Auswirkungen steigender Preise von Legierungselementen auf den Gießen

Since year 2025, the price of major casting raw materials such as aluminium alloys and copper alloys keep increasing. Among them, the price of electrolytic aluminium has increased by 18% year -on-year, and the price of Silicon has exceeded 28 thousand RMB per ton, which has directly led to the an increase of 12-15% in the production costs of casting enterprises year-on-year.

• Key Alloy Element Price Fluctuation Characteristics

* Aluminium Materials

The price range for raw aluminium alloy ingots has reached 20400-20800RMB/ton, significantly driven by energy cost. European Aluminium Enterprises have reduced production due to natural gas shortage, exacerbating the global supply shortage.

* Alloy Adding Elements

Silicon as a major element which improves liquidity, the price rise by 22%, directly impacting the cost of Aluminium-Silicon alloys.

Wile copper (Cu) enhances the mechanical properties, its price fluctuations increase the cost sensitivity of cast copper alloys.

* Trace Elements

The procurement cost of grain refiners such as Cr and Ti has increased by 15% due to the growing demand for specialty steels.

• Empirical Analysis of Price Transmission Mechanism

Based on dynamic model calculations, a 10% increase in aluminium prices will increase the cost of die casting parts by 7.2%. Taking automotive chassis casting as an example, the cost per vehicle will increase by 540RMB, which put significant pressure on automakers engaged in large-scale production.

• Impact on Casting Process and Product Structure

* Process Adaptability Adjustment

In order to control the production cost, some companies have increased iron (Fe) content to 0.8-1% in the formulation to balance demolding performance and economy.

* Material Substitution Trends

For the non-critical components, the trend of ductile iron replacing aluminum-magnesium alloys is evident, with the demand for cast iron materials increasing by 3.5% quarter-on-quater in the first quarter of 2025.

* Technological Upgrades Accelerate

By employing topology optimization and 3D printing technology to achieve weight reduction design, some companies have reduced the amount of aluminium used per piece by 8-12% through structure optimization.

• Supplying Chain Collaborative Response Strategy

Establish a price linkage mechanism and sign floating price contracts with upstream suppliers;

We implemented “gram-level cost control” and improved material utilization to over 92% through refined casting system design;

Develop low-cost formulations such as high-silicon aluminium alloys, and reduce the amount of precious metals added by optimizing the composition while ensure fluidity.

The global aluminium alloy casting market is projected to reach $135.2 billion by 2026. As the largest producer, China needs to establish a multi-tiered raw material reserve system. It is recommended that industry associations take the lead in developing a “Casting Raw Material Price Index” to guide the procurement decisions of small and medium-sized enterprises.