expected production life of
the product.
The processes employed to produce, distribute and cast die casting
alloys are essentially safe and environmentally compatible.
Because of this, the industry is not subject to sudden changes in
operating practices and the associated manufacturing interruptions
and increased costs arising from government regulations relating
to the safety of workers or environmental pollution.
The price of die casting alloys, like other commodities, tends to
fluctuate with market conditions. However, die casting alloys
are not as sensitive to supply problems as are many materials,
because the supply sources for aluminum, magnesium and zinc enjoy
stability that is matched by few materials.
Video Images © Norsk Hydro, Graph Data Source: USGS Mineral
Commodity Summaries
