Operator Technicians Training

in
DIE CASTING

Manual For TRAINER

Year 2003
Page 1 of 81
 Modules:
I. INTRODUCTION

II. MELTING

III. DIE CASTING MACHINE

IV. DIE CASTING DIES

V. DIE CASTING MACHINE OPERATION

VI. SETTING OF MACHINE PARAMETERS

VII. PROCESS CONTROL

VIII. CASTING DEFECTS

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 (I)
INTRODUCTION

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 1.WHAT IS A CASTING?

Casting is the metal shape obtained by pouring

molten metal into a mould.

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2.WHAT IS A PRESSURE DIE CASTING?

a.

INJECTION
METAL POURING

EJECTION
Year DIE OPENING
2003
Pressure die casting is a process in which molten
metal is forced under high pressure with high
velocity in to a cavity in a fraction of second and
then allowed to solidify. When casting is solidified,
the die is opened and the casting is removed.

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3. Die Casting Process Requirements:

Flow Activity Equipment

Inspection of Ingots Spectrometer

Storage of Aluminum
Ingots

Molten metal is prepared Melting Furnace

Transfer of molten metal Forklift

Holding Furnace

Injection of molten metal Die casting m/c

In to the cavity to form a Metallic die
Casting after solidification

Fettling to remove Manual

Unwanted parts of casting Trimming press

Inspection of castings Visual

Insp. Instruments
Packing and dispatch

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(II) MELTING

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1. MELTING PROCESS FLOW:

PROCESS FLOW DEFINITIONS

Ingot is a pig or slab of metal.

INGOT The mixture of ingot and other
RET+RUNNER scrap is called Charge.

Charging
MELTING FURNACE The furnace used to melt solid
metal.
Tapping

LADLE Device for the transfer of metal

Metal transfer Forklift

HOLDING FURNACE The furnace used for holding

molten metal at required
temperature near die
casting machine

CLEANING OF Fluxing and Dross removal

MELTING &
HOLDING FURNACE

2. a. Construction of Melting Furnace:

Page 8 of 81
b. Operation:

In this furnace LDO (Light Diesel Oil) is used for fuel for
melting and holding
Charge is added to furnace shaft (Melting chamber) by
charging trolley.
The shaft contaminants are burnt off.
Metal is melted in melting zone and is collected in
holding zone.

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Operation
Metal is then tapped in pre-heated ladle between 700
and 740 C by unplugging the tapping plug.
Striko furnace is reverberatory furnace used for melting
and holding molten aluminum metal.
Mixing of fuel (LDO) and air followed by ignition of the
mixture to create a flame of combustion is accomplished
by the burner. Heat from combustion is transmitted into
the metal for melting or holding.
Temperature of molten metal is sensed by a
thermocouple immersed in the bath. The output of the
thermocouple is fed through temperature controller,
which switches the burner ON or OFF.
It has a separate burner control system for precise
temperature control in both melting and holding
chambers
Raw material does not come in contact with liquid metal
thus avoiding contamination.

c. Charge and Charging Technique:

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Charging Sequence:
To avoid damage to furnace refractory insulation lining
the furnace is charged in following sequence.
1.Light foundry returns i.e. Gates and runners etc.
2.Rejected castings (Scrap)
3.Heavy charge i.e. Ingots

Material not to be charged

Dross , Flashes and

waste material like inserts.

Small flashes may close the shaft tightly & block the
waste gases in melting chamber. This can cause
damage to refectory lining due to overheating.
3. Metal Treatment :
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Metal treatment is the process of removal of dross and
other impurities from the molten metal before it is
poured.
Need: Aluminum at high temperature has tendency to
form aluminum oxide due to its high affinity for oxygen.
This oxide (Dross) has almost same density hence it
often remain in the melt during melting and handling. If it
is not removed it may remain in the casting as
INCLUSIONS. Inclusion reduces the strength of the
casting and therefore must be avoided.
Source of Inclusion:
1.Oxidation of Metal
2.Furnace refractory wall
3.Contaminated foundry returns

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Metal treatment method
(Fluxing & Drossing)

Stirring of metal with flux Cleaning tools

Flux is a chemical in powder form that is used to

remove oxides and other undesirable material from
molten metal. Cleaning flux ‘Meta flux-1’ is used for this
purpose.

The flux is sprayed over metal surface. After stirring the

suspended non-metallic particles are removed by the
flux.
Dross is the product of oxidation of molten metal. The
open metal bath surface is covered with flux
(Coverall88) to minimize oxidation of molten metal and
to facilitate separation of suspended dross from melt.
The flux forms a protective layer over the metal surface,
which reduces oxidation.

The dross is removed with the help of skimmers. It is

necessary to ensure that the dross is removed very
gently and carefully without causing turbulence in the
melt.

