High-Pressure Die-casting

High-pressure Die-casting service

We provided best services to all customers.

We offer first-class high-pressure die-casting services for your parts. You get high-quality, fine finish, and precisely sized parts at competitive prices.

Free DFM feedback

Tolerances: typically +/- 0.15mm or +/-0.006 inch

Tooling lead time: 35 days

Casting lead time: 5~7 days

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Advantages & Disadvantages

Defects

Workflow

FAQ

What is high-pressure die casting?

High-Pressure Die-casting is the most common process for metal massive production. In simple terms, melt the metal or metal alloy, and inject the liquid metal into a mold with pressure. The metal solidifies and ejects it. Then we have the product.

Compared with other processes, high-pressure die casting saves material costs, and it can handle relatively complicated designs. Typical casting molds last dozens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of times injections. The unit cost of a product is low.

Type services

We use two different systems according to the needs of different products: hot chamber system and cold chamber system. The hot chamber system is used for alloys with lower melting points, such as zinc, tin and lead. Cold chamber die casting machines are used for alloys with high melting temperatures, including aluminum, brass and magnesium.

Hot chamber system

Hot chamber die-casting machines are used for alloys with lower melting points. The molten metal flows into the injection chamber through the inlet, and the hydraulically driven plunger forces the molten metal through the gooseneck channel and into the mold.

Cold chamber system

Cold chamber die-casting machines are used for alloys with high melting temperatures. The molten metal is still kept in an open insulated tank. These alloys cannot be cast in hot chamber die-casting machines because they will damage the pumping system.

Relative services

Metal injection molding

Centrifugal Casting

Investment Casting

Lost Foam Casting

Permanent Mold Casting

Difference

Like many things, both hot chamber and cold chamber die casting have their pros and cons. The choice of the correct machining method depends on whether the project is a one-off part development, the application scenario of the final product, which material can meet the customer’s needs, and so on. The differences between the two are now listed for reference.

	Hot chamber system	Cold chamber system
Processed material	Low melting temperature alloy(Zinc, Magnesium alloys), max temp 450°C.	High melting temperature alloy(Aluminum, Brass Alloys) , max temp 600°C
Equipment	Low Clamp force	High Clamp force
Molten metal enters	Sprue bushing (in the cover die)	Injection sleeve
Cycle times	400 to 900 shots per hour	50 to 90 shots per hour
Parts	common density and precison	High density parts, higher precision
Automation	Easier to automate	More manual labor intensive
Tooling life cycle	Longer	relatively short
Tooling material	cast iron or tool steel	tool steel
Cost	Lower machine and die costs.	Higher machine and die costs.

Capabilities

Equipment

Hot chamber system: clamp force up to 400 tons

Cold chamber system: clamp force up to 800 tons

Tolerances

Product: Heavily depending on the part type and the size of the part, typically +/- 0.1mm or +/-0.04 inch

Tooling tolerance: typically +/- 0.01mm or +/-0.004inch

Mold Life Cycle

Typically 30,000~50,000

Leading Time

Tooling: 35 days

Casting: 5~7 days

Material

Aluminum Alloy: ADC7,ADC10, ADC12,ADC14 A380, A360, A353
Zinc Alloy: ZA,ZA12, ZA27, AG-40, AG-41
Magnesium Alloy: AZ91D， AZ80M， AZ31B， AM60B， M2M

Thin wall

Typical: >1.5mm(depend on parts type and size)

Process Cycle

The die-casting process cycle roughly consists of five main stages.

1. Clamping

Each half die is first cleaned of traces of previous injections.

Lubricate to facilitate ejection of the next part (lubrication after each cycle is not required, depending on the material).

After lubrication, the two mold halves connected inside the die-casting machine are closed and firmly clamped together.

2. Injection

Prepare the molten metal ahead of time.

Hot chamber: a hydraulically driven plunger forces molten metal through a gooseneck channel and into a mold.

Cold chamber machine: The molten metal is poured from the ladle into the shot chamber through a pouring hole.

inject metal into die

3. Cooling

The molten metal injected into the die begins to cool and solidify once it enters the cavity.

The machine needs to maintain a certain pressure at this time.

Typical pressures for hot chamber die-casting machines are between 1000 and 5000 psi.

Typical pressures for cold chamber die-casting machines are between 2000 and 20000 psi.

