GM China achieves breakthrough in developing magnesium alloy castings Stand first: The new technology will make it easier to manufacture vehicle parts from magnesium alloy, which is lighter than aluminium Body copy The GM China Advanced Technical Center (ATC) in Shanghai has recently announced the operation of its Vertical Squeeze Casting (VSC) machine. This is the first in the world designed for developing next-generation magnesium castings. This achievement marks a breakthrough in lightweight materials research by General Motors. The new technology will make it easier to manufacture vehicle parts from magnesium alloy, which is lighter than aluminium and helps improve a vehicle's fuel economy. Magnesium alloy is the lightest metal currently available for the mass production of automotive materials. A part made from magnesium alloy is 30 percent lighter than a part made from aluminium alloy. It is estimated that a vehicle's fuel economy will improve seven percent for every 150-kilogram reduction in weight. The VSC machine was jointly designed by GM's lightweight materials research teams in Detroit and Shanghai. It was built in collaboration with an equipment manufacturer in China. The VSC system is designed to improve casting integrity through the application of high squeeze pressure during the casting process. More importantly, its fully enclosed magnesium melting and transferring system can significantly improve the performance and quality of the castings, by maintaining the molten metal surface essentially isolated from oxygen which would otherwise produce oxide inclusions.