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 4. CLEANING OF MELTING FURNACE:

Flux injector Scrapping of oxides Removal of dross

At the end of every shift, the cleaning flux is injected on

furnace wall with the help of flux injector. The oxides
(dross) deposited on the furnace wall are removed by
scraping. Cleaning flux, Coverall – 88 or Meta flux 1, is
used for easy removal of stuck oxides.

A thorough exothermic cleansing action removes oxides

and non-metallic impurities leaving behind dry dross with
low aluminum content. This dry dross removed easily by
scrapping.

Regular cleaning of melting and holding chambers is

must to achieve good life of furnace refractory lining.

5. HOLDING FURNACES
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 A. CRUCIBLE TYPE GAS FIRED FURNACE:

a. Construction Pyrometer

Exhaust
Refractory
Clean zone of
Burner ladling

Spiral path

Pilot LPG Temperature controller

LPG

Air

Thermocouple
Pilot Air
line Thermocouple
Manual valves Solenoid valve
Sheath

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 b. Burner arrangement

LPG Line
Solenoid
Air line valve
There are two circuits in burner control system. One for pilot
flame which remains ON continuously. The other circuit is
operated through solenoid valves in air and LPG line which are
connected to thermocouple controller. If the temperature of the
metal is dropped below set point the solenoid valves are
opened & preset quantity of LPG and air is supplied to burner.
After reaching the set temperature the valves are shut-off
automatically &only pilot flame remains ON.
The temperature is measured by means of pyrometer
immersed in the metal bath and is controlled
automatically
c. Crucible:
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 Internal erosion due to metal attach

Thickness
40mm

External Erosion due to flame attack

The crucible is made up of Cast Iron. The chemical

composition is as follows:
Carbon : 3%
Silicon : 1.5%
Manganese: 0.8-1%
Chromium: 0.5-0.6%
Phosphorus: 0.1% max
Sulfur: 0.1 max

d. Iron Pick up in the metal:

During production the iron content of the metal

increases due to erosion of crucible and pyrometer
sheath, which is also made of cast iron.
e. Crucible wall erosion:
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 Erosion

Direction of rotation
at the time of
reloading

During production crucible wall erosion takes place due to-

1. Metal which causes erosion due to diffusion from inside
wall . The diffusion of crucible causes iron pick up in the metal
To avoid this the crucibles are coated periodically. Once a
week crucible is removed from furnace. The metal adhering to
inside wall is removed by chipping . The crucible surface is
coated with high temperature, Acoset-50 castable refractory
paste .

2. Flame which hits directly crucible exterior causes erosion

from outer surface of the crucible . To avoid excessive
erosion of this localize zone the crucible orientation is
changed by 60 degree while loading back in the furnace.

f. Pyrometer sheath:
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 Pyrometer

The Pyrometer sheath is made up of Cast Iron. The

chemical composition is as follows:
Carbon : 3-3.2%
Silicon : 1.8-2%
Manganese: 0.9-1%
Chromium: 0.6-0.9%
Nickel : 0.7-0.8%
Phosphorus: 0.1% max
Sulfur: 0.1 max

To minimize iron pick up from pyrometer sheath and to

improve its life it is necessary to clean the slag / oxides
adhering to sheath and apply coating of high
temperature paste over thermocouple sheath.

g. Precautions for minimizing erosion and

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 iron pick-up from crucible

Crucible Cleaning:

Once a week crucible is removed from the furnace. The

metal adhering to inside wall is removed by chipping.
The crucible surface is coated with high temperature
refractory paste. After drying the crucible is again
loaded back in the furnace shell. To avoid excessive
erosion of localize zone the crucible orientation is
changed by 60 degree while loading back.
Silicon carbide crucibles are also used. They are not
attacked by the aluminum. However they are very
costly.

B. DOSING TYPE HOLDING FURNACE:

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 These are constructed as pressure vessel. Dosing is
done by applying pressure on the liquid metal using
dry and filtered compressed air.
These furnaces are under a constantly regulated
pressure and liquid metal losses are automatically
compensated to maintain the required metal level in
dosing tube. For dosing an additional pressure is
given onto the metal bath.
6. QUALITY CHECKS IN MELTING :
a. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION:
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Effect of various alloying elements:

SILICON Si: ( 8.0 – 11.0 %)

Improves casting characteristics by improving fluidity, feeding
and hot tear resistance. The silicon rich phase is hard, so
that the hardness of the alloy is increased with Si content but
ductility and machinability are reduced.

COPPER Cu: ( 1.5 – 3.0 %)

Improves strength, hardness, machinability and

thermal conductivity. It reduces castability and hot tear
resistance together with corrosion resistance.
MAGNESIUM Mg: ( 0.5 % max)
Small additions of 0.25-0.5% allow Al-Si alloys to be
hardened by heat treatment, improving mechanical
properties. In pressure die casting alloys the Mg content
is kept low to avoid embrittlement.

IRON Fe: ( 0.7 – 1.2 %)

Small amount of iron increases the strength and the
hardness. Iron also increases hot strength which reduces the
tendency towards hot cracking. It also retards the attack of
aluminum on iron and steel thus avoids soldering to steel
dies. Increase in the level of FE above 1.2% reduces tensile
strength. It increases the tendency towards cracking.

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Effect of various impurity elements :

MANGANESE Mn : ( 0.2 – 0.5 %)

Manganese alters the inter-metallic form of iron in the alloy.

The shape of needlelike structure characteristics of the iron
constituent is then has the appearance of Chinese script and
is much less deleterious to mechanical properties.
Manganese increases impact strength.
ZINC Zn: ( 1% max )

Zinc above 3% reduces strength & can cause hot cracking.

NICKEL Ni: ( 0.5% max)

Nickel is not a serious impurity in pressure die casting

alloys. When combined with copper, Ni enhances strength
and hardness at elevated temperature.
BISMUTH Bi, CADMIUM Cd, LEAD Pb, TIN Sn

Concentrations above the specified values can lead to a

tendency of hot cracking & excessive dross formation.
TITANIUM Ti : ( 0.2 % max )

Refines the grain structure when combined with boron. The

severe cooling rate in pressure die casting eliminates the
need to promote fine grain size artificially. If concentration
exceeds 0.25%, it may cause machining difficulties from
hard intermetallic compounds.

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 b. Phase Diagram of Al-Si
Alloy

598

598

c. METAL TEMPERATURE
Effect:
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Metal temperature in striko is maintained between 700ºC -
740ºC .
Excessive metal temperature increases the chance of
hydrogen gas absorption and dross formation due to
oxidation.
Lower tapping temperature may cause interruptions in the
die casting production.

Measurement:

The temperature measurement is done by means of a

PYROMETER and is controlled automatically. The
thermocouples are calibrated periodically to maintain the
accuracy of measurement. There is always a possibility
of variation in measurement due to erosion of
thermocouple sheath. In order to control this variation the
thermocouple accuracy is verified with the help of master
thermocouple and necessary adjustment is done if
required.

7. Process control in Melting

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a. Crucible furnace:
Control on pilot and main flame.
Cleaning of furnace top.
Removal of dross after every top-up.
Monitoring of metal temperature.
Ensure tray below the furnace for holding molten
aluminum in event of crucible failure.
b. Dosing furnace:
Ensure that the launder should not touch the shot
sleeve of the die.
Launder cleaning and coating at start of every shift.
Once a day, cleaning of furnace lining to get good
furnace life.
Removal of dross from the filling hopper after every
metal filling. This will prevent dross from entering into
the molten metal and furnace chamber.
Monitoring of metal temperature

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(III) DIE CASTING
MACHINE

Page 27 of 81
DIE CASTING MACHINE:

1. WHAT IS A COLD CHAMBER MACHINE?

It is a Die Casting machine wherein molten metal is poured

in sleeve and then forced into the die cavity by hydraulically
actuated plunger. Since the sleeve or the pouring chamber
is not heated, it is called Cold Chamber.

2. FUNCTION OF DIE CASTING MACHINE

AND PEREPHERAL EQUIPMENTS:
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 a. Machines

Provide means for mounting both die halves-Platens.

Provide adequate force required to hold two die
halves together - Hydraulic cylinder and Toggle
arrangement.

Mechanism for injecting or forcing the molten

metal into the die - Shot cylinder, accumulator
and intensifier.

Mechanism for ejecting the casting after solidification –

Ejection cylinder.

b. Peripheral equipments

Mechanism for holding and pouring molten metal into the

sleeve – Holding furnace and Auto ladle or dosing
furnace
Mechanism for removing the ejected casting –
Extractor.

Mechanism for lubrication of the die parts for

production cycles – Sprayer mechanism.

3. DETAILS OF DIE CASTING MACHINE:

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a. DIE MOUNTING AND CLOSING SYSTEM:

Need for toggle mechanism

In order to achieve the sound pressure tight casting , it

is necessary to apply 800-1000 bar pressure on the
casting once it is filled in the die during solidification.
The force therefore developed during injection is = 800
bars x Casting area. If the casting area is 1000 cm2 the
force = 800x1000 is 800 tons. This force is developed
after the casting is filled in the die. The machine should
be able to provide adequate force
( more than 800 tons in above case ). Otherwise the
flashing will take place during injection. Because of the
tremendous pressures exerted to inject the molten
metal into the die, many tons of force ( 800 x 1.3 times
in above eg.) is required to hold the two die halves
together. This holding force is accomplished with the
platen-Tie bar-Toggle mechanism.

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 Tie bar and Toggle mechanism

The hydraulic die closing cylinder straightens the

toggle links to close the die. This arrangement
achieves high die clamping force to withstand casting
pressure during intensification and rapid die opening/
closing action.

Platen arrangement:
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 Moving platen Tie bar Fixed platen
The Machine has three platens connected with four tie bars.

1. Rear platen
2. Moving platen
3. Fixed platen
The fixed half of the die is mounted on fixed platen. The
moving half of the die is mounted on moving platen. The dies
are mounted with the help of clamps.
The movement of the center platen is achieved by a hydraulic
cylinder, which is mounted on rear platen, working through a
toggle arrangement.

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b. HYDRAULIC SYSTEM

High pressure/Low volume and Low

pressure/High volume pump:
For die casting machine application we need very fast
movements of die and injection piston.
At any time different combination of hydraulic pumps are
used to achieve required velocity and pressure. For any
movement of actuator we need high volume at low
pressure. At soon as system pressure is reached to set
low pressure delivery of high volume pump is diverted to
tank at zero pressure and then high pressure acts at low
volume.
We require high volume at the time of die closing
movement. Once movement is complete we need only
high pressure and low volume to keep die closed at
desired clamping force.

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c. INJECTION SYSTEM:
Shot sleeve

Machine platen
Shot Sleeve

The round metal cylinder, also called as a ‘Cold

Chamber’ or Shot Sleeve, has an opening cut in its
outer diameter to permit molten metal to be poured
inside. This sleeve has bore size corresponding to
sprue bush in the die and is located in the fixed half of
the die on the projected shoulder. Sleeves are made of
heat-treated steel so that they withstand the thermal
shock. The sleeve and sprue are in single piece also
and are called as ‘Straight through’ sleeves. They are
dedicated to the die.
Injection plunger and plunger rod
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 Plunger Plunger Rod

During injection the molten metal is forced with the

help of plunger tip or piston. The plunger tip is
fastened at one end of the plunger rod, which is
coupled through a cross head to the piston rod of the
shot cylinder. The plunger tips are made of high
strength cast iron or Beryllium copper alloy. To
prevent the excessive expansion of the plunger tip
and subsequent sticking in the sleeve, the inside is
hollowed out to permit the entrance of the cooling
water. The plunger rod has drilled holes for
circulation of water in plunger tip.

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Plunger & Plunger rod

10mm Water Out Water In

They Inject the molten metal into the die at very high
velocity @ 2 to 4 m/sec.
Plunger enhances solidification of biscuit. The plunger is
cooled, by circulating water through the piston rod. The
direction of flow of water circulation is very important.
Plunger cooling also reduces its excessive expansion
and avoids friction between sleeve and plunger. If
friction increases the quality of the casting is affected
due to cold shuts and blow hole defects.
It is also important to lubricate the plunger during
production to reduce friction.
The plunger cooling and lubrication are very important
for automatic production.

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Injection mechanism of Pressure Die Casting
Machine :

Page 37 of 81
 Accumulator

Accumulator bottles charged with compressed N2 gas are

used to store up energy from hydraulic pump. This enables a
fast injection speed to be achieved (fast 2nd phase). They act
as hydraulic springs, which store energy when it is not
required and deliver when it is required most. This is achieved
by compressing and decompressing of nitrogen

Intensifier

They are used to allow sudden build up of pressure at

the end of the injection. No volume or displacement of
plunger is needed. However there is a small amount of
plunger displacement take place during intensification.
The intensification stage can have a large effect on the
porosity in the casting.

d. Ejection System
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 Ejector plate Moving Platen
Ejection rod

Ejector pins Ejection cylinder

Due to extremely high injection pressure and the tendency of

shrinkage, casting tends to grip the male feature of the die as
the casting shrinks onto it during solidification. Hence extra
force is needed to start the initial ejection movement of the
casting from the cavity. This force is provided by an additional
hydraulic ejection cylinder.
This cylinder is mounted on moving platen. The piston rod of
the cylinder is connected to the ejection mechanism of the
die, which consists of ejector plate and ejector pins. During
ejection the casting is stripped off the punch.
Ejector pins are connected to ejector plate, which is actuated
by machine ejection cylinder through ejection rod, which is
coupled with the ejector plate.

e. Extraction system:
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 Gripper jaws Gripper arm Extractor

After the ejection, casting is removed with the help of

extractor by holding the biscuit of the casting in gripper
jaws.
Importance of extractor:
a. Cycle time control
b. Removal of hat casting and keeping at pre-
designated place.

c. It can determine completeness of the casting after

extraction by means of sensors.

For effective working of extractor it should have

1. Proper alignment between jaws and biscuit.
2. Proper and sharp jaws to grip the casting.
3. Rapid travel, inside and outside the machine.
f. Lubrication methods:
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Automatic spray
Manual spray

Automatic lubrication:

Reciprocator Sprayer head

Mechanized programmable spraying device

Operation sequence:
Die opens
Movement of sprayer into die area
Spray according to program in following sequence
Fixed half
Moving half
Air blow

Manual lubrication:

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Spray gun Water line

Spraying Air line Lub tank

This is done manually with spray gun. Spray gun has

two connections. One for lubricant and another for air.
Lubricant line is connected to central tank where
lubricant is stored. Dilution ratio of lubricant is
maintained in the tank. Initially a mixture of lubricant and
air is sprayed on the die surface followed by only air to
remove excess lubricant.

