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3/5/2024
Technology & Processes
Die casting products
Basic knowledge
Die-cast zinc impresses at the Oktoberfest
Originally work clothes in the village, today festive clothing for the Munich Oktoberfest or the Cannstatter Wasen: Dirndls - every single one shows a great deal of love for craftsmanship and detail. Matching buttons, bodice hooks and eyelets as well as jewellery help to complete the outfit. All of this is often made of zinc.
The german manufacturer of traditional costume and fashion jewelry Alpenwahn, for example, has been designing its accessories and jewelry for over 40 years. From pendants and charivari necklaces to ear jewellery and buttons, there is nothing that does not bear the "Alpenwahn signature". The entire spectrum is characterised by a variety of styles. The designs are meticulously crafted by an engraver before being pressed in silicone and then moulded.
Zamak forms the basis of the products because it is an ideal component for moulding. The buttons from the traditional costume retailer are produced in Holzkirchen and Jablonec, for example, using centrifugal casting machines. Centrifugal casting is a production process that is used for quantities such as these and below. For batch sizes of more than 10,000 units, zinc die casting is the process of choice because, in addition to high production rates, it enables the casting of complex geometries without subsequent post-processing.
After centrifugal casting, the parts are often coated first with copper and then with silver. This makes the jewellery more durable. Compared to the rubber moulds used in the past, the process ensures significantly greater stability.
For more than 20 years, Lola Paltinger has been designing and tailoring dirndls for national and international customers in her Munich-based traditional costume studio. A touch of "Alpenglam" is a must in her collections: For her, lace, elaborate embroidery and fine fabrics are all part of the perfect dirndl. Just like accessories and jewellery.
This is exactly where her demand for quality is combined with that of Alpenwahn. The two companies have been working together for many years. This is what Paltinger says about Zamak: "The material is high-quality, which in turn benefits the wearing comfort. My creations can be realised excellently and there are countless possibilities for finishing - all criteria that make a designer's heart beat faster."
Centrifugal casting is the key
Zamak forms the basis of the products because it is an ideal component for moulding. The buttons from the traditional costume retailer are produced in Holzkirchen and Jablonec, for example, using centrifugal casting machines. Centrifugal casting is a production process that is used for quantities such as these and below. For batch sizes of more than 10,000 units, zinc die casting is the process of choice because, in addition to high production rates, it enables the casting of complex geometries without subsequent post-processing. After centrifugal casting, the parts are often coated first with copper and then with silver. This makes the jewellery more durable. Compared to the rubber moulds used in the past, the process ensures significantly greater stability.
"Alpine glamour" through zinc die-casting
For more than 20 years, Lola Paltinger has been designing and tailoring dirndls for national and international customers in her Munich-based traditional costume studio. A touch of "Alpenglam" is a must in her collections: For her, lace, elaborate embroidery and fine fabrics are all part of the perfect dirndl. Just like accessories and jewellery.This is exactly where her demand for quality is combined with that of Alpenwahn. The two companies have been working together for many years. This is what Paltinger says about Zamak: "The material is high-quality, which in turn benefits the wearing comfort. My creations can be realised excellently and there are countless possibilities for finishing - all criteria that make a designer's heart beat faster."
