STIHL technology receives Award of Excellence

The magnesium piston was the winner in the Commercially Molded Products or Processes category. It is mass produced by injection molding to very high quality standards in terms of temperature resistance, pores, blow holes, wear and strength properties. Hartmut Fischer, managing director of STIHL Magnesium Injection Molding in Weinsheim, Germany, is very proud of the award: "STIHL has more than 60 years of experience in working with and producing magnesium. We set new standards in development and production by using magnesium piston technology in a chainsaw for the first time. Thanks to this technology and the consistent, lightweight design, we succeeded in the power-to-weight ratio of the STIHL MS 400 C-M significantly reduced. Once again a confirmation of our position as a technological leader."

The panel of international experts recognizes "the unique, new and creative application of magnesium" and "progress over current practice." Due to the corona pandemic, this year's award ceremony was a virtual event. The innovative technology was already awarded the top prize in the "Magnesium Components" category at the Euroguss 2020 trade fair.

Light and powerful: the STIHL MS 400 C-M

The use of magnesium in the new STIHL MS 400 C-M, combined with the consistent lightweight design, results in an engine weight of only 5.8 kg and thus an exceptionally low power-to-weight ratio of 1.5 kg per kilowatt. The new component also gives the machine a huge maximum speed of up to 14,000 rpm, which especially makes pruning faster. With this first-class performance, the MS 400 C-M meets what professional users of a forestry tool want: high power with low weight.

STIHL Magnesium Injection Molding: one of the largest injection mills in Europe

STIHL Magnesium Injection Casting was founded in 1971. Today it is one of the largest and most modern magnesium die-casting plants in Europe. With its high-quality products, the plant is an important part of the international STIHL production network. The plant currently has 800 employees in the Eifel region and produces high-quality magnesium components for chainsaws and power tools, as well as for the automotive, motorcycle, and bicycle sectors, for electronics and medical technology. About 25 percent of sales come from injection molding projects for external customers. The plant has grown continuously in recent years, and a new center for production logistics was added in July 2020.