Page 42 of 81
(IV) DIE CASTING DIES

DIE CASTING DIES

1. WHAT IS A DIE?
Page 43 of 81
Die is heart of die casting process. It is a
pressure tight compartment conforming to
shape of the part to hold molten metal.
2. FUNCTION OF PRESSURE DIE CASTING
DIES.
Page 44 of 81

DIES
Die is an impression that gives the casting its shape.
 To hold the molten metal entering at high velocity and
pressure in the shape of the desired casting - Cavity.

To provide means for the molten metal to get in to the cavity

– Runner & Gating system.

To remove heat from the molten metal to solidify it - Die

cooling system.

To provide for the removal of solidified casting,

Ejection system.

3. VARIOUS PARTS OF THE DIE:

Page 45 of 81
 Die block

a. Fixed and moving half

Die casting die is split into two sections so that the casting can
be removed after it has been formed.

Fixed half is mounted to the stationary platen on

casting machine and does not move during casting
cycle.

Moving half is mounted on the movable platen of the

machine.

VARIOUS PARTS OF THE DIE:

Page 46 of 81
 Fixed Insert Moving Insert

Two large solid pieces of steel called ‘Die blocks’ form the
frame of the die. These blocks hold all other die parts. Slots are
provided around the edges for clamping the die to the machine
platen.
The cavity is the space between the die halves that is the size
and shape of the part that is to be cast. It is machined into an
insert block in each of these die halves.

The two halves of the die must align together when the die is
closed. This is achieved by means of guide pins and bushes.
The dowel pins are always placed in the fixed half.
Some castings have complex shapes that cannot be formed by
dies that opens in only one direction. Die for these parts have
core slides, which moves sideways as the die opens and
closes. The slides are moved by hydraulic cylinders.

VARIOUS PARTS OF THE DIE:

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 EJECTION MECHANISM:

The die is so constructed that the casting is held in the moving

half when the die opens. The casting is then pushed out with
ejector pins that come through holes in the die. These pins are
actuated by the ejector plate powered by the machine.

Ejector plates move inside an ejector box – a hollow structure

which spaces the die away from the movable platen.

VARIOUS PARTS OF THE DIE:

Page 48 of 81
 d. Gating system

Consists of Biscuit, Runner and Gate

The mating surface of the die halves is called parting

line.
Both surfaces forming this parting line must be smooth and
finished so that the die halves fit closely together.
Otherwise the molten metal can escape through the gap, when
forced into the cavity under pressure.

As the metal is injected into the die, it first enters the die from
the shot hole or sprue.

d. Gating system

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The metal then passes through main runner, spreads out into
the branch runner and finally fills the cavity through the
gates

As the metal fills the cavity, air and gases trapped in the cavity
are pushed ahead of the metal through the overflows and out
the vents.

The molten metal should completely fill the cavity and should
drive the air into the overflow and allow to escape from
vents. The air should be forced out before the column of
advancing molten metal. The vents are deliberately made so
thin that only air should exit and molten metal will freeze and
terminate in the vents.
The excessive heat is removed
4. Thermal from the die
Equilibrium in by
thewater
diechannels
drilled through the die. The idea is to maintain the die at a
constant and appropriate temperature.

The thermal equilibrium of the die is maintainedPage

by 50 of 81
removing the
heat given by the molten aluminum with cooling water, which is
circulated through the die.
*Heat input to the die ‘Q’ in Kcal/Hour =Latent heat +
Sensible heat
= (n x w x Ch) + (n x w x Cp x dT)
Where n = No of shots per hour
W = Shot weight
Ch= Heat of solidification= 94.4 Kcal /Kg
Cp= Sp. Heat of aluminum= 0.215 Kcal / Kg C
dT= Temp of metal – Temp of casting at the time of
ejection= 660-300 = 330
*Flow of water required through the die to remove the
heat.
V in Ltr per Hour = Q / (Cw x dt x density of water)
Where Cw= Sp heat of water
dt= Die temp to be maintained – Inlet temp of water
= 200-30=170
Surface area required in the die for heat transfer:
A = Q x FS / α x dt
Where FS = Factor of safety = 1.5 for larger dies
α = 0.15

Page 51 of 81
(V) DIE CASTING MACHINE
OPERATION

1. DIE CASTING PROCESS SEQUENCE:

1. Cores move into position

2. Die closes
Page 52 of 81
3. Metal is ladled and filled in the sleeve up to
closely
controlled height.
 4. Shot is made i.e. Injection. Slow shot allows metal to fill
sleeve, driving air out of pouring hole, and enter up to
runner. Fast shot quickly pushes molten metal in fraction
of a second in to cavity with minimum turbulence so that
metal pushes air out through overflows and does not
allow mixing of air and metal to avoid blow holes. When
metal fully fills cavity, Intensification occurs. This does
not cause more metal to flow in but only compacts the
still liquid metal to squeeze air out and improve density of
the metal.

