| Every day in our lives we use die casting | | | | the mold. This stage requires extreme caution |
| material but are completely oblivious to the | | | | in regarding to the pressure and checking of |
| process that is in place. Thousands of | | | | any defects in the mold. Once the cavity is |
| manufactures use this die casting to come up | | | | filled then the pressure is maintained until |
| with daily items such as toys for children | | | | the casting has become solid (though this |
| and even equipments that change our very | | | | period is usually made short as possible by |
| method of working. Die casting has certainly | | | | water cooling the mold). There are also |
| provided the human race with a plethora of | | | | different ways of cooling the mold water |
| products that are incorporated into major | | | | cooling being one of them. It typically takes |
| appliances and automobile industry. | | | | a lengthy amount of time to cool down the |
| | | | molds if left simply to nature. In order to |
| Conceptually, casting is a manufacturing | | | | expedite the end product, different cooling |
| process and requires articulate calculations | | | | techniques are used. Finally, the die is |
| to create the required outputs. This process | | | | opened and the casting is ejected. This is |
| injects liquid material into different moulds | | | | the entire process of the die casting |
| to solidify the mould. The amalgamation | | | | procedures. |
| results in different fabricated parts. The | | | | |
| primal benefit of casting process allows | | | | The clamping efficiency defines the quality |
| manufