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Die Casting Parts: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

In this guide, you will find all information about die casting parts.

Whether you’re an expert or newbies in die casting process, you should read this guide.

Let’s dive right in:

What Is Die Casting?

Die casting refers to a process of manufacturing that makes use of high pressure to input a liquid metal into a steel die that is reusable.

The process of rapidly cooling the metal tends to solidify it to form a final shape.

Die casting parts

Which Materials Do You Use for Die Casting Parts?

Some of the materials which you use for diecasting parts include:

Aluminum Die-casting

It is light in weight, has good corrosion resistance, dimensional stability is high, and has great mechanical properties.

The thermal and electrical conductivity of aluminum die casting is high, and it has high strength at temperatures that are elevated.

Aluminum die casting tends to create die casting parts that are lighter and can also withstand operating temperatures that are very high.

Aluminium die casting

The main disadvantage of aluminum diecasting is that it is prone to defects of casting like shrinkage holes, pores, slag, and blisters.

Some of the applications of aluminum die casting include:

• They improve the fuel efficiency of automotive by contributing to saving the requirements of weight.
• It is used in a wide range of infrastructure and networking equipment in the communication and telecommunication industry.

This is because RF filter housings and boxes need dissipation by heat.

• They are used in handheld devices to provide EMI/RFI shielding, durability, and rigidity with reduced weight.
• Due to its good electrical performance and properties of shielding, it is also able to be used in environments of high temperature.

Zinc Die Casting

It has high ductility, is very easy to cast, and can be plated easily.

Zinc die casting tends to be characterized by a melting point that is low and perfect flowability.

It is also easily worked by cutting and pressure and easy to weld and soldier.

Zinc die casting parts can also be deposited using metallic and nonmetallic coatings which can be deposited using chemical and electrochemical methods.

The disadvantage of zinc diecasting parts is that they have poor mechanical properties at raised temperatures.

This tends to change dimensions in the process of natural aging and result in poor corrosion resistance.

Some of the applications of zinc die casting include:

• It is used in pressure die casting to make decorative and structural parts of electrical machines, motor vehicles, household applications, office machinery, souvenirs, and other items.
• Used in bearing linings to serve as an antifriction.
• Zinc die casting is also used in the printing industry.

Zinc die cast parts

Magnesium Die Casting

It has a great weight-to-strength ratio and can be machined easily.

Magnesium die casting is also able to reduce the corrosion of materials used in zinc die casting and remove harmful repercussions of impurities.

The main problem with magnesium diecasting is that it corrodes fast, and this is hard to control.

The most effective way of reducing corrosion is to use surface coating modification on the magnesium die casting parts.

Magnesium die casting also has the disadvantage of requiring a lot of post-production processing.

Its overall production cost is also higher as compared to aluminum or zinc die casting.

Some of the automotive parts made with a magnesium die casting include:

• Interior parts: steering column, key lock housing, glove box door, seat riser, console bracket, seat frame, steering wheel, and radio housing
• Body parts: mirror bracket, spare tire carrier, fuel filler lid, door, and liftgate inner panel, and roof frame
• Chassis parts: brake pedal alarm, clutch brake, accelerator bike, pedal bracket, mounting bracket, and racing wheel.
• Powertrain parts: clutch housing, engine block, piston housing, cam cover, valve cover, transfer case, alternator, oil filter adapter, and electric motor housing.

Magnesium die cast part

Copper Die Casting

It is resistant to corrosion, has a high hardness, excellent resistance to wear, and has high mechanical properties.

Copper die casting also has excellent dimensional stability with a strength which can be compared to that of steel parts.

The main disadvantage of copper die casting is that it is prone to cracking on the surface, internal cavities, and shrinkage.

Some of the applications of copper die casting include:

• Electrode holders
• Electrical switchgear
• Electrode plates for process industry machinery
• Spot welding electrodes
• Die-cast rotors in motors of high efficiency
• Terminal lugs
• High amperage circuit breakers
• Die-cast battery terminals
• Contact mechanisms

Copper die cat parts

Titanium Die Casting

It has a high density, corrosion resistance, and perfect dimensional control.

The selection of the titanium die casting tends to reduce the stress of a load of parts that are relevant so that the engine’s mass of the vehicle tends to be reduced.

