A reason this guide will answer all your questions on structural die casting and other related processes.

So, if you want to learn more, read this guide.

What is ‘Skin Effect’ in Structural Die Casting?

The Structural Die Casting mechanical properties are acquired from a series of tests carried out on the component.

The metal on the structural die cast surface quickly solidifies and forms a compressed structure with fine grain.

Its strength is higher compared to the underlying metal and this is what can be described as the ‘skin effect’.

Besides, the skin has an inward extension of around 0.38-0.50mm thus rapid solidification results in porosity concentrating to the center section.

The skin becomes comparatively free of porosity. This affects the mechanical properties of the Structural Die Cast.

What is Structural Die Casting?

This is the process of creating complex components by forcing molten metal into molds that are called Dies under pressure. The molten metal then solidifies into a cast.

It is mostly applied in the automotive and aviation industry to make complex parts that are eventually joined together.

A Structural Die-Cast

What Are The Industry Applications Of Structural Die Casting?

Structural Die Casting is utilized in many industries that require a structural component to be manufactured from metal.

The structural components can be designed for the construction industry but the vehicle and airplane parts are the most structurally die-cast components.

Automotive Industry

Structural Die Casting is used in the automotive industry to produce structural components used in the assembly of cars.

Most of these components are manufactured using high-grade Aluminum alloys.

This is because their major physical trait is their lightweight and they have a very high quality.

They also have exceptional strength hence they eliminate the need for heat treatment.

Aerospace Industry

Structural Die Casting is the most preferred in the aviation industry because the components produced are lightweight.

They are also durable and strong with extreme precision and a consistent manner of production taken into consideration.

Construction Industry

The construction industry requires Structural Die Casting to create precise components which are strong and lightweight.

They also have a special dimension that is tightly controlled making them an asset for architectural projects.

Structural Die Casts Are An Asset In The Construction Industry

How Is Precipitation Hardening Applied In Structural Die Casting?

Structural Die Casted parts that are made of alloys that are heat-treatable can undergo precipitation hardening.

If the speed of mold filling is slow, gases are prevented from escaping hence they are trapped within the mold.

Annealing has to be carried out on the cast parts based on a time-temperature profile which relies on the dimension and alloy of the part used.

This leads to the generation of a solid solution that is homogenous on the cast part.

After annealing for some time, the cast parts are satiated in water, and in selected cases, they are re-annealed again.

After this solution annealing, alloying atoms are used to supersaturate the solid solution.

During the whole of the Precipitation Hardening, the microstructure’s mechanical strength and hardness are amplified.

This will lead to an increase in the size of the cast parts.

How Does Hot Chamber Compare To Cold Chamber in Structural Die Casting?

The difference between these two is the manner in which the molten metal is put inside the mold while preparing a Structural Die Cast.

Hot Chamber

It uses alloys that contain very low melting temperatures placed in a die containing a movable and fixed section.

A holding pot that is open and joined to the furnace is used to hold the molten metal.

A plunger is then used to take the molten metal into the mold via a gooseneck.

The molten metal will then freely flow into a shot chamber with the die in an upright position.

The mold two halves are closed under pressure for the mold to form with the plunger still down until the metal cools.

A system of ejection shoves the casting out after solidification from the two die halves.

An Illustration Of The Hot Chamber Structural Die-Cast

Cold Chamber

A cold chamber refers to its temperature after the introduction of molten metal inside it.

The camber is usually at normal room temperature prior to the pouring of the molten metal inside it.

The metal alloys used have a very high melting point and are heated separately in a furnace and poured into a shot chamber in the die.

The die consists of both fixed and movable sections.

The molten metal alloy is poured vertically and pressure is exerted to force it forward.

The ram sustains the pressure until the molten metals solidify and cool down ready for ejection.

A Cold Chamber Process

What Are The Common Types of Dies Used in Structural Die Casting?

There is a variety of dies that have been developed for Structural Die Casting.

They are ever-changing due to evolving technology.

• Single Cavity – they generate a single unit at a time and are utilized in machines that are limited to handling one die. Limitations are brought about by the die size, the force locking it, and short height.

It is preferred for complicated components that contain multidirectional features within them.

• Multiple Cavity – they have the ability to generate very many parts of a similar component in a single casting. They are specifically designed for an exact component.
• Combination – this is a die containing multiple cavities within it. They produce a variety of parts that fit onto each other instead of casting individual structural components.
• Unit – these are dies that can be placed inside other dies. This unit die is varied for various components while maintaining the large die at a fixed position.

How Does Impact And Dent Resistance Affect The Structural Die Casting?

The Structural Die Castings’ impact and its resistance to dents have been put to test in many four-wheel drive cars in rugged terrain.

Power tools that are hand-operated and are medium-sized Structural Die Castings also display similar characteristics.

The dent resistance of a component is its capacity to endure an impact load without deforming permanently.

If Aluminum is used for Structural Die Castings, the designer can achieve components with very high dent resistance.

This is because of the low modulus of elasticity of its alloys and its moderate to high yield strength when matched with steel or iron.

What Are The Design Advantages Of High-Integrity Low Porosity Structural Die Casting?

The advantages include:

• They exhibit amazing strength combined with ductility in many alloys.
• The structural components are very lightweight especially automotive parts.
• No deformations or blistering observed after welding and heat treatment
• Gas entrapment is greatly reduced.
• Lead to reduced production delays due to low impact.
• That has good precision control for individual components.

What Are The Factors Affecting The Quality of Structural Die Castings?

The following factors affect the Structural Die Casting qualities:

Die Casting Design

The designer has to comprehend fully the requirements of the user and components working conditions.

