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What Are the Different Types of Die Casting Processes?

Cold-Chamber Die Casting

Cold chamber die casting is used for higher melt-point metals like aluminum and lower-volume production. The injection chamber is charged and injected with molten metal. The chamber relies on the heat of the charge to make a stable processing temperature. This is a lower cost to set up and requires less maintenance but can produce more variability as the production rate stabilizes, leading to a good injection temperature in time.

Hot-Chamber Die Casting

A hot chamber or goose-neck casting is the more widely used process. It is better suited to higher volume but requires more system costs and more maintenance to preserve good production quality. The injection chamber is immersed in the molten bath it is fed from, maintaining charge temperature levels at the optimum for chamber fill.

What Materials Are Used in Die Casting?

Magnesium
Magnesium alloys are widely used for lightweight and high-strength parts. There are limitations in the processing, but magnesium alloys can achieve among the thinnest sections in die casting, because of very low viscosity in the melt.

Zinc
Zinc is very widely die-cast for many lower-strength applications. Zinc and commercial alloys it is a major constituent of are low-cost, easily cast, and sufficiently strong for many components such as enclosures, toys, etc.

Copper
Copper is not widely used in die casting, as it has a tendency towards cracking. It requires a high melt temperature, creating increased thermal shock in the tooling. When it is die-cast, it requires careful handling and a high-pressure process. For more information, see our guide on Copper.

Pewter
Pewter is a soft alloy, mainly tin, with antimony and traces of copper and bismuth. It is used purely for decorative objects and die casts easily in low-pressure equipment.

Aluminum
Aluminum alloys are by far the most important materials in volume die-cast production. They respond best to a hot chamber and high pressure—or more recently vacuum die casting—and provide moderate to high strength and high precision parts. Aluminum alloys are still critically useful in lower-tech processes, too.

Lead
ROHS has resulted in a significant reduction in the use of lead parts. They, however, remain critically important in the manufacture of (ICE) automotive battery parts, particularly terminals. Much development in lead die casting has improved overall automation and process speeds—developments that have fed through to other materials processing.

Tin-Based Alloys
Tin-based alloys impose very low wear and stress on tools due to low viscosity and melting point. While high-tin alloys (other than pewter) are rarely used now, the need does arise and specialists exist to serve in this.

What Are the Limitations of Die Casting?

Are susceptible to shock loading and sensitive to high loads. Parts must be carefully designed with these limits (and a factor of safety, FOS) in mind, to ensure good part service life.

Typical tool costs start at $10,000 for a small part and rise rapidly with component size. Typical tool life between major services (resurfacing, new bearings, etc.) is around 100 to 150k shots.

Non-ferrous metals can only be die cast at lower melting temperatures.

Die casting can easily generate porosity in parts when the casting pressure is low (gravity die casting).

Only limited undercuts are possible, and these increase tooling costs and reduce service life. Most die-cast tools aim for open and shut—all features being in the line of draw/ejection. Where draws are required, the part design must flex to accommodate tool robustness and simplicity.

What Are the Applications of Die Casting?

Aerospace: A wide range of engines, seating, interior fitting, cockpit control, and other parts are die-cast in aluminum.

Toys: Many toys were formerly manufactured from die-cast zinc alloys such as ZAMAK (formerly MAZAK). This process is still widely used despite plastics taking over much of the sector.

Automotive: Many ICE and EV car parts are made by automotive die casting: major engine/motor components, gearbox/differential housings, vehicle wheels, thermostat housings, suspension parts, interior strength members, and more.

Electronics: Enclosures, heat sinks, hardware.

Military: Vehicle, weapon, and system components.

Furniture: Chair legs, decorative parts, joiners.

Consumer: Product heat-distribution chassis, enclosures, decorative and structural parts.

Die Casting Steps

The company conducted a competitive advantage analysis to identify its strengths and weaknesses compared to its rivals.

Preparation of the Die

To prepare the die for casting, it is sprayed with a lubricant or releasing agent. Lubricants allow for clean part release by placing a film over the part. To make application easy, the lubricating agent is mixed with water that evaporates when sprayed on the heated steel die.

Clamping the Die

The halves of the die are clamped together under high pressure. The amount of force is determined by the machine.

Cooling

Cooling time depends on the type of metal and the temperature at which it will solidify. The geometry and wall thickness of the part are also factors.

Ejection

The halves of the mold are separated, and an ejection mechanism forces the part out of the die. The amount of force for removal has to be carefully monitored.

Trimming

Flashing (a thin portion of metal around the edge of a casting) is removed, known as deflashing, which is excess material such as metal that may have seeped between the die halves or runners.

How Does Die Casting Work?

The die casting process involves several steps, including mould design, metal preparation, injection, casting, and finishing.

Mould Design

The initial step in the die casting process is creating a mould called a die. This mould is usually made from steel or aluminium and is designed to withstand the high temperatures and pressures of the die casting process.
The mould design begins with developing a CAD design of the required mould. This design is then used to create a mould by CNC machining, which is further used in the casting process.

Finishing Process

The final step in the process is to finish the part. Surface finishing plays a vital role in die casting, as it can impact the durability and function of the part. Standard finishing processes include anodizing, powder coating, wet plating, and many more.