The main disadvantage of titanium is that it has a forming and welding problem, and this prevents it from widely being used in the automotive industry.

Titanium die casting is used in the petrochemical, aerospace, and ship industries. However, they are rarely used in the automobile industry.

Titanium die cast parts

Which Technique Can You Use In Die Casting Parts?

Some of the techniques which you can use in die casting parts include:

Hot Chamber Die Casting

It refers to the relative temperature of the mechanism used for injection.

In this technique, the mechanism for injection tends to be submerged in liquid metal that is inside the furnace which is used to melt.

The rates in hot chamber die casting tend to be high because the metal does not require to be moved to the mechanism for injection.

This die casting technique is limited to metals that possess a melting temperature that is lower or those which are unreactive with steel.

hot chamber die casting

Examples of such metals include lead, zinc, some magnesium alloys, and titanium.

Cold Chamber Die Casting

In this technique, the metal tends to be melted using a furnace that is external and then moved to the mechanism for injection.

This movement to the injection mechanism is done whenever the machine is ready to carry out a casting.

Production rates for cold chamber die casting tend to be lower as compared to hot chamber die casting as the metal needs to be moved to the injection mechanism.

cold die casting

Some of the metals which are produced using this technique include magnesium, aluminum, and high aluminum content zinc alloys.

Structural Or High Intensity Die Casting

It is a technique with varying die casting properties which are used to make castings for given applications.

Typically, these applications need reduced porosity of gas, and such include:

• High vacuum diecasting: in this technique, the die tends to be sealed and a vacuum is used in the elimination of the gas from the die cavity.

The metal is, in turn, injected thus cutting down the amount of gas that is held in the casting.

The parts which are made using this technique tend to possess high mechanical properties and can be treated using heat.

• Semi-solid die casting: it works by injecting the billet into the die at a temperature between melting and solidification.

The semi-solid state of the metal tends to lower the amount of gas that is collected during injection thereby forming castings that can be treated by that and are dense.

• Squeeze die casting: in this method, the liquid metal tends to be injected at very slow speeds to remove any possibility of turbulence.

The metal is then squeezed into the die using high pressure thus forming die casting parts of high quality and which can be treated with heat.

Which Components Can You Make During Die Casting Parts Process?

Some of the parts which you can make during diecasting parts process for different industries include:

Automotive Industry

Some of the components in this industry include

• Pistons, gears
• Stripper pads
• Pressure pads
• Draw pads
• Cylinder heads
• Engine blocks.
• Glove box door
• Steering column
• Radio housing
• Keylock housing
• Console bracket
• Steering wheel
• Seat frame
• Seat riser
• Spare tire carrier
• Mirror bracket
• Door handle
• Fuel filler lid
• Brake pedal alarm
• Accelerator brake
• Clutch brake
• Pedal bracket
• Engine block
• Piston housing
• Cam cover
• Oil filter adapter

Builder’s Hardware Industry

Some of the components in the builder’s hardware industry include:

• Parts of a sink faucet
• Toys
• Pumps
• Valves
• Power tools
• Bushings
• Connector housing.
• Lock parts
• Plumbing instrument

Telecommunications Industry

Some of the components in the telecommunications industry include:

• Computer parts
• Electronic communication parts
• CNC turning parts
• Lighting technology
• Consumer electronics

Sports Industry

Some of the components in the sports industry include:

• Frames or body parts for bicycles
• Sports equipment

Electrical Machinery Industry And Electrical Appliance Industry

Some of the components in the electrical machinery industry and electrical appliance industry include:

• Electric fan
• Washing machine
• Television
• Electric iron
• Printed circuits
• Connectors
• Transistors
• Integrated circuits

What Are The Benefits Of Die Casting Parts?

some of the benefits of die casting parts include:

• Perfect for rapid and mass production: the die casting parts can be fabricated to form shapes that are complex but accurate.

Due to the casting molds, it is possible to repeat the procedure a lot of times to form die casting identical parts.

• Durable, stable, and accurate: die casting parts tend to be very strong and thus possible to sustain injections of high pressure.

They are also resistant to heat and stable dimensionally as they maintain close tolerances.

Die casting parts tend to possess a greater degree of permanence as compared to counterparts.

