Casting Study: Printer for ‘ATB’ Magnetic Airline Tickets

Zinc alloy pressure die casting has been chosen by the IER company for the four parts which make up the structure of this ticket printer. The specification set by IER required a material and technology which would enable the production of: – complex shapes, so that the number of component parts could be minimised; – consistent parts, so that problem-free assembly of the printer could be guaranteed; – rigid and dimensionally stable parts, producing a reliable structure within which other parts could be mounted; – anti-static components with a good surface finish so as to avoid blocking, sticking or tearing the paper, or damage to the tickets. Initially IER produced prototypes with the same parts sand cast in ILZRO 2 alloy (see photo-left). As well as enabling detailed development of the printer to be completed, this procedure also made possible significant modifications to the zinc castings: the resin bonded moulds for the prototypes could where necessary be modified at low cost and with minimum delay. Once the whole design was set, the pressure die casting dies were made (see photo-right) to start mass production.