5. Hold for solidification

6. Die opens
7. Cores retract
8. Shot plunger returns
9. Casting is ejected and removed by extractor.
10. Ejector retract

11. Die lubricant is sprayed on dies

12. Flashes are removed

13. Cycle restarts

2. INJECTION PROCESS:
In injection process the metal is forced into the die
cavity in three stages.
Page 53 of 81
a. Slow phase
b. Fast phase
c. Intensification

a. SLOW PHASE:

Pouring Hole

Initially the plunger speed is relatively slow until the

metal has completely filled shot cylinder and
runners. The metal level rises slowly in sleeve to
allow full fill while air escapes from pouring port.
This allows air to move ahead of metal with a
minimum turbulence. During this phase metal fills
in-gate and runner but not cavity.

Page 54 of 81
 b. FAST PHASE:

In this phase full plunger speed and force is applied

as metal is forced rapidly through gate into cavity.
This high-speed plunger action is achieved by using
accumulator. This phase lasts for few milliseconds.

Page 55 of 81
 c. INTENSIFICATION:

The cavity is fully filled already in fast shot phase. At the

end of the fast shot phase the metal is still liquid.
Intensification phase allows the still liquid metal to be
compacted to overcome porosity. During intensification
the injection pressure is increased by 2 to 3 times. This
increase in the pressure at the end of the injection cycle
increases the density of the casting and consequently
improves its quality and mechanical strength. This
pressure increase is called ‘Intensification’ and is
achieved by intensifiers.
INJECTION PROCESS

Page 56 of 81
 ProportionalAccumulator
valves

Intensifier

Pouring Hole

Non-
return
valve
Injection cylinder

Intensification cylinder

Initial position: Start of First phase

Air escape

1st PHASE

The purpose is to fill sleeve and gate and allow air to escape
from pouring hole. The average plunger speed in first phase is
0.2 to 0.3 m/sec.
2nd PHASE

The purpose (1) To fill whole cavity with minimum turbulence.

Page 57 of 81
(2) To allow air to escape . The average plunger speed in
second phase is 2 - 4 m/sec. The average die filling time is 50
to 80 milliseconds depending on the casting wall thickness.
3rd PHASE

Page 58 of 81
The purpose is to apply maximum force to compact still liquid
metal into cavity to drive air out and improve density of the
metal.

3. Shot profile of Injection Process

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 Shot profile of injection process
Sleeve Displaceme
nt
Intensification
2nd
st
Pressure
phase Change over from 1 curve
to 2nd phase ( S1)
Max
plunger
1st
phase velocity
Velocity curve

Fill time
Plunger movement Time
The multiple graphic display of pressure, stroke and speed
curves draws attention to the effect on the variables of the
process of the changing of one parameter, facilitating the
regulation of the machine.

(VI) SETTING OF MACHINE Page 60 of 81

PARAMETERS
 tb

Lm

Ls

1. Slow shot change over position, S1

S1

Td
D Page 61 of 81
 Lf

A] Obtain following casting parameters:

a. Total shot weight-W
b. Weight after gate-Wg
c. Net casting weight-Wc
d. Active sleeve length-Ls
e. Sleeve diameter-D
f. Biscuit thickness- tb=40

B] Calculate following
a. Area of plunger=Ap
b. Biscuit weight=Wb=2.7xApxtb/1000
c. Weight in runner=Wr=(W-Wg)-Wb
d. Weight of metal in sleeve at S1=Ws=W-Wr
e. Length of 100% metal fill=Lm=Ws/(2.7xA)
f. Calculate S1 = Ls-Lm
2. Slow shot velocity, V1

Page 62 of 81
The slow shot velocity should be 0.3 m/sec maximum.

3. Fast shot velocity, V2

a. Calculate Fast shot length = Lf = Lm-tb

b. Calculate fast shot velocity , V2= Lf / die fill time

Normally die fill time is 50-80 msec depending on

casting geometry and wall thickness

4. Intensification pressure, Ip

Obtain hydraulic cylinder diameter from machine

manual.