Using this and other factors like die casting stress, appropriate material is chosen with knowledge of its die-casting performance.

The design structure of the structural die casting should be as simple as possible but meet the design requirements.

Having a uniform wall thickness prevents defects like shrinkage porosity, air holes, and deformations.

Machining Accuracy And Die Structure

Dies are used to making Structural Die Castings therefore their design and material selection greatly influence the product quality.

Having an unreasonable die structure will result in poor product quality no matter what mitigation measures are taken.

The die material also impacts the shelf life of the die and its quality including the process accuracy.

Other factors affected are the trace processing, the roughness of the surface, and the dies improper final assembly.

Shrinkage Of Casting Materials

A Structural Die Castings material shrinkage is usually chosen by giving it as a percentage with a definite change rate.

High-precision die castings require special attention when designing the mold.

A test mold can be created first then the data acquired is used in the components mass production.

There Are Factors To Consider During The Design Of Structural Die Casting

What Are The Pros And Cons of Structural Die Casting?

Structural Die Casting comes with a lot of advantages making it very popular in the industry.

It also comes with its fair share of disadvantages.

Advantages Of Structural Die Casting

• Complex Details- complex parts can be manufactured in record time with absolute precision and good finishing.
• Short Lead Time – a normal Structural Die Casting process is usually very brief. The lead time is determined by the properties of the material used and the part size.
• Excellent Mechanical Properties – Structural Die Cast parts may not be as sturdy as forged parts but they have exceptional mechanical properties. The parts produced have superior conductivity, hardness, and enhanced durability.
• Superior Finishing – designs can be created to ensure Structural Die Casts have a well-textured and smooth finishing based on the parts requirement.
• Economical – when it comes to the production of large batches of parts, die casting becomes cheaper due to the reduced cost per part.
• Excellent Precision – compared to other conventional manufacturing techniques, Structural Die Casting Produces parts with tighter tolerances. This makes it the most appropriate for the delicate application.

How Does Structural Die Casting Impact The Environment?

Just like any other conventional process involved in manufacturing, the environment has to be impacted.

A great deal of energy is required for the melting of metals besides properly treating the wastewater.

Structural Die Casting greatly reduces the eventual environmental impact by utilizing a lot of recycled materials.

This means that a very little energy-intensive is used to produce the cast parts.

The components are also light with thin walls thus reducing the consumption of fuel on vehicles and aircraft.

What Are The Geometric Features of Structural Die Casting?

The Design Geometry of Structural Die Casts determines the process of filling and cooling of parts together with porosity, grain and stress.

The type of metal used for casting determines the level of stress and the grain structure of the part.

The Geometric Features involved in Structural Die Casting include:

Fillet Radii

Fillet radii redirect the concentration of stress at sharp interior corners thereby making the part stronger.

The weak points are reduced by distributing the stress over the fillet’s broader volume, therefore, preventing it from cracking.

Fillet Radii

Holes And Windows

The Holes and windows in a structural die cast need the greatest amount of drafting because of the connection they make with the die surface.

The effect is difficulty in ejection with the possibility of blocking the molten metal flow.

Drafting

Drafting can be described as an angle that varies with the surface and type of Structural Die Casted Wall.

Draft

Ribs

Ribs serve the purpose of assisting the cast metal to wholly fill the crevices of the die casting.

They facilitate the path of the molten metal and fasten the ejection while simplifying it.

Parting Line

Parting Line is where both die halves meet and it outlines the interior and exterior surfaces.

The parting line also decides which cover side becomes the die and the ejector.

 Parting Line Of A Die-Cast

Bosses

These are points of standoff and mounting found in the Structural Die Castings.

They assist in sustaining a wall thickness that is even and eliminate the machining done after casting.

How Does A Component’s Operating Temperature Affect Its Structural Die Casting Process?

The operating temperature of any Structural Die Casting is always a limiting factor when it comes to its material selection.

This notwithstanding, such parts still satisfactorily function in as much the temperatures are prohibitive.

Having an initial prototype can be very effective since the design can be optimized before production. This will also help in the appropriate material selection.

What Are The Different Variations of Structural Die Castings?

Many different variations of Structural Die Castings have been produced to counter any errors and deformities.

They also overcome the design flaws and any other issue arising from the Structural Die Casting Operations.

The variants include:

Pole Free

Before the molten metal is poured or injected, oxygen is used to fill the dye cavity.

The oxygen immediately combines chemically with the hot metal immediately it enters the cavity to prevent gas bubbles.

Low Pressure

With this type of Structural Die Casting, the chamber containing molten metal is located beneath the die.

The intake port is used to push it through into the die chamber while maintaining the pressure till solidification.

Acurad

Acurad is an anagram that stands for accurate, reliable, and dense.

It faster cycle times by merging directional solidification with stable fills.

The procedure involves fill and flows modeling, squeezing indirectly, castings that are heat-treatable and thermal analysis.

After partially solidifying, double pistons raise the pressure on the cast part.

Acurad Structural Die Casting

Semi-solid

This procedure involves pouring the semi-solid metal, swirling it, and taking it to a shot sleeve to be forced into a mold cavity under pressure.

It generates parts with a fine microstructure, outstanding surface finishes, and impeccable dimensional tolerance.

Gravity

A permanent Die is filled completely with molten metal by pouring it directly into it.

This involves foaming, turbulence, and oxidation with the die being tilted, vertical or horizontal.

Characteristics of Structural Die Castings using gravity are good stiffness, very high strength with good quality.

Investment

This labor-intensive method is also called lost wax casting and entails using a wax prototype to shape a mold.

It is then dipped in some liquid ceramic and after the wax hardens, it is melted away.

