Can you briefly present yourself and tell us about DST Tech?
My name is Sandeep Tandon, and I am the Director at DST Tech Private Limited.
DST Tech Private Limited has been operating in the zinc die casting industry in India for over 25 years. We specialize in two major areas:
- Automotive and Builders Hardware: High-precision engineering castings.
- Sanitaryware: Castings that can be electroplated to achieve a high-quality finish.
Over the years, we have developed expertise in zinc die casting and have received multiple international accolades. Notably, we won the North American Die Casting Award twice, in 2018 and 2022. Additionally, we have received the IZA Award twice in 2018 & 2023 and the China Die Casting Award for excellence in casting and feed system design in 2018.
How did you come to know about PiQ² and what led you to choose Castle as simulation software?
We are now expanding into international markets and increasing our export activities. Initially, we were introduced to PiQ² through their online literature. I has first chance to understand their work during a visit to the IZA Congress, where I learned about their simulation software tailored specifically for zinc die casting.
Most casting simulation software on the market is designed primarily for aluminium casting, while zinc casting has unique requirements such as different feed system designs, screw bushes, and nozzle specifications. PiQ²’s software was promising, but we hesitated to adopt it initially because they lacked a presence in India.
However, last year, PiQ² reconnected with us and informed us that they had established an office in India with a dedicated team to provide local support. This development reassured us, and we decided to proceed with the software purchase.
What are the key benefits of implementing PiQ²’s software at DST Tech?
I have been the primary user of the software in our company, as I oversee feed system design. Over the past 4-5 months, I have been particularly impressed by two key features:
- Integrated CAD Software: Unlike other software that requires switching between different platforms (e.g., Unigraphics or CATIA), PiQ² allows CAD modifications within the package itself. This seamless integration saves time and enhances efficiency.
- Castle Mind Analysis Tool: This feature provides an initial assessment of feed system designs before running full simulations. It evaluates factors like runner sizes and gating efficiency and visually represents them on the PQ² Graph. Additionally, the machine parameters of all major die casting machinery manufacturers are available in the software and are factored in design by Castle Mind. With the insights obtained from castle Mind, we can optimize our designs, improving accuracy and reducing iterations.
How does Castle compare to other die-casting simulation software?
While all casting simulation software provides similar capabilities in terms of visualizing flow and solidification, PiQ² stands out due to:
- Built-in CAD functionality that eliminates the need for external CAD tools.
- Castle Mind analysis, which allows preliminary evaluations before full-scale simulations.
- The software has all the machine parameters of major die casting machinery makers worldwide, so the need to input these manually gets eliminated. You can choose your machine models, and its parameters are loaded automatically in Castle Mind for evaluation.
- Reduced design iterations, leading to shorter trial times and improved efficiency.
Are you satisfied with the training and support PiQ² provides?
Both Luca from PiQ² and Mr. Khan from their India office have been highly supportive. Whenever we face challenges, they are quick to assist—whether by reviewing our designs directly or guiding us through screen-sharing sessions.
Final thoughts?
I believe that most existing software solutions are optimized for aluminum die casting, whereas PiQ², with Castle Mind, offers specific configuration for both zinc and aluminum die casting. I strongly recommend that professionals in this industry try the software and see how it aligns with their needs.
In the coming months, we plan to expand the use of PiQ² within our organization and train more employees on its functionalities.
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We sincerely appreciate Sandeep Tandon for sharing valuable insights about DST Tech Private Limited and their experience with PiQ² Castle simulation software.