Before getting into the details, let us understand how the process works. So, the die casting process involves the production of geometrically complex metal through reusable molds, known as dying. It also involves using a furnace, metal, die, and die casting machine. There are two types of die casting machines- hot chamber machines and cold chamber pressure die casting machines. The former is used for alloys with lower melting points, and the latter is used for alloys with higher melting points. The differences between the two machines lie in their sector of tooling and equipment. However, after the molten metal injection into the dies, it solidifies into the final part rapidly. The resulting part is known as casting. Further in the article, you will be reading about the process in detail.
Stages of die casting
There are typically five stages in the die casting cycle. These are:
- Clamping: It involves the clamping and preparation of the die. Each half of the die is lubricated. The lubrication time depends on the size and cavities. The two halves of the die are clamped inside the machine. The time of clamping depends on the size of the machine.
- Injection-: The molten metal is now transferred into the chamber injected into the die. The transfer of molten metal into the die casting machine depends on the machine you are using. After the transfer is done, the molten metal is injected into the die. The injection time refers to the time taken to fill all the channels and cavities in the die. The time depends on the thickness of the wall of the casting. The greater the wall thickness, the more will be the time taken.
- Cooling: After the injection, the molten metal will solidify and die. Once the entire cavity is filled, the molten metal takes the final shape.
- Ejection: As the cooling time passes, the die can be opened into two halves, and through ejection, the die is taken out of the cavity.
- Trimming: Finally, the material in the channels will solidify during the cooling time. The excess material shall be trimmed from the die. The extra material can either be discarded or reused. However, the recycled material must be reconditioned before reusing it.
Conclusion
The concluding words would be that the process is a bit complex but one of the best processes for die casting. The cold chamber pressure dies casting takes more time and clamp force than hot chamber pressure casting.
