BuhlerPrince Inc. reported it is supplying a large-dimension, high-pressure diecasting machine to Mercury Casting, a business unit of Mercury Marine, as part of a plan to expand the group’s stern-drive engine platform. The new BuhlerPrince model 4575CCA diecasting machine will have 75 inches of free space between the tie bars, space that Mercury Castings unit will use to help expand the dimensions of its in-house casting capability.
It’s describe by the BuhlerPrince as “the largest high-pressure diecasting machine built in North America.”
“We are excited to bring this new machine into our portfolio,” stated Samir Mesanovic, director of Mercury Castings. “It will be a welcome addition to our production and increase our capabilities to produce the largest and most complex parts for both Mercury Marine and other customers.”
Mercury Castings produces aluminum castings by high-pressure diecasting and lost foam casting, for Mercury Marine programs as well as manufacturers of automotive, agricultural, and industrial systems.
The new machine will be delivered in June 2016.
According to the BuhlerPrince, the new machine will give Mercury Marine the ability to produce the largest automotive structural parts, and parts for other industries where lighter designs are needed to address fleet vehicle carbon-emission reductions, to achieve better fuel efficiency, or both. It’s a wider trend that has seen automotive and other vehicle designers shift specifications from iron and steel structures to aluminum and other lightweight materials, a shift that favors high-pressure diecasting production.
BuhlerPrince, Holland, MI, is an operating division of the Swiss manufacturer Buhler Die Casting. It produces machines ranging from 200 to 4,500 tons of clamping force, and offers retrofit and/or remanufacturing services, spares parts, and service and support for diecasters in North America.
“Buhler is very proud to partner with Mercury for their expanding die casting equipment requirements,” stated BuhlerPrince president and CEO Mark Los. “Continued investment in equipment and people allows BuhlerPrince, as the only diecast machine builder in North America, to provide innovative products to our customers, enabling them to be competitive on a global basis.”