4. Ejection

After a predetermined cooling time, the die halves can be opened (the time to open the mold can be estimated based on the dry cycle time of the machine)

The ejection mechanism applies some force to push the casting out of the cavity (time determined by the size of the casting shell).

The die is re-cleaned or lubricated, then clamped for the next injection.

5. Trimming

Cutting, sawing or using a trimming press to trim excess material, flash from castings.

If surface treatment is required later, it shall be ground or polished according to the process plan.

For the waste generated after trimming, the part that cannot be reused according to the standard is discarded, and the qualified part is recycled for reuse.

Common Materials

Die casting materials are divided into the following three categories according to the properties of the metal materials used

Aluminum alloys

Die-casting aluminum alloys have good performance and process performance, so the die-casting of aluminum alloys has developed rapidly and has been widely used in various industrial sectors.

Material properties:

Strong and durable: Aluminum alloys are tough, hard, and resist corrosion. For instance, parts made from ADC12 are both sturdy and wear-resistant.
Efficient heat transfer: Aluminum alloys boast exceptional thermal conductivity. This efficiently spreads and dissipates heat, enhancing parts’ ability to withstand high temperatures. This is particularly crucial in applications like car engines, electric fans, and LED lights, where efficient heat dissipation is essential.
Easy to mold: Aluminum alloys are highly fluid, allowing them to effortlessly fill molds and solidify rapidly to create desired parts. This ease of molding enables efficient mass production of numerous identical or diverse parts within a short timeframe.

common types: ADC7,ADC10, ADC12,ADC14 A380, A360, A353

Magnesium alloys

Magnesium alloy is an alloy composed of magnesium and other elements. The main alloying elements are aluminum, zinc, manganese, cerium, thorium and a small amount of zirconium or cadmium.

Material properties:

Light weight, high specific stiffness, high specific strength, strong thermal conductivity
Good machining performance, good impact resistance and compression resistance
Good die-casting performance, good dimensional accuracy and stability
Good regeneration, can be completely recycled
Low corrosion resistance, flammable and explosive

Mainly used in aerospace, military, automobile, motorcycle and 3C electronic products.

Type: AZ91D， AZ80M， AZ31B， AM60B， M2M

Zinc alloys

Zinc alloy is an alloy composed of zinc and other elements. Often added alloying elements are aluminum, copper, magnesium, cadmium, lead, titanium and other low-temperature zinc alloys.

Material properties:

Large specific weight; good casting performance, can die-cast precision parts with complex shapes and thin walls, and the surface of the castings is smooth;
Surface treatment can be carried out: electroplating, spraying, painting, electrophoresis, polishing, water transfer printing, etc.;
It has good mechanical properties and wear resistance at room temperature;
Poor corrosion resistance, not suitable for use in high temperature and low temperature (below 0°C) working environment

Mainly used in toys, lamps, decorations, auto parts, mechanical and electrical parts, electrical components and their casings.

Type: AZ91D, AZ80M, AZ31B, AM60B, M2M, etc.

Surface finishes

We have experienced professionals for surface treatment of products.

Name	Description	Materials	Color	Texture
Sand Blast	Sandblasting is a method that uses high-speed sand flow to clean and roughen the surface of a product. It serves to achieve a specific level of cleanliness and varying roughness on the workpiece surface.	All Metal Materials, Plastic	N/A	Matte
Tumbling	Tumbling is a surface treatment process where materials are placed in a rotating drum or container with abrasive media. The action of tumbling smoothens surfaces, deburrs edges, and improves uniformity.	All Materials	N/A	Smooth, Matte
Anodizing	Anodizing is a surface treatment for aluminum and its alloys. It forms a protective layer that boosts corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and hardness while changing the material’s surface appearance.	Aluminum, Titanium	Clear, Yellow, Green, Blue, Black, etc	Smooth, matte finish.
Painting	Attach the product to be sprayed onto the rotating bracket, and then secure the bracket on the assembly line. Apply the paint evenly to the product’s surface. This process enhances the product’s tactile feel, but it may be susceptible to scratches.	All Materials	Clear, Yellow, Green, Blue, Black, Multiple	Gloss, semi-gloss, flat, metallic, textured
Powder Coating	Powder coating is a technique for applying dry powder to metal surfaces, typically done electrostatically. The coated metal is then cured through heating or ultraviolet light to create a durable and attractive finish.	Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Steel,etc	Custom	Gloss, matte or semi-gloss
Electroplating	Electroplating serves functional, decorative, and corrosion-related purposes, finding widespread use across various industries. For instance, the automotive sector often employs chrome-plating on steel automobile parts.	Aluminum, Steel, Stainless Steel	Gold, Silver, Nickel, Copper, Brass, Zinc, Chrome	Smooth, glossy finish
Electroless Plating	Electroless plating is a chemical process depositing metal onto a substrate without an external electrical current. It involves a catalytic reaction between the substrate and a metal ion solution, creating a uniform and adherent coating.	Metal, Plastic	Gold, Silver, Nickel, Copper, Brass, Zinc, Chrome	Smooth, glossy finish