Molten metal is then used to fill the cavity of the ceramic.

This ceramic will be broken away Immediately after the casting of the metal is removed.

What Is The Importance Of Geometry Planning In Structural Die Casting?

Structural Die Casting design geometry controls the filling and cooling of parts and how their porosity, grain, and stress are impacted.

Some of the defects prevented by geometry planning include:

• Part finishing
• Poor fluid life
• Checks performed post-casting
• Solidification problems
• Hot cracking

 How Does A Structural Aluminum Die-Cast Compare To Permanent Mold Alloy Of Similar Composition?

The rate of cooling that comes with Structural Die Casting is very high compared to that of permanent mold casting.

This is because permanent mold casting uses insulated coatings instead of pressure on the metal dies.

Structural Aluminum Die castings have a very fine microstructure compared to permanent mold castings.

Its mechanical properties are also superior including its ductility.

How Can Structural Die-Cast Defects Be Minimized?

Each Structural Die Casting defect has to be individually handled for efficient solution:

• Strict Quality Control: Porosity is the major defect in Structural Die castings and cannot be completely eliminated from casting. Each production stage has to undergo rigorous quality control.
• Use Lubricants: Additives can be used when melting the metal to release gases that have dissolved in it. Adding lubricants with each casting stage decreases the odds of porosity being induced on the surface.
• Appropriate Injection Speed: excess injection speed coupled with improper designs bring about metal turbulence while it is flowing. The Mold is precisely designed with shot speed determined after carrying out mold flow analysis.
• Improve Die and Part Design: poor designs can lead to shrinkages while cooling. Design hot spots can be removed and runners and gates added to mitigate this.

What Is The Relationship Between Structural Die-Cast Quality And Mold?

The main tool for Structural Die Casting is the die and when designing it, its general structure and that of die parts should be reasonable.

It should be easy to manufacture and use while maintaining safety and stability.

It should be able to prevent the Structural Die Casting component from deforming and allow easy flow of the molten metal within it.

The capacity of the equipment being generated determines the number of cavities within the die.

The temperature of the die casting also plays a major role in the quality of Structural Die Castings.

Unsuitable temperatures of the mold affect both internal and external qualities such as the porosity of the die castings.

At Inox, we will help get high-quality structural die-cast parts and components.

Contact us now for all your structural die-cast parts.

The post Structural Die Casting: The Ultimate FAQs Guide appeared first on Inox Cast.

A reason this guide explores everything you need to know about high-pressure die casting.

Keep reading to learn more.

What Is High-Pressure Zinc Die Casting?

High-pressure zinc die casting is a very efficient fabrication technique for making different kinds of products.

The process will force molten zinc metal at high velocities and pressure levels within a sealed die cavity.

Besides, the die contains moving and stationary halves that you will mount to the platens of the die casting machine.

 high pressure die casting

The die casting machine contains injection ends that utilize hydraulic systems and pressurized gas to relay the piston forward.

High-pressure zinc die casting machines can turn the molten zinc metal into solid form within seconds.

Which Systems Can You Use To Inject Molten Zinc Metal Into Moulds Within A High Pressure Die Casting?

There are two processes that you can employ, and they include:

Hot Chamber Die Casting

This process entails automatically supplying molten zinc metal through goosenecks inside the molten zinc metal furnace to the die casting machine.

At the start of the process, the piston retracts enabling the gooseneck to fill with molten zinc metal.

 molten zinc metal

Once you activate the piston, the metal plunges via the gooseneck and inside the die.

Some benefits of hot chamber die casting entail the following:

1. Sophisticated cast-in details
2. A fast-cycling production
3. The design of the dies are efficient thus minimizing waste
4. It minimizes porosity
5. Durable die-casting units because of low melting points

Cold Chamber Die Casting

In this process, you will relay molten zinc metal to the containing furnace of the machine from a melting furnace.

For every cycle, you will transfer a specific amount of molten zinc metal to the shot chamber of the high-pressure die casting machine.

Also, you will use automatic ladles to assist with the transfer mechanism.

Programmable hydraulic valves will actuate plungers that will force the molten zinc metal within the die at high pressure and velocities.

After the molten zinc metal solidifies, you will release the plunger and eject the solid zinc component.

 high pressure die casting

What Are The Benefits Of High-Pressure Zinc Die Casting?

High-pressure zinc die casting will offer you the following benefits:

• It will allow you to attain tight tolerance levels
• The surfaces of the zinc components from this process are smooth
• It enables you as the manufacturer to make sophisticated zinc components in large amounts
• Since it can last for several cycles, you will fabricate several zinc components before conducting replacement services
• In the process of making zinc components in large quantities, you will save on the production costs
• High-pressure zinc die casting allows you to produce similar zinc components
• The process enables you to make zinc parts that have thin walls and are lightweight
• High-pressure zinc die casting enables you to solidify the molten zinc metal within seconds due to its short casting cycles

What Are Some Limitations Of High-Pressure Zinc Die Casting?

The limitations of high-pressure zinc die casting should not deter you from employing the process.

These limitations include the following:

Some of the disadvantages include:

• The initial capital you need before starting production is high
• Also, high-pressure zinc die casting requires expensive and complex tools
• This process is not cost-effective when making single or conducting small production processes
• High-pressure zinc die casting is inflexible when you compare it to gravity die casting
• The process of heat treatment may generate surface blisters due to the porosity of the zinc component that contains gasses within it

How Do High Pressure And Low-Pressure Zinc Die Casting Compare?

Low-pressure zinc die casting occurs as you gently fill the molten zinc metal into the die cavity via tubes located on holding surfaces.

