The cold chamber die casting process is used with higher-melting-point alloys such as aluminum and magnesium. This article discusses the component design of the cold chamber high-pressure die casting machine. It reviews the process parameters of cold chamber die casting, incuding the shot profile, intensification phase, and component size.

Nearly two-thirds of the aluminum castings made in North America are produced using high-pressure die casting techniques. This article compares and contrasts traditional high-pressure die casting with an improved version that uses a vacuum to pull air out of the die in order to reduce porosity in as-cast parts. It begins by describing a typical cycle for a traditional cold-chamber die casting machine, using detailed illustrations to show how gas can become trapped in the liquid metal. It then presents various remedies, ultimately focusing on vacuum die casting for the production of high-integrity parts. In addition to vacuum technology, the article discusses casting alloys, dies, and cells, and describes some of the benefits of structural die castings.

This article describes the melting process of casting metals used in hot chamber die casting. It discusses the design and capabilities of injection components, such as gooseneck, plunger, and cylinder. The article reviews the distinctions between hot and cold chamber processes. An example of a typical runner, gate and overflow configuration for faucet fixture casting is shown. Temperature control for die casting is also discussed. The article explains some ejection and post-processing techniques used for the hot chamber die casting: robotics, recycling, and fluxing.

This article provides a comprehensive discussion on die casting alloy types and casting processes used in high-pressure die casting. It presents the advantages and disadvantages of high-pressure die casting and describes the product design for the process. The article concludes with information on the metal injection process of high-pressure die casting.

The designer of die casting tooling must balance the functional requirements of the part being cast with the cost, speed, and quality requirements of the process. In addition, attention must also be paid to the capacity and operating parameters of the casting machines being used and the need and economics of postprocessing. This article examines how design and materials selection address these diverse requirements of conventional die casting tooling. It focuses on the tooling for high-volume processes where the liquid or semisolid metal is forced into the die with high pressure and speed. The article also describes the functions of the tooling which involves supplying of molten alloy to the casting machine and injecting it into the die.

This datasheet provides information on key alloy metallurgy, fabrication characteristics, processing effects on physical and mechanical properties, and application characteristics of Al-Si die casting alloys 413.0 and A413.0.

High-pressure die casting is a fast method for the net shape manufacturing of parts from nonferrous alloys. This article reviews the automation technologies for the different stages or steps of the process. These steps include liquid metal pouring, injection, solidification, die open, part extraction, die lubrication, insert loading, and die close. Some manual aspects of the operations, together with automation options, are discussed. The article describes finishing steps, such as finish trimming, detailed deflashing, shot blast cleaning, and quality checks. Automation of the postcasting process is also discussed.

This article focuses on the variety of alloys, furnaces, and associated melting equipment as well as the casting methods available for manufacturing magnesium castings. These methods include sand casting, permanent mold casting, die casting, thixomolding, and direct chill casting. The article discusses the flux process and fluxless process for the melting and pouring of magnesium alloys. It describes the advantages and disadvantages of green sand molding and tabulates typical compositions and properties of magnesium molding sands. The article provides information on the machining characteristics of magnesium and the applications of magnesium alloys.

This article discusses the categories and subcategories of shape casting processes. These include single-use processes such as sand, plaster, ceramic, and graphite molding; essentially unpressurized multiuse processes, such as permanent mold; and high-pressure metal mold methods, such as die casting, squeeze casting, and semisolid processing. The article contains tables that compare some of the typical capabilities of shape casting processes.

This article discusses classification of foundry processes based on the molding medium, such as sand molds, ceramic molds, and metallic molds. Sand molds can be briefly classified into two types: bonded sand molds, and unbonded sand molds. Bonded sand molds include green sand molds, dry sand molds, resin-bonded sand molds, and sodium silicate bonded sand. The article describes the casting processes that use these molds, including the no-bake process, cold box process, hot box process, the CO2 process, lost foam casting process and vacuum molding process. The casting processes that use ceramic molds include investment casting, and plaster casting. Metallic molds are used in permanent mold casting, die casting, semisolid casting, and centrifugal casting.

Die casting is the process most often used for shaping zinc alloys. This article tabulates the compositions of zinc casting alloys and comparison of typical mechanical properties of zinc casting alloys. It discusses additions of alloys to the zinc, including aluminum, magnesium, copper, and iron. The article illustrates a characteristic five-layer microstructure of zinc alloy casings. It discusses the various methods of finishing of zinc alloy die castings, including chromium plating, polishing, painting, and electropainting. The article describes the casting of inserts and their uses in the zinc. It concludes with information on the applications of zinc die castings.

Aluminum casting alloys are the most versatile of all common foundry alloys and generally have the highest castability ratings. This article provides an overview of the common methods of aluminum shape casting. These include gravity casting, die casting, sand casting, lost foam casting, shell mold casting, plaster casting, investment casting, permanent mold casting, squeeze casting, semisolid forming, centrifugal casting, and pressure die casting. The article presents several different factors on which the selection of a casting process depends. It discusses gating and risering principles in casting. The article concludes with information on premium engineered castings that provide higher levels of quality and reliability than in conventionally produced castings.