• Strong and lightweight: die casting parts even those which have thin walls tend to perform better with counterparts that possess the same dimensions.

They are also stronger as they are an entire piece rather than an assembly of several different parts.

• Straightforward assembly: die casting parts tend to produce fastenings which are fundamental thus making the process economical.

This is because they do not need a lot of machining and the costs of finishing tend to be on the low.

The die casting parts also need an assembling process that is lesser as they most often take place of several parts.

In turn, this makes the entire process of fabrication an entire unit of assembly or products which are new.

• It provides shapes that are complex, and which have closer tolerances as compared to any other process of mass production.
• Die casting parts can be cast to make a final product that is very strong and with intricate shapes.
• The process makes it possible to produce die casting small parts.
• It is possible to obtain die casting parts that have high mechanical properties and with a fine grain texture.
• Die casting can make thousands of die casting parts that have specified tolerances before any need for additional tooling.
• External threads on die casting parts can be cast.
• The die casting process is very economical, especially at high-volume productions.
• You will be able to get high productivity.
• It provides good dimensional accuracy.
• Offers a good finish on the surface of the die casting parts.
• Ensures that the die casting parts have good dimensional accuracy.

Are There Limitations of Die Casting Parts?

Die casting parts tend to have very few limitations some of which include:

• At times, the die casting parts are prone to the generation of air holes.
• The process of production of die casting parts that are concave tends to be difficult
• Die casting parts that have high melting points such as ferrous metals and copper tend to have a shorter lifespan.
• Due to the high costs of manufacturing die casting parts, the process of making them is not suited for making parts on small scale.

How Do You Control Quality During Die Casting Parts Process?

The quality of die casting parts is very important for both the manufacturer and their customers. Therefore, it is very important to ensure strict quality control during the die casting parts process.

Some of the critical points to control quality during the diecasting parts process include:

Dimensional Control

Dimensions control is critical before mass production of die casting parts.

It is important to finish quality control by SPC, FA, and APQP to make sure that all the dimensions meet the customer requirements.

Because the die casting parts need quality control in the manufacturing process, it is important to inspect the products after about every 2 hours.

This is to make sure there is no possibility of deviating from the specifications in place.

Cosmetic Inspection

The quality system needs to visually inspect the die casting parts one hundred percent to eliminate any defects that cannot be seen visually.

This will make sure that all the customers obtain die casting parts of high quality.

Assembly And Function Testing

Once production and comprehensive inspection have been done, the manufacturer needs to carry out function tests for the customer.

This is to stimulate the die casting parts’ real usage conditions and eliminate the possibility of occurrence of defects.

There is also the need to control the machine used for diecasting as the die casting parts are made using these machines.

Therefore, the quality controllers need to make use of microprocessors to reach transducers that are mounted on the machine for die casting.

In the quality control process, the quality controllers may also be required to collect the data of the performance of the machine for statistical analysis.

Which Defects Are Common During Die Casting Parts Process?

Casting defects

Some of the casting defects which are common include:

Gas Porosity

Turbulences may be generated due to fluid filling at high speed during the filling phase which may, in turn, include other gases or air.

During the solidification process of the die casting parts, if the concentration of gas is not homogenous inside the parts, air bubbles may produce cavities.

This may make the sections of the die casting parts weak.

This defect can be solved by approximately adjusting the pouring temperature and mold temperature by increasing it.

Enhance the injection speed, change the die casting composition, and increase the specific pressure.

Shrinkage Porosity

These defects are made during the process of solidification and the phase of cooling the die casting parts.

They are formed because of the material shrinking and due to this reason, they may be spread widely in several parts.

This defect can be solved by ensuring compliance with die casting smelting standards, the time required in overheating the liquid, and the reduction of pouring temperature.

It is also important to improve the casting structure to eliminate the possibility of accumulation of die casting parts.

Cold Laps

They result from low temperatures and flows that are irregular and they include wide defect selections like lack of material and flow marks.

Depending on the rate of the defect, the die casting parts may have a surface quality that is poor or incomplete.

To eliminate this, you should adjust the temperature for molding n increase the overflow tank, and ensure that the coating is uniform and thin.

Additionally, the filling speed needs to alter the pattern of flow of the cavity which is filled with the metal liquid.