Also, the filling process of the mold in low-pressure zinc die casting happens in a vertical position.

low pressure die casting

Low-pressure zinc die casting has the following benefits:

• It is suitable for complex geometries and designs
• The process produces components with high strength features
• Automation works well with this process
• The process is affordable when handling small production runs
• Low-pressure zinc die castings are good for configurations that have a considerable wall thickness
• The process is accurate and provides high accuracy of the dimensions

High-pressure zinc dies casting occurs after you force molten zinc metal inside the die.

Also, this process tends to occur in a horizontal plane.

High-pressure zinc dies casting can happen in either hot or cold chamber die casting processes.

There are benefits to using high-pressure zinc die casting and they entail the following:

• The process will effectively handle the production of thin-walled zinc components
• Also, the process occurs rapidly since the casting cycles are short
• The final product will show a smooth surface
• It is cost-effective when performing large production processes
• The process functions well with large zinc alloy components

How Will You Conduct The Process Cycle Of A High-Pressure Zinc Die Casting?

The process cycle for high-pressure zinc die casting entails the following:

Clamping

Here, you will clamp together both halves of the die.

Also, you need to clean the die from the previous injection and then lubricate it to make the next ejection process easy.

The time for lubrication is higher with the component size, aide-cores, and cavity number.

Furthermore, you may not need to lubricate the die after each cycle, but you can perform it after 2 to 3 cycles.

All this depends on the material you are using.

The next step entails closing and securing the two clamped halves together.

Also, you need to apply sufficient force when clamping the die to ensure they are securely closed during the molten metal injection process.

The time you need to secure and clamp the die relies on the machine as large machines need more clamping forces thus, taking more time.

Injection

Here, you will transfer the molten zinc metal which is at a specific temperature within the furnace.

It goes into the chamber where you will inject it into the die.

The injection process can either be a cold chamber or a hot chamber process.

After the transfer process, you will inject the molten zinc at high pressures of around 1000 PSI to 20000 PSI.

This pressure will ensure the molten zinc metal during the solidification process.

The injection time usually lasts 0.1 seconds to inhibit one part of the zinc metal to solidify early.

Some factors that will influence the injection time include the following:

1. Material thermodynamic properties
2. Casting wall thickness

The larger the wall thickness, the longer the injection time.

Also, injection time in cold chamber die casting includes the time you will use to manually ladle molten zinc metal inside the shot chamber.

Cooling

After the molten zinc metal enters inside the die cavity, it will start to solidify following the injection process.

The final zinc shape of the cast forms after you fill the whole die cavity and it solidifies.

Besides, you cannot open the die until after the time for cooling elapses and the zinc cast solidifies.

To estimate the cooling time, you will consider the following:

1. Thermodynamic properties of zinc metal
2. Maximum thickness of the wall casting
3. Die complexity

Also, you will require more cooling time if you need a large wall thickness.

Ejection

Here, you will open the die halves and use an ejection system to remove the cast from the die cavity after cooling time elapses.

Ejection mechanisms will apply a force to remove the zinc component.

This is because the cooling process causes the part to shrink and stick to the die.

After ejection, you will clamp the die readying it for the next cycle.

Trimming

During the cooling process, zinc materials within the die solidify and attaches to the casting.

Therefore, it is important to trim this excess material together with a flash that may have happened.

Trimming can happen manually using saws or using trimming presses.

Also, you can dispose of or recycle the scrap material you trim from the zinc component.

Which Zinc Alloys Can You Use In High Pressure Die Casting?

Zinc alloys available for use in this process include the following:

Zamak Alloys

This version so zinc alloy has around 4% of aluminum and they offer suitable strength and castability.

They have been widely used for several years.

zamak alloy

ZA alloys

This type of zinc alloy is suitable for components needing high strength.

Besides, they have high strength since they contain a high amount of aluminum material.

ZA Alloys

What Should You Consider When Selecting Zinc Alloys For High-Pressure Zinc Die Casting?

These include the following:

Cost

Zinc alloy cost is vital in the whole product price in high-pressure zinc die casting.

The price fluctuates depending on the market conditions and the weight of the material.

Process Cost

Zinc alloys that you can perform hot chamber die casting need small die casting machines.

These machines also operate at higher rates than the same size as cold chamber die casting machines.

Maintenance and replacement cost for zinc alloys is low since they do not attack the steel dies.

Also, they cast at low-temperature values.

However, the cost will increase with ZA alloys.

Zinc alloys may also minimize finishing machine operations when you need precision like zero drafts.

Structural Traits

ZA alloys have high yields strength, elasticity modulus is a good choice when you need maximum strength within a specific area.

Also, consider the creep characteristics of zinc alloys when you are planning to load them for a long time as they have a visco-elastic behavior.

Weight

Different alloys possess different weight levels and you should consider this factor for your application.

Impact Strength

Zinc alloys have the highest strength impact but start to lessen when temperatures are sub-zero degrees Celsius.

Also, these alloys contain low yield strengths but store a lot of elastic energy due to their non-linear modulus of elasticity.

Surface Finish

Zinc alloys allow you to maintain a high-quality finish in the long run as they are compatible with steel dies.

Corrosion Resistance

The corrosion resistance varies with the alloy you are using, so factor this in depending on the application.

Machinability

Zinc alloys provide suitable machining traits when you need them in machining operations.

Besides, the level of machinability varies on the alloy you are using in the die casting process.

What Tooling Will You Use In High-Pressure Zinc Die Casting?

The die which you will inject molten zinc metal is customized for the process.

Besides, the dies have two halves that are the cover die and the ejector die.

The cover die sits on a stationary platen while the ejector dies is on a movable die.

This design enables the die to open and shut along the parting line.