Metal Preparation

The next step is to prepare the metal for injection. This metal is typically an alloy, such as aluminium, magnesium, or zinc. The metal is melted in a furnace and then poured into a ladle.

Injection Process

Once the metal is in a liquid state, it is injected into the mould under high pressure. The molten metal fills the mould cavity and cools to create the desired shape.

Casting Process

After the metal has cooled and hardened, the mould is opened, and the part is ejected. Ensure that the part has cooled entirely before handling to avoid any potential injuries.

Advantages of Die Casting

Complex shapes: Die casting is a process that can produce complex shapes with tight tolerances

Versatility: The process is versatile and can be used to cast a variety of metals, including aluminium, zinc, and magnesium

High production rate: It is a relatively fast process, which can be an advantage when time is of the essence

Cost-efficient: The process is also relatively inexpensive, making it a cost-effective option for many applications

Repeatability: It also allows for a high degree of repeatability, meaning that parts can be manufactured to precise specifications.

Steps Involved In The Die Casting Operation

01/

Create Mold
First, computer-aided design (CAD) software is employed to design the die mold. This software allows the creation of a three-dimensional (3D) model of the die mold. Once the design is finalized, the actual die mold can be created. This involves machining the mold from a metal block using a CNC machine. After cutting, the mold usually need to a heat-treating process to harden the mold.

02/

Clamping
Clamping is the initial stage in die casting. To ensure an efficient injection and removal of the solidified product, it’s important to lubricate and clean the die beforehand to eliminate any impurities. Once it’s clean and lubricated, apply strong pressure to clamp and close the die.

03/

Casting
For the injection of melted metal, it should be poured into the shot chamber. This step varies depending on the process in use. For instance, in cold chamber die casting and hot chamber die casting. It is crucial to note that a high pressure produced by a hydraulic system is necessary for this stage.

04/

Cooling
After the casting has been set, it must be cooled and removed from the mold. This step is essential for maintaining the casting’s structural integrity. Manufacturers usually employ forced or natural cooling during this stage of die casting. However, the type of cooling used often depends on the size and complexity of the casting.

05/

Ejection
Following cooling, manufacturers use ejector pins to expel the casting from the mold chamber and remove it from the mold. Ensure that the final product is solid before ejecting it.

06/

Trimming
The final stage involves removing any excess metal that might be present in the sprue and runner of the finished product. Trimming can be done with a saw, grinder, trim die, or other tools. The beauty of the process is that the removed parts can be recycled and reused. During this process, to prevent damage to the casting, one must pay great attention and care.

Top 5 Tips For Die Casting

Maintain a uniform wall thickness across the casting.
This improves metal flow and the filling of the casting for better quality. It also minimizes dimensional variation due to the differences in cooling rates in the casting walls.

Corner radii (outside corners) and fillet radii (inside corners) on the casting should be as large as possible.
This improves the filling of the casting for better quality and increases die life due to decreasing of the degradation of the die steel in sharp corner areas.

Include draft (tapered walls) in the casting design. You should have more taper (draft) on the inside walls of the casting than you do on the outside walls of the casting.
Draft is required in order to remove the casting from the die. (This the same reasoning used in the design of muffin tins, which have tapered walls to aid in removing the muffins.) The reason for more draft on the inside walls is that the casting alloy shrinks as it solidifies. Castings tend to get smaller and fit more tightly onto the inside of the casting. The increased draft then allows for easier removal of the casting from the die.

Keep critical dimensions on the same side of the die.
Since the die has moving components, dimensions that are based on more than one component will have more variation than dimensions that are based on features in a single die component. Greater variation in dimensions will require larger tolerances, which may not be acceptable to the function of the casting. When that happens, it requires added operations on the casting to meet tolerances, which will result in added costs to the customer. (Something we always want to avoid!)

Avoid undercuts, if possible.
Undercut geometry cannot be cast in a standard die cast die. This undercut requires the addition of a moving die member called a “slide” in order to cast this piece of the casting geometry. The added “slide” increases the cost of the cast die. The undercut geometry also affects the amount of time required to make the casting, which increases the cost to the customer.

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FAQ

Q: What Is Die Casting?

A: Die casting is a process in which molten material is poured or forced into a mold cavity. This negative shape approach is identical in principle to all molding and casting processes, but it differs in almost every essential detail. The hardened tool-steel parts that form the cavity are pressed together by a hydraulic press, ensuring the closure faces meet precisely as a seal. Some parts require that the tool be heated at this point, while others form better with the cavity cold.

Q: Why Is It Called Die Casting?

A: It is called die casting because a "die" is a variably defined word for "tool". Most other casting processes such as sand casting and investment casting destroy the cavity in making a single part. Die casting is unique in leaving the cavity undamaged by casting a part. The earliest use of "die" as a term likely relates to the stamping tools for coins, which forge the metal in a cavity to form a precise shape.

Q: What Is the History of Die Casting?