Advantages and Disadvantages

High-intensity pressure and speed to produce precise, cost-effective metal castings, is ideal for those looking to manufacture large numbers of identical components, but it has some drawbacks due to its inherent process limitations.

Advantages

Due to the use of precision molds, quite complex products can be cast.
The wall thickness can be very small, and the liquid metal injected under high pressure can easily fill the cavity.
Compared with other casting processes, it has better mechanical properties and stricter dimensional tolerances.
Through post-processing, it can have a very good surface finish.
Most pressure die castings can be electroplated
High production efficiency, the whole process is almost fully automated.
It is economical whether it is small batch production or large batch production.
Suitable for various industry applications

Disadvantages

Requires complex and expensive equipment
Relatively inflexible compared to gravity die casting
Not very suitable for limited production or individual casting, the lower the quantity, the higher the cost.
Since the alloy used must have a low melting point, it is not suitable for all materials.
Heat treatment is difficult and pores are common
The mold used in this process is more complicated and the production cost is higher.
Highly skilled technicians are needed in itself to operate the machine and ensure high quality parts.

Common Defects

Each process has its own limitations, and it is impossible to have a perfect processing method. When we enjoy the advantages of mass-produced products at low prices, we must also be aware of its common problems. Therefore, choosing which method to use is a matter for us to fully communicate with customers in advance and plan carefully.

Flash

Short run

Bubbles

Cracked

Cold shut

General Workflow of Die casting

1. Stp File && Information Sent

material color
mold life cycle
Tolerance
first lot quantity

2. Quotation

production unit price
mold cost
lead time

3. Customer place an order

4. We send detail DFM

partial line
push pin
slider mark
shrinkage mark position
cavity and core

5. Make the mold

upon Customer’s feedback on DFM
Ensure quality

6. T0 (first time test molding)

check that it matches drawings
check tolerance
check color
adjust mold and injection process

7. T1 (second test molding)

check problem was solved
more adjustment if necessary

8. Check before acceptance

Production after Customer confirm samples

9. Manufacturing

Implement order

Frequently Asked Questions

I have a good idea but don’t have a technical drawing, do you provide design service?

Currently, we don’t provide design services, just focus on CNC machining. Although we do have engineers capable of making CAD designs, designing involves intensive knowledge in the field of the product required. Our specialty is converting a design to real not converting an idea to a design.

I have a design, but not sure about the material, can you give me some suggestions?

Yes, we are happy to help you with our knowledge of materials. Please send us the information, we will arrange for engineers to sort it out.

Do you manufacture gears?

Yes, we do. We manufacture gear, worm, helical gear and some bevel gear in our CNC machining service.

Do you manufacture wood products such as furniture?

No, we don’t manufacture wood product.

Do you offer 3D print service?

We don’t do 3D print ourself, if you need them, we can outsources for you.

Do you offer part marking service?

Yes, we do. We do part marking with silk screening, laser engraving, and etching. If you need such service, please send design of the marking in .ai or .dwg form.

I only have a 3D design, don’t have a 2D technical drawing, can you manufacture my design?

Yes we can. 2D drawing contains important information like tolerances, heat treatment, surface treatment etc. Without we will following ISO2768 medium for metal parts and ISO2768 coarse for plastic parts as default, and no heat treatment, no surface treetment, unless otherwise claimed.

Do you offer assembly service?

The answer is case by case. It depends on if we have the assembly equipments and environment. If it is a simple assembly and we have the equipments, we will offer assembly service.

Why .stp file, can I send other other CAD file?

Stp file is an standard 3D file that all CAD and CAM programes (Proe, UG, Solidworks etc.) can open and convert to. If you only have CAD files with other file extension, send to us, we can covert it to stp file.