PRESSURE DIE CASTING

What is Hot-Chamber Die Casting?

 

Hot-Chamber Die Casting Process – a pool of molten metal is forced into the mold cavity via pressure applied by a pneumatic-powered or hydraulic-powered piston.  The advantages of hot-chamber die casting include fast cycle times (up to 15 cycles per minute on average) and the convenience of melting the metal directly in the chamber/machine; a drawback to this process is its limitation to metals with low melting points only.

​

What is Cold-Chamber Die Casting?

​

Cold-Chamber Die Casting Process – use of this method requires the metal to be melted in a separate furnace then transported in precise amounts to the cold-chamber machine; this molten metal is then injected or shot into the mold by hydraulic or mechanical pistons.  The use of the cold-chamber die casting process is ideal for metals with high melting temperatures; its primary disadvantage is longer cycle times, due to the additional step of transferring the molten metal from a separate furnace to the machine.

​

As intimated above, the metal point or metal temperature of the respective metal dictates the type of die casting process that must be applied; a synopsis of the common metals most often used in each method would include:

​

• Hot-Chamber Die Casting

  • Low melting-point metals/alloys – zinc, lead, magnesium 

• Cold-Chamber Die Casting

  • High melting-point metals/alloys – brass, copper, aluminum

 

In general, die casting is one of the most versatile metalworking processes; consequently, the use of die casting is common across a wide range of industries for the manufacturing of parts, components, and finished products in a variety of shapes and sizes.