AWARDS

First Place! Why settle for anything less?

1996 International Die Casting Competition Winner

Award winning Electronic Meter Housing 
designed with the help of 
E. Toman & Company’s engineering department.

E. Toman & Company, Lyons, Illinois, took the award for the Zinc over 6 oz. non-electroplated category in the 1996 International Die Casting Product Competition of the North American Die Casting Association (NADCA). The entry, a meter housing, is used in part of the EM5 Electronic Meter / Valve Assembly for Graco, Inc., specifically for its meter and dispense bulk service. With volume production indicated for the electronic meter housing of a new bulk automotive fluid dispensing unit, die casting was considered the optimum process, with aluminum and zinc die casting alloy alternatives evaluated. E. Toman & Company chose to cast the meter housing of Zamack No. 3 Alloy. This alloy was chosen since it would allow near-net-shape production with the housing consolidated into a single part. The results are increased strength, dimensional stability, and an 80% reduction in machining costs. In addition, the meter and valve which are now one unit, allows for comfort and speed.

The designers considered producing the housing as two aluminum parts, but zinc die casting allowed production to tighter tolerances with zero draft in two areas. The single zinc component, produced by E. Toman & Company, significantly reduced assembly costs and the machining that would have been required with the two parts.