A: Die casting originated with the casting of printer parts such as gears and bell cranks in the early/mid-19th century. The parts were simple: the tools were iron and coarsely made and the fill was hand poured from a ladle. The process developed over the 20th century to become a mainstay of high-volume metal component manufacture. Fully automated and complex production lines are now commonplace, although many of the more primitive origins of the process are still in meaningful commercial use—right through to hand ladle filling simple cavity tools.

Q: How Is Die Casting Performed?

A: Die casting is performed by pressing the cavity together using a hydraulic press to ensure that the closure faces are sealed. Some tools are heated while others are left cold to create the part. Filling of the cavity with molten metal can be low pressure (gravity feed or gravity die-cast) or high pressure (pressure die-cast) using a hydraulic ram. Higher pressure allows finer features and thinner sections to fill effectively. Lower pressure requires lower-cost equipment and lighter tooling, but it is only suited to simpler profiles and thicker sections.

Q: Why Is Die Casting Performed?

A: Die casting is performed to produce low-cost, high-volume light metal components of high precision, repeatability, and strength. All alternative processes result in much higher cost parts, often of poorer quality and always much slower to manufacture.

Q: Is Die Casting Product Long-Lasting?

A: It depends. Durability in die-cast parts is often a design issue—a matter of ensuring that the properties (strengths and weaknesses) of die-casting are properly considered. It is common for die-cast parts to give decades of service when the design of the part is correctly proportioned and allows for the loads and working conditions the part experiences.

Q: How Durable Are Die Casting Products?

A: Die-cast parts can be susceptible to corrosion, poor at abrasion resistance, lacking in ultimate tensile strength, ductile under shock loads and overloads, susceptible to creep, and susceptible to fracture. However, with good consideration of the weaknesses and good use of the great strengths of the process, die-cast parts can offer long service in high-demand applications and essentially unlimited service in lower-stress applications.

Q: How Much Does Die Casting Cost?

A: The establishment costs for die casting are high. Tooling is complex and expensive and is built to be super robust. Because of this, die casting is not an appropriate method for low-volume manufacture. However, the “sweet spot” for volume, when the higher cost of CNC-machined (from solid metal, or sand cast and post-machined) parts begin to match the tool amortization can be as low as hundreds of parts.

Q: What do you mean by die casting?

A: Die casting is a process in which objects of a particular shape are produced by forcing a molten material into a mold under pressure. Aluminum alloy cylinder heads are made by high-pressure die casting. Die casting is a metal casting process in which molten metal is forced under high pressure into a mold cavity.

Q: Why would you use die casting?

A: Die casting is characterized by high dimensional accuracy and allows for the mass production of thin-walled products with complex shapes. Die casting also has the advantage of producing smooth casting surfaces requiring less machining after molding.

Q: How long does die casting take?

A: Between 2-4 weeks
How long does it take to produce die cast tooling? Typically, it takes between 2-4 weeks from drawing approval to make a die. The exact length of time will depend primarily on the size and complexity of the profile needed.

Q: Does die casting have a permanent mold?

A: Improved Grain Structure: Permanent mold casting processes, such as die casting and gravity die casting, involve using a reusable mold made of metal (typically steel or iron). This mold imparts a smoother surface finish and allows for better control over cooling rates.

Q: How accurate is die casting?

A: Zinc die casting can produce components with a high degree of accuracy and volume. More often than not this rivals machining tolerances and can be used to cast closer tolerances than any other metal or moulded plastic. Due to this, there are no other processes that can easily achieve the same net shape performance.

Q: What is the lifespan of die cast mold?

A: According to the standers our industry follows, the lifespan of the aluminum die-casting molds is between 100,000 to 300,000 shorts. The lifespan of the zinc die-casting molds is between 200,000 to 350,000 shorts. The lifespan of the magnesium die-casting molds is between 300,000 to 700,000 shorts.

Q: How much does tooling cost for die casting?

A: Tooling prices can run anywhere from $15,000 to $150,000 (for Lakeshore Die Cast's size range) depending on the size and complexity of the part. When you receive a quote from us you will see the tooling as a separate item on the quote.

Q: What you need to know about die casting?

A: Die casting is a metal casting process that involves feeding molten nonferrous alloys into dies under high pressure and at high speed to rapidly create molded products. The main materials used in die casting are alloys of aluminum, magnesium and zinc.

Q: Are patterns needed in die casting?

A: Before you make your mold, you must create a pattern to determine the mold's shape. The pattern can be a 3-dimensional model of your final cast. It may be shaped in wax, sand, plastic, or even wood.

Q: What is the main purpose of die casting?

A: Die casting is often used to make components for the automotive industry or decorative hardware and many other small components. In fact, die-cast parts can be found in many things; you are probably just unaware that they are made from die-cast metal. Locks and gears are common finished products.

Q: What are the two basic methods of die casting called?

A: Depending on the type of melted metal, part geometry and part size, different die casting processes can deliver superior results over alternative methods. The two main types of die casting processes are hot-chamber and cold-chamber die casting.

Q: What is die casting also known as?

A: Die castings, sometimes known as pressure die casting, are used in automotive housings, appliance components, and toys. Nonferrous metals aluminium, zinc, copper, magnesium, lead, pewter, and tin-based alloys, are widely used to produce robust, high-quality complex components.

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