Global warming and resource
shortage have lead to an urgent demand for reducing the weight of passenger´s
vehicles. Since the first introduction of structural Aluminium cast components
in the AUDI A8 back in 1994, additional structural parts have been successfully
manufactured by vacuum assisted High Pressure Die Casting (HPDC) technology.
However, it is still an
expensive solution as this process technology requires evacuating the air in
the entire die cavity and shot system and therefore it is only affordable for
upper class cars. Hence, there is a clear need to develop a cheaper vacuum
technology in order to make it available to a wider customer base (lower and
medium class passenger vehicles).