Blister

In the phase of filling, the air which is inside the machine and mold tends to be compressed and one part may be removed from the casting by using the vacuum valve, overflows, or chill vent.

It can be solved by reduction of the content of the air in the die cast, reduction of water lines, cold shuts, hot cracks, and avoiding shrinkage cavities.

Cracks

These may be caused due to stress outside or inside the material.

The first cracks are formed during the phase of cooling and solidification resulting from residual stress.

The second crack may be caused by external forces on the components which may be obtained during the diecasting parts ejection process from the cutting phase or mold.

This defect is solved by enhancing the casting structure, reduction of the thickness of the die casting part’s wall, and improving the mold temperature.

Laminations

They are formed from two layers that have overlapped and are separated during the filling phase.

This defect tends to be difficult to see and can only be detected after pre-finishing or finishing operations.

It can be solved by increasing the injection velocity and increasing the mold temperature.

Additionally, you should ensure that you adopt the right process in smelting and eliminating non-metallic inclusions and gas.

Colored Spots

They may be caused by excess use of paint or impurities in the paint. It may also result from paint having a lot of graphite.

This can be eliminated by using a layer of paint that is uniform and thin to ensure that it does not pile up.

You should also reduce the content of graphite in the die casting parts coating or select graphite-free water base coating.

Is Die Casting Parts Eco-friendly?

The manufacturing process of die casting parts tends to have an impact on the environment.

Running machines and melting metals need enough energy and the wastewater emitted requires to be treated well.

However, die casting tends to reduce the general impact on the environment by making use f enough materials that are recycled.

Such materials need is less energy-intensive to make thus ensuring an eco-friendly process.

The die casting parts tend to be thin-walled and light in weight thus reducing the consumption of fuel on trucks and cars.

What Are Good Design Practices For Die Casting Parts?

Some of the good design practices for die casting parts include:

• Draft: enough draft is needed to make sure that the castings are extracted from the die.
• Fillets: all the corners and edges of die casting parts need to have a radius or fillet.
• Wall thickness: die casting parts tend to have an advantage from having a wall that is of uniform thickness.
• Metal flow: you should make sure that the metal flows in all areas of the die and eliminate the possibility of gas being trapped.
• Venting: die casting parts need a way in which air escapes out of the die. This is because the metal tends to push the air in the front.
• Cooling lines: it is essential to have cooling lines that eliminate heat from the steel die.

The placement of the cooling line is also essential to go make sure that they have thermal balance.

• Ejection: you need ejector ins for pushing the casting from the die.

These ejectors need to be situated in a way that they can smoothly push the whole casting without twisting it.

Which Surface Finishes Can You Apply After Die Casting Parts?

Some of the surface finishes which you can apply after dying casting parts include:

• Anodizing: it is a protective coating that is non-conductive and seals the die casting parts.it is available in several colors such as black, blue, and red and it is quite affordable in forming a resistance to corrosion and durability.
• Paint: it is a natural coating that uses powder coat paint on your die casting parts.

When the paint is applied to metal surfaces that are pre-treated or non-treated, you obtain die casting parts that have a great look and are customizable.

• Aluminum passivation: the coating of die casting parts made of aluminum tends to entail a thin film being added onto the parts to give corrosion resistance.

This is done without dampening the die casting part’s conductivity.

• Casting impregnation: it is essential to put measures in place to eliminate porosity as this is unavoidable during die casting parts.

Casting tends to fill in and add seals to pores that are tiny in those parts which should have tight pressure.

• E-coat: it tends to make use of electrical current to deposit paint on the surface of the die casting parts.

It offers protection from corrosion for a long time and tends to be quite affordable as compared to other options of painting.

• Chem film: it is used on die casting parts that are made from aluminum and which conduct electricity.

It can be applied by the dipped process, brush or even spray.

• Gold plating: it does not oxidize and it tends to retain the conductivity of the die casting parts.
• It is mostly used in the electronics industry for printed circuits, connectors, integrated circuits, and transistors.

The main aim of these surface finishing options is to:

• Assist in the protection of your die casting parts from corrosion.
• Ionize the die casting parts.
• Assist in sealing of the die casting parts.
• Help in the efficient performance of the surface of the die casting parts.
• To meet the aesthetic standards or requirements of the die casting parts.

For all affordable and high quality die casting parts, contact us now.