The die cavity has two inserts that are the core insert that you will fit in ejector dies and cavity inserts that fit into the cover die.

Furthermore, cover dies to enable molten zinc metal to flow to the part cavity through the opening from the injection unit.

Ejector dies have ejector boxes and support plates which mount on the platens while the inside has the ejection unit.

Once the die opens, clamping bars push ejector plates forward within the ejector boxes.

This motion pushes ejector pins to the molded zinc parts, thus removing them from the insert core.

What Are Some Of The Machine Specifications For A High-Pressure Zinc Die Casting?

Hot chamber and cold chamber high-pressure zinc die casting machines are categorized by the clamp tonnage they offer.

To determine the needed clamp force, you will consider the area of the component within the die and the injection pressure of the molten metal.

This means that a large zinc component will need a large clamping force.

Also, other materials that need higher injection pressures may need high tonnage equipment.

Furthermore, the component size should complement other machine specifications like:

• Clamp stroke
• Platen size
• Maximum shot volume
• Minimum mold thickness

High-pressure zinc dies casting parts to vary in size this you need these specifications to cater for large ranges.

What Is The Purpose Of Die Channels In High-Pressure Zinc Die Casting?

Molten zinc metal needs to flow inside part cavities that need many channels within the die.

Besides, these channels vary slightly for both cold chamber and hot chamber machines.

In hot chamber systems, molten zinc enters via sprue bushings then flows in sprue spreaders.

The sprue is the main channel that molten metals use to enter the die.

In cold chambers, molten metal enters the die via injection sleeves after flowing via several runners.

It then passes through gates into the part cavities which will direct the flow of the molten metal.

Cavities may contain overflow wells that offer extra molten metal sources during solidification.

Furthermore, you may find small channels running to the external part of the die from the cavities.

They act as ventilation pores that enable air from the die cavity to escape.

Molten metal flowing through these dies solidify and attach to the cast, hence, you must trim them after the ejection process.

Also, they enable the flow of oil or water in the die, parallel to the cavity, and eliminate heat from the die.

What Will Cause Defects In High-Pressure Zinc Die Casting?

Here are the possible defects you will encounter in high-pressure zinc die casting, and their causes:

• Flash

The causes include low clamping force and high injection pressure.

• Hot tearing

This happens when the cooling rate happens non-uniformly.

• Unfilled parts

This occurs due to low injection temperature, slow injection, or insufficient amount of shot.

• Ejector marks

This occurs when you apply a high ejection force or perform a short cooling time.

• Bubbles

This happens when you have an extremely high injection temperature or if the cooling rate is non-uniform

What Design Rules Should You Consider During High-Pressure Die Casting?

Some design rules to factor in entail the following:

• Apply round corners since they minimize the concentration of stress and fractures
• Use minimum external undercuts since they require side cores that add to the cost of the tooling
• Ensure you have a uniform wall thickness as it enhances a uniform cooling process
• Employ draft angles on every wall running parallel to the parting as it eases the ejection process

How Should You Design The Die That You Will Use In High-Pressure Zinc Die Casting?

The die should allow the easy flow of molten zinc metal into the cavities.

Also, apply draft angles as it enhances the removal of cast parts from the die.

Furthermore, include complex add-ons like undercuts in the die that need extra die pieces.

Also, ensure you use high-quality material when designing the die.

For instance, high-grade steel allows for between 100000 and 150000 cycles while low carbon steel can reach up to 1000000 cycles.

What Determines That Cost Of High-Pressure Zinc Die Casting?

Some of these factors include the following:

• Production cost
• Material cost
• Tooling cost

For all your high-pressure zinc die casting, we offer the perfect solution – contact us now.

The post High Pressure Zinc Die Casting: The Ultimate FAQ Guide appeared first on Inox Cast.

Ideally, this process allows you to create modified parts which are specifically designed to meet your application demands.

In this guide, you will find all information you are looking for about the custom die casting process – keep reading to learn more.

What Are The Main Custom Die Casting Tooling Available?

Custom Die Casting Process

Typical custom dies casting processes use different tooling options.

Of course, the exact tooling component used is dependent on the specific part you are creating.

The commonly used ones, however, include the following;

Cold Chamber Custom Die Casting

This custom die casting process entails heating metal in a different furnace and liquid metal transferred to the mold cavity.

In essence, the molten metal is forced by a pressurized plunger into the mold cavity.

Cold Chamber Custom Die Casting

You can learn more about cold chamber die casting.

Hot Chamber Custom Die Casting

It is a tooling process that comprises the use of various low melting temperature metal alloys.

The heating of metals in this process takes place inside the casting machine rather than in a different furnace to melt it.

Molten metal is forced out of the furnace into the die using a hydraulic-powered piston.

Ordinarily, this tooling option is quite faster and can last for a typical cycle, often about 15-20 minutes.

Hot Chamber Die Casting Process

You can learn more about the hot chamber die casting process.

Multi-slide Custom Die Casting

This tooling process utilizes four perpendicular slides to enable it to create more precise and complex castings.

In some instances, this tooling option may provide up to six slides at various angles apart from 90°.

Essentially, this tooling option is more advantageous since it offers consistent part quality.

Besides, it provides faster cycle speeds, reduces the need for secondary operations, and minimizes tooling costs.

Multi-Slide Custom Die Casting

Here is more information about multi-slide die casting.

What Benefits Do Custom Die Casting Offer?

Custom die casting offers a broad range of advantages, including the following;

• Perfect product quality

This type of die casting guarantees high-quality parts with accurate dimensions and an immaculate surface finish.

Of course, this is advantageous since it adds significant value to your parts and components.

