Recreational vehicles operate in a wide range of demanding environments. They travel long distances, endure changing weather conditions, and experience constant vibration, and repeated use. These conditions require strong, reliable components that perform consistently over time.
When applications require reliability and resilience for unique applications and complex shapes, zinc die cast parts can provide an excellent solution.
At Deco Products, we have manufactured a variety of precision zinc components for various RV manufacturers who need durability, consistency, and cost-effective performance. These products include high-quality window hardware, window locks, window cranks, brackets, and components for awning systems.
Why Zinc Die Cast Parts Are Ideal for Recreational Vehicles
Strength and Dimensional Stability
RV hardware must maintain alignment across tight tolerances over years of use. Zinc alloys are much denser than aluminum alloys. As such, zinc parts are strong, durable, and well suited to the varying demands from use in RV’s. Zinc window locks and operator mechanisms are able to maintain smooth function over repeated cycles despite the various stresses, vibrations, and mechanical loads placed on the hardware as the RV is used.
Complex Geometry with Fewer Parts
Zinc die cast manufacturing allows for intricate shapes and integrated features. Reducing the number of parts in complex designs reduces potential fail-modes throughout a products life. Additionally, fewer parts means better total cost. Because zinc castings are cast to near net-shape, many features are designed directly in the tool. That translates to consistent part-to-part quality and improved production efficiency.
Corrosion Resistance and Coating for Outdoor Use
Recreational vehicles are constantly exposed to moisture and changing temperatures. Zinc naturally forms a protective layer of zinc oxide, which helps resist corrosion in outdoor environments. This makes zinc well-suited for exposed window hardware and awning systems. Zinc is also a great substrate for powder coating. These powder coats can be formulated to provide excellent UV stable finishes for various outdoor applications.
Long Tool Life
Zinc tools tend to perform for an exceptional period of time, with many tools lasting millions of shots. This long tool life is largely thanks to the lower melting point of zinc and the highly fluid flow of the molten metal. Long tool life means lower total cost and a great long-lived asset to support service parts well into the product lifecycle. This is a great compliment to users who are making life-long investments in their Recreational Vehicles.
Zinc also performs exceptionally well in hot chamber die casting, a fast and highly repeatable process ideal for high-volume RV production.
Typical Zinc Hardware for Recreational Vehicles
Deco Products supplies a wide range of zinc die castings used in the RV application. This typically involves windows, hardware, and ventilation systems, but can include various custom shapes throughout the product application. Most commonly, we produce:
- Window locks
- Window cranks
- Twin-arm operators
- Awning hardware components
- Custom brackets
Each part is engineered for strength, durability, proper operation, and manufacturability. Whether it is a crank for a compact vent or a lock for a large window assembly, our quality products are designed to perform reliably in real-world conditions.
We offer multiple finishing options, including powder coating and plating, to match design and branding requirements.
How Deco Products Supports Our Customers
At Deco Products, we specialize in more than just casting parts. We support every stage of the process, from design to delivery.
- Our team helps you refine your design to help ensure your needs are balanced with total cost and long-term performance.
- We manage the construction of any needed tooling or capital assets on your behalf and support your pre-production approval processes with our in-house quality resources.
- Some customers only require raw die-castings. Other customers also look for our support on powder coating, machining, or some form of assembly operations.
- Once the product has been approved, we offer reliable production with enough excess capacity to support unexpected demand.
Partner with a Reliable Partner
Deco Products has supplied quality products to manufacturers since 1960. We are a stable, long-term partner that you can count on, producing over 90 million parts per year.
We manufacture 100% of our zinc die-cast parts in the USA. This supports faster lead times, better communication, and consistent results. Our team works closely with you to meet your design, cost, and delivery goals.
Our team is ready to support your next project with smart design, tight tolerances, and consistent quality. Whether you need window hardware, awning hardware, or custom solutions, we can help.
Explore our full line of zinc die cast parts or contact us to discuss your needs.