Calculate

a. Shot cylinder area = Acyl

b. Intensification pressure Ip

= (casting pressure, 800 barsxAp) / Acyl

Page 63 of 81
(VII) PROCESS CONTROL IN
DIE CASTING

1. PRESSURE DIE CASTING VARIABLES:

Page 64 of 81
In Pressure die casting production process following
variables affect the casting quality. It is therefore very
important to check and monitor these variables regularly in
production process.

a.PRESSURE VARIABLES:
a. Pump pressure
b. Accumulator charging pressure
c. N2 gas pressure
d. Injection pressure

b.TEMPERATURE VARIABLES
a. Die temperature
b. Metal temperature
c. Hydraulic oil temperature

c. OTHER VARIABLES
a. Plunger speed

b. Solidification time
c. Cycle time
d. Lubrication

a. Pressure Variables:
Page 65 of 81
a. Pump pressure:
Pump pressure should be as per machine specification
(150-160 bars). If pump pressure drops accumulator charging
pressure drops, Die locking pressure drops, Inconsistency
during fast shot.

b. N2 gas pressure:

N2 gas pressure should be as per machine specification

(120-130 bars). Drop in N2 pressure will cause drop in
accumulator pressure and drop in second phase shot
velocity.

c. Intensification pressure (PI3):

Intensification pressure is to be set as per the casting
requirement (160–300 bars ). The drop in injection pressure
may lead to poor surface finish, shrinkage porosity and blow
holes.

d. Accumulator charging pressure:

Accumulator should be charged up to pump pressure (150-160
bars).
If accumulator charging pressure drops, second phase
velocity drops which may lead to cold shut or un-filling of
casting.
b. Temperature Variables:

Page 66 of 81
a. Die temperature:

In order to produce quality castings it is important to

maintain proper die temperature within a specified range of
180 to 220 C. In the die the hot spots are punches, which
also cools fast.
Lower die temperatures affect casting quality due defects
like un-fill, cold shut, flow lines, wrinkles etc.

Higher die temperature may cause die flashing, Soldering,

casting breaking or warpage problem.

A continuous injection of hot metal will raise the die

temperature to a high level.
In order to maintain an ideal die temperature, this heat has
to be removed by cooling the die and die parts during
production cycle.

Lower die temperatures are recommended for thick walled

castings to cool at faster rate.

Higher die temperatures are recommended for thin walled

castings to avoid cold shuts and un-fill.

Page 67 of 81
 b. Metal temperature:

Metal temperature is maintained between 640ºC-680º C.

Low metal temperature may cause un-fill and cold shut
problem. High metal temperature may cause die flashing,
soldering, casting cracks and warpage problem.

c. Hydraulic oil temperature:

Oil temperature should be in the range of < 45ºC. Higher

oil temp. will cause drop in high pressure, intensification
pressure, 2nd phase velocity. The increase in oil temp
increases fluidity (lowers viscosity) of the oil and will cause
leakages through hydraulic oil seals.

c. Time variables:
Page 68 of 81
a. 1st and 2nd phase Plunger velocity:

During injection, the plunger speed should be

maintained within a narrow range.
Generally 1st phase velocity = 0.2-0.3 m/sec
Generally 2nd phase velocity= 2 – 4 m/sec
Proper plunger velocity is required to achieve
adequate gate velocity ie. Metal speed through gate
(40-60 m/sec).
Lower velocity may cause un-fill and cold shut
problem.
Higher velocity may cause die flashing, casting cracks
problem and reduce die life.

Reasons for changing plunger speed are-

1. Friction between shot sleeve and shot piston

2. Variation in metal pouring temperature

3. Variation in accumulator charging pressure

4. Improper alignment of shot sleeve and sprue bush.

b. Solidification time:
Page 69 of 81
 Crieteria Short Long
Biscuit height Small X
Big X
Casting Thin wall X
Thick wall X
Die temperature High X
Low X
Plunger Grey iron X
Be-Cu X
Cooling system Intensive X
Moderate X

c. Intensification delay

Important parameter for effective intensification.

d. Cycle time:

During production process time between each cycle

should be same. Variation in cycle time affects quality of
casting and loss in production. For achieving good
quality of casting die should run continuously.

Major Causes for increased cycle time

Page 70 of 81
7.3.
1. Piston
Core jamming
Machine jamming
tripping::: Improper
Improper
Power die
piston
failure, / Electrical
core
cooling,
clearances,
Piston
problem
5.
6.
4.Improper
wear,
8.
2.
in Casting
Limit
Flash
Die
LowImproper
flashing
sprayermetal
switches
entering
breaking
,lubrication
level
clearance
: :Improper
extractor in
: Stopper
Under
: and
core
etc.Delay
between
cut
die/core
:die
rod
inLow
in re-filling
the
problem,
clearances
sleeve
clamping
cooling
die , and
High
ofImproper
holding
,piston,
,force,
metal
Core
Low
Improper
alignment
and
Improper
furnaces.
clamping
cylinder
die temperature,
leakages.
clearances.
piston
of
force,
stoppers.
lubrication.
Unbalance
more solidification
in tie bar locking.
time.
 Easy ejection: Parting, release and separation of
casting from the die.
Lubricity: Eliminate sticking and galling, the removal
of particles from localized areas caused by friction, of
die parts such as sliding cores and ejector
mechanism.
Cooling: Maintain heat balance in the die.
Metal fluidity: They form an impenetrable film
between metal and die. This reduces surface tension
and promotes better metal flow and complete filling of
cavity.
Solder protection: Due to the solvents used in
lubricants they also acts as cooling agent on the die
LUBRICATION:
cavity surface and thus inhibit soldering of molten