• Highly cost-effective

In many instances, the design of custom die castings enable you to attain immensely smooth surface material.

Hence, you will hardly need to integrate mechanical processes to improve the surface finish.

Moreover, this process allows you to produce different casting parts in bulk quickly.

In essence, it means you will cut your cost immensely, and this is imperative from a commercial point of view.

• Improved production efficiency

Custom die casting use fast and reliable tools and equipment, which guarantees high productivity.

For instance, you can produce up to 700 times within eight hours when using a cold air custom die casting instrument.

A small hot-chamber custom die casting machine, on the other hand, can give you up to 7,000 times more within eight hours.

In a nutshell, this process guarantees high production output, which of course, is beneficial in business profitability.

• Efficient for producing complex parts

You can create parts with complex shapes using a custom die casting process.

Ideally, the essence of this process is to create personalized parts and components suitable for specific application demands.

Thus, this process makes it easy to create such parts to enable you to attain the ultimate desired results in your project.

• Enhances strength and reduces weight

This casting technique allows you to produce parts with relatively thin walls, which technically have less weight and improved strength.

Hence, you can use it in a wide range of applications where lightweight and strength are of the essence.

 It Is Possible To Create complex Parts Of Great Quality From Custom Die Casting\

Which Process Methods Can You Use To Attain Custom Die Casting?

Ordinarily, custom die casting usually use two main process techniques, which include the following;

• Low-pressure injection – It is a process that entails the use of air pressure to force molten metal upwards into an enclosed die cavity.

This is an ideal custom die casting process method for making pressure-tight vessels and tight circular vessels.

• High-pressure casting – It is a method that involves injecting liquid metal into a mold by using immense pressure to form parts.

Ideally, it yields exceptional dimensional accuracy and evenly smooth surfaces, eliminating the need for post-production machining.

This process is often seemingly faster and more cost-effective than other casting processes.

What Is The Difference Between Hot Chamber Custom Die Casting And Cold Chamber Die Casting Process?

Hot Chamber Die Casting

Notably, hot and cold chamber casting is the primary process used in creating a custom die casting parts and components.

However, they tend to vary in operation and functional aspects such as the following;

Injection mechanism in hot chamber die casting is immersed in liquid metal.

A specific metal feed system known as gooseneck attaches the furnace to the machine.

During operation, the die closes to enable the piston to rise and the port to open hence making it possible for liquid metal to fill the cylinder.

Subsequently, the plunger seals the port and forces the molten metal through the nozzle and gooseneck into a die cavity.

This triggers the die to open cores to retract and allows casting to stay in one die half of the ejector side.

As such, the ejector pins push the castings forcefully out of the ejector dies.

Molten metal then flows via the inlet and refills the gooseneck once the plunger uncovers the filling hole.

In the cold chamber, custom die casting process, however, molten metal is served from a crucible into a short-sleeve.

At this point, the hydraulically-operated plunger forces liquid metal into die.

The excess material pushes extra metal into die cavity as compensation for shrinkage, which takes place during solidification.

Cold chambers usually handle corrosion issues by separating melt pot from injector parts.

Technically, that’s how these two custom die casting processes differ.

What Are The Core Elements In Designing Custom Die Casting Part?

When designing custom die casting parts, it is imperative to always look into different core factors that include the following;

• Wall thickness – Ordinarily, there is no limitation to the minimum wall thickness required. But it is advisable always to create parts and components with consistent thickness.

Injection point’s location – The best way to achieve this is by surrounding the points with the metal and still allowing the part to come off when mold is separated.

• Mold design – It should be seamless such that it can separate and allow solidified material to come off easily.
• You must consider the parting line in the initial stages of custom die part design

 Components Created Should Be Of Consistent Thickness

What Are The Ideal Metals To Consider For Custom Die Casting?

Custom die casting can utilize a wide array of metals to create different desired parts.

But it is important to note that the best metal is dependent on the specification and demands of the project.

Nevertheless, the commonly used metals in making parts using this process include the following;

• Zinc

This metal exhibits incredible strength, dimensional precision, quality surface finishing properties, and corrosion resistance.

Besides, zinc has high hardness and sturdiness, making it suitable for a wide range of machining processes.

It is available in various alloys, including Zamak 7, EZAC, ZP2, ZP3, ZP5, and ZA8 among others.

• Aluminum

It is widely used in different applications; thus typical for custom die casting.

Some of the notable features of aluminum include; high operating temperatures, lightweight, fully recyclable, and excellent thermal conductivity.

Moreover, this metal also exhibits incredible strength, corrosion resistance, and heat-dissipating properties.

The common aluminum alloys used in custom die casting include; A360, A413, A380, B390, 44300, 46000, and 47100 among others.

• Magnesium

Magnesium exhibits notable strength, rigidity, and high recyclability hence ideal for alloying materials where weight is a concern.

It is relatively economical and assures immense durability than most metals used in custom die casting.

AZ91D is the common magnesium alloy often used in this process.

It offers an exceptional combination of corrosion resistance, castability, and mechanical properties among others.

Which Surface Finishing Processes Can You Integrate Into Custom Die Casting?

You can apply an array of surface finishing processes on custom die casting parts.

Ideally, the most suitable one is dependent on various factors but majorly, application demands, budget, and environmental factors.

The popular surface finishes often integrated with this part-making process include the following;

• Powder coating

It involves curing the part surface by subjecting it to elevated temperatures to give the material a sturdier finish.

This surface finishing process is generally scratch-resistant and often available in different textures, hues, and gloss levels.

A Powder Coated Metal Alloy

• Painting

Quite a common surface coating process, which involves applying paint on the casting and allowing it to cure and dry.

