Die casting is one of the most commonly used techniques when it comes to the casting of metal products and parts. The whole comprises of a wide variety of variation designs, die casting is majorly made up of two main processes.
The initial process begins by forcing the molten metal onto the mold cavity with high pressure, also known as die casting. Die casting is suitable for the quick production of metal parts with minimal cost.
In this post, we are going to delve a bit deeper into everything you need to know about the die casting process.
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Alloys used in die casting
Aluminum
Aluminum is the go-to alloy for most manufacturers and producers as its easily available. However, the alloys are highly susceptible to shrinking or cracking when subjected to high pressure, thus the reason why its mostly alloyed with silicon or copper.
Blending it with other types of metals will enhance its fluidity and hardness. As a result of its high dimensional stability, the alloy is mostly used in creating complex and intricate shapes as well as thin-walled molds.
The alloy is corrosion-resistant, making it suitable to make components that will be exposed to electrical and thermal energy.
Copper
Copper alloys are another popular option amongst engineers at Nice Rapid; copper-based alloys have high strength and durability, making them a top choice for producing mechanical machined parts and products.
Copper is also highly resistant to corrosion; thus, the alloy is mostly used to produce electrical and plumbing materials.
Zinc
Die casting products made of zinc alloy is quite easy to process due to its consistent maintenance of high strength at room temperature. Zinc can be alloyed blended with aluminum enhancing their qualities.
They also have a low melting point making the alloy perfect for hot-chamber casting; when you need products that are robust with a high degree of precision and accuracy, then zinc alloy should be at the top of your list.
Magnesium
Magnesium alloys are known for their excellent strength-to-weight ratio despite it being a light alloy. Magnesium-based alloys are mostly used to make molds with close precision and thin walls.
Types of the die casting process
All types of die casting processes are designed with the achievement of a specific goal; there are different types of processes depending on the type of molten metal, part size, part geometry. The different kinds of the process will deliver the same spectacular results.
The main types of processes used are: cold-chamber die casting and hot-chamber die casting. The different variations of these processes include:
- Semi-solid die casting
- Squeeze die casting
- Vacuum die casting
- Low-pressure die casting
Benefits of the die casting process
- High quality- Mold and parts created from die-casting have a longer life span
- Reliable- the produced parts are identical
- Fast production- The process allows for speedy production and requires little or no maintenance
- Versatility- The process can create parts of different sizes, geometry, texture or part
- The mold design requires minimal assembly.