1.aluminum
Purposeto of
the die surface.
die lubrication – Page 71 of 81
2. Elements in lubricant:
Page 72 of 81
These lubricants, also called as ‘release agents’
are mainly high temperature oils with other
additives.
a. Release components:
• Oil – Petroleum, Vegetable, Synthetic
• Waxes
• Silicone
• Emulsifiers – Detergents
b. Additives:
• Corrosion inhibitors
• Anti-solder additives
• Inorganic materials – Graphite, Talc, Mica
• Anti-fungal / anti-bacterial agents to prevent
deterioration of lubricant.
Very important consumable in die casting.

Wastage to be avoided (Price Rs.150 per ltr)

3. Variables in die lubrication:

Page 73 of 81
Spray velocity is important than quantity.
Spray angle


Less effective More effective
Lesser the angle , better the lubrication effect
Casting geometry

Maintain spray angle minimum possible.

Spray time
- Just enough to cool the die
- Longer spray time removes more heat
- More spray = Cold shut
- More spray = Water management problem
Variables in die lubrication:

Page 74 of 81
Where to spray? Spray Location
- Hit the critical HOT areas and avoid COLD areas

Spray distance

The higher the distance, better the spray.

More velocity less velocity

Nozzle Less area More area

Dilution ratio

- Ratio of concentrated lubricant : Water

- Normally 1: 60 to 1: 100
- Depends upon
a. Quality of lubricant
b. Application i.e. Casting geometry
Avoid Shadow areas
Do not spray into sleeve

1. COLD SHUTS, COLD LAPS & UN-FILL

Page 75 of 81
 CAUSE REMEDY
Maintain correct metal temp.
Metal temperature too low
Check thermocouple controls.
Determine and maintain correct
Plunger speed too slow
plunger speed.
N2 pressure in accumulator Watch pressure gauge during
Bottle too low shot for excessive pressure drop.

Die temperature too low Maintain correct die temperature

Inadequate venting Add and rework vents & overflows

Use correct amount and

Excessive die lubricant
concentration of die lubricant
Worn plunger tip and shot
Replace if necessary
sleeve
Add gates to weak spots if
Inadequate gating
problem is chronic

Excessive gating Plug gates individually if required.

2. SOLDERING

Page 76 of 81
 CAUSE REMEDY

a. Maintain correct metal temp.

Metal too hot
b. Check thermocouple controls

Die too hot or too cold Maintain correct die

temperature
Low iron content in alloy Increase iron content to 0.8 to1.2%

Ineffective die lubricant Use correct die lubricant

Determine if water lines are

Hot spots in the die
functioning. Increase die cooling
Low metal viscosity in dead Add gates close to these areas to
areas of casting provide washing action on die face
Not enough draft on die
Increase draft
surface

Bent cores Straighten bent cores

Metal not solidifying Improve water cooling of die

3. CRACK

Page 77 of 81
 CAUSE REMEDY

Solder Identify the cause for solder

Bent cores Straighten or replace cores

Die or metal too

Maintain
hot correct temperature

Add cooling water to die OR

More solidification time
add water lines where needed.
If cracks are at corners, increase
Contraction stresses
the fillet radii. Reduce hold time.
Increase die temp. in defect areas
add overflows & reduce die
cooling.
Use less hot metal
Hot spots
Use hot spot wax
Check for broken ejector pin
Improper ejection
Remove undercuts
Off composition metal
Analyze metal, bail furnace if reqd.
particularly high iron

4. BLOW HOLES AND POROSITY:

Page 78 of 81
 CAUSE REMEDY

Metal too hot Maintain correct Metal

CAUSE temperature
REMEDY
Excess die, plunger lub. Do not use excessive lubricant.

Entrapped air or
Clean vents
Gas vents blocked

Use minimum plunger speed

Incorrect injection para.
& proper intensification pressure
Die flashed too much or
Clean die faces or lock die tight
running too loose

Insufficient metal in shot Maintain proper biscuit thickness

Overflow broken off a part

Keep overflows cleaned out
and stuck in die
Insufficient vents and
Add vents and overflows
Overflow well
Add gate to defect areas. Use shot chiller behind
Shrinkage defect area. Improve feeding in problem area by
increasing wall thickness or adding ribs.

5. BLISTERS

Page 79 of 81
 Increase die venting by adding
Entrapped air or gas
overflows and vents to defect areas

Do not use excess die/ plunger lub

Use minimum plunger speed

Metal too hot Maintain correct metal temperature

Die too hot Increase die cooling

Improper gating Rework gates

Heat check marks

Page 80 of 81
Chip off

Drag mark

Page 81 of 81