You can use several techniques to apply paint on the surface material of different castings depending on the tool or device you are using.

In essence, painting custom die casting is more economical and effective than most surface coating methods.

• Electrocoating

It entails using electrical current to attract paint or coating substrate to a metallic part or component.

This process involves immersing the component into a wet coating substance to infuse it into metal parts electrochemically.

An Electroplated Zinc Alloy

• Anodizing

It is an electrolytic passivation process in that technology increases the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of different casting materials.

This surface finishing method is an affordable approach for creating corrosion resistance and longevity in casting parts.

• Chrome plating

This is an electroplating technique, which involves plating a thin chromium layer on the surface of the casting part.

In essence, the chromed layer guarantees corrosion resistance enhances surface hardness, and allows easy cleaning.

Chrome Plated Alloy

How Much Does Custom Die Casting Process Cost?

The actual cost of custom die casting usually varies based on a host of factors.

Since it involves tailoring the process to ensure you obtain custom parts and components, it means you are likely to spend slightly more.

The common cost-determinants of the custom die casting process, nevertheless, include the following;

• Design planning – Ordinarily, punctual and meticulous design planning makes this tooling process comparatively affordable. It allows you to analyze mold flow thoroughly and determine and reduce all cost-related factors.
• Casting material – Different castings materials feature various properties, which affect and influence the actual cost of the process. Some materials are hard and require higher temperatures to melt and lower to solidify hence more expensive than vice versa.
• Post-casting operations – Ideally, the specific post-casting operation to integrate into part also determines the actual cost. Some materials hardly require such operations, others require it slightly, whereas some need them intensively. It depends on the exact application demands and the type of material you are using for custom die casting.
• Required tolerance – Ordinarily, tighter-tolerance parts will be more expensive to produce using this process and vice versa.
• Manufacturer – Different manufacturers have different prices for custom die casting operations. Thus, you need to inquire from your preferred manufacturer to determine the actual cost.

What Is The Ideal Tolerance In Custom Die Casting?

It varies based on an array of variables.

Remarkably, the exact type of casting metal you are using plays a fundamental role in determining the ideal tolerance required.

Also, the specific application of the custom die casting part influences the most suitable tolerance.

Therefore, it is necessary for the design engineer, during the custom die casting process, to understand the specific precisions for every part.

Essentially, it is vital to state precision tolerances in agreed-upon critical sections.

Even so, the suitable tolerance in custom die casting should be +/-.0005″ depending on the part size.

What Are The Main Quality Tests For Custom Die Casting Parts?

Ordinarily, custom die casting parts are usually subjected to a wide range of tests to determine whether they meet right quality.

But the common quality tests include the following;

• Initial test – This examination involves scrutinizing the part to determine whether it is filled with suitable materials.
• Dimensional test – The essence of this test is to establish a specific value range the custom die casting part falls in.
• Non-destructive evaluation – It establishes the overall quality of the custom die casting part without essentially destroying it.
• Mechanical test – The design of this evaluation is to figure out whether the specific custom die castings contain the ideal properties.
• Chemical test – It analyzes the chemical properties of custom die castings to ensure they are within required levels.

Is There Recommended Wall Thickness For Custom Die Casting Parts?

Often, the part design and size are the primary determinants of minimum or maximum cross-sectional wall thickness of any custom die castings.

In essence, if localized, it becomes easy to attain a wall thickness of 0.010.

On the contrary, it can be quite challenging to attain such a wall thickness if it runs across the whole length of 4” apart.

Hence, it merely means that the maximum wall thickness of a typical custom dies casting part range from 0.04 to 0.12.

But this is also dependent on the size and design of the part.

Notably, minimizing the wall thickness reduces the material content and cost of the particular casting component.

What Types Of Dies Are Used In Making Custom Die Castings?

There are four primary types of dies using the custom die casting process, and they include the following; single, multiple, combination, and unit dies.

As the names suggest, a single cavity die has one cavity, and a multiple cavity die has several identical cavities.

However, a combination die has cavities featuring different shapes and is often vital when making various assembly parts.

Unit die, on the other hand, is for producing comparatively simple parts, particularly when determining tooling and production economies.

Moreover, unit dies also come in handy in casting numerous for different customers simultaneously.

Is Custom Die Casting Automated?

Yes.

Contemporary tools used in custom die casting automate this process using various complex methods to provide exceptional quality control.

The process is thus automated from various perspectives, including dies lubrication and integration of other parameters such as trimming and quenching castings.

Moreover, machines used in this process have microprocessors designed to obtain metal velocity and hydraulic pressure.

Also, these microprocessors can shoot rod position and adjust all the data accordingly, ensuring consistency in shot after shot casting.

Besides, the control systems in automated processes often record the instrument’s performance data ideal for quality control statistical analysis.

What Are The Technical Features Of Custom Die Casting Parts?

Primarily, custom dies castings exhibit a wide array of technical features.

However, the basic features often vary from one part to another based on the specific material used in the process.

Essentially, the main features cutting across most custom die casting parts include the following;

• Excellent electrical conductivity
• Exceptional dimensional stability and high accuracy
• Comparatively lightweight
• Thin-wall capability
• Quality smooth finish
• Excellent thermal conductivity

Why Is It Advisable To Use Thin-Walled Custom Die Castings?

Thin-walled custom die castings are integral when used in a wide range of applications.

Notable reasons for choosing to use these variants include the following;

1) Since they have thinner walls, it means they are significantly lightweight, and this is critical in tooling for attaining desired results.

2) Such parts retain precise dimensional stability leading to durable, reliable, and effective applications.

3) You can easily create a wide range of surface finishing options on thin-walled custom die casting parts.

