Current status and manufacturing technologies of magnesium alloy parts in Japanese home electronics

The Japanese home electronics market has demanded that the newer products must be smaller, thinner and lighter. The use of magnesium alloys for Japanese home electronics has increased since the latter half of the 1990's. Magnesium alloys have been used mainly for the outer cases of portable electric products, because of their lightness and rigidness. Magnesium is also a promising material from the viewpoint of recycling. Magnesium alloy parts have been mass-produced for the outer cases of portable home electronics, such as, mini-disc player, notebook type personal computer or cell phone. The parts have the characteristics of high quality in appearance and thin walled, complicated shape with rib or boss. Most of them are formed by die-casting or injection molding technologies. After casting, the parts are treated precise machining to clear minute surface cracks or voids. Subsequently, they are operated anti-corrosion treatment and spray coating. Recycling have already carried out for magnesium alloy scraps to be cast again. Paint stripping before remelting is performed by alkali solutions or sandblast techniques for coated scraps. Finally, the development of promising press forming technologies is also introduced.