4) They guarantee exceptional versatility, given you can swiftly and efficiently use them in various applications.

Thin-Walled Custom Die casting

How Can You Activate Core Slides In Custom Die Casting?

Technically, core slides are moving die components.

Hence, it is necessary to activate them, and you can consistently achieve that by using the following techniques;

• Hydraulic cylinders

This is a slide motion technique allowing the selection of cycles and slides’ placement on any side of the die.

It is imperative because it prevents interference when removing casting from the die.

• Angle pins

It is a mechanical source of motion usually activated by opening and closing the die.

This method barely requires hydraulics or limit switches.

Moreover, it hardly has control over the slide pull cycle.

What Factors Determine is Custom Die Casting Production Lead Time?

Often, custom die casting turnaround usually varies based on different factors, and the main ones include the following;

• Custom die casting equipment and method – This process uses cold or hot chamber methods to produce parts. It also uses different equipment depending on the specific part you are creating.
• Shape complexity – You can use a custom die casting process to produce a wide range of parts’ shapes. However, parts with more complex shapes tend to take longer to make than those with simple designs.
• Type of metal – Ideally, different casting metals exhibit various properties, which in many instances influence the actual casting lead-time.
• Quantity – The volume of parts you are casting also determines how long it takes to fulfill the order. Ordinarily, more parts take longer to produce than fewer parts.
• Type of die – Custom die casting using a unit die is faster since you can produce numerous parts relatively fast and simultaneously.

Where Do You Commonly Use Custom Die Casting Parts?

The typical applications of custom die casting parts are innumerable.

You will find different casting parts in several industries used for making a wide range of components.

The main applications, nonetheless, include the following;

• Brackets
• Heat sinks
• Light fixtures
• Automotive parts
• Medical equipment
• Consumer electronics
• Telecommunication devices
• Maritime components
• Aircraft equipment
• Agricultural components

An Automotive part Made From Die casting

Which Ways Can You Use To Enhance Surface Finish Quality In Custom Die Casting?

Here are the main operation of improving surface quality in custom die casting;

Buffing – It entails using fine abrasives usually suspended in a lubricating binder to soften and revitalize the custom die casting surface.

Honing – This technique uses silicon carbide abrasives to correct spirals produced by the initial machining operation.

Super-finishing – It is an operation involving refining the exterior diameter, specifically for cylindrical custom die casting parts.

Polishing – This process uses abrasives attached to an elastic backing tightly like a wheel or belt. It is suitable for maintaining close tolerances while improving surface finish.

Precision grinding – It is a method that uses firmly attached abrasives to remove impurities and imperfections from the surface of the casting part.

What Challenges Can You Encounter In Custom Die Casting?

This art making process has a few challenges, which include the following;

• It requires attentive monitoring and management, particularly at the cooling phase.
• Majorly, the molding and shaping instrument is explicitly designed to withstand stress and heating process only.
• This process can be relatively expensive given it might require individual precision hence needs more time, resources, and skills.
• It only guarantees the best results when using high-fluidity metals, and this may end up influencing the specific parts created.

What Does High Integrity In Custom Die Casting Entail?

High integrity is a reference to custom die casting process variations commonly used for producing metal castings for dedicated applications.

In essence, such applications need minimum gas porosity in the castings.

The common types of high integrity in custom die casting include the following;

a) High custom die casting

It entails sealing and vacuuming die to eliminate unwanted gas from die cavity.

The amount of gas trapped in die cavity is reduced by injecting the metal.

Nonetheless, parts formed using this process have excellent mechanical properties.

b) Squeeze custom die casting

This process involves the injection of liquid metal at reasonably slow speeds to eliminate turbulence.

Therefore, high pressure is used in squeezing metal into the die to create quality castings.

c) Semi-solid custom die casting

It is a method that uses semi-solid billet often injected inside the die cavity.

The semi-liquid state of molten metal minimizes the level of gas acquired during injection, creating dense and heat-treatable parts.

What Are The Best Techniques Of Enhancing Efficiency In Custom Die Casting?

An integral element in attaining efficiency in custom die casting is appropriate planning.

Proper planning is relatively broad and entails the following elements;

Replication – It is advisable to conduct a test run to ensure you adjust all vital elements, which require attention before the actual process.

Automation – Using tech-based equipment would be ideal for the custom die casting process since it minimizes delays and reduces running costs.

Reducing scrap – Ideal way of attaining this is by properly planning the whole production process; hence necessary to determine the causes of scrap.

How Do You Eliminate Porosity In Custom Die Casting Parts?

Porosity is essentially inherent in the custom die casting process, but here are some approaches you can use to reduce it;

• Appropriate and early planning
• Effective communication with design engineer during the designing stage
• Proposing reasonable and practical part design modifications

What Are The Suitable Custom Die Casting Design Prototyping Processes?

The appropriate prototyping processes to consider in custom die casting design include the following;

Machined prototype – It produces nearly exact parts based on weight and casting tolerance

Gravity cast – This method needs reasonably thick-walled custom die castings and fairly large tolerances

Die-cast prototype – It is the most suitable prototype if you aim to attain accurate geometry and characteristics of the component.

3D printing – This prototyping method is suitable for creating prototypes in sturdy rigid plastics.

How Do You Enhance Precision During Custom Die Casting?

Inherently, custom die casting is an ideal process for improving precision of parts.

But the actual precision of custom die cast parts are based on tooling accuracy.

Hence, this process allows you to include comparatively complex features in your design.

Moreover, this technique inhibits you from providing thin walls and undercuts in your ultimate design.

As such, this improves the precision of the custom die casting part, making it ideal for its designed application.

For all your custom die-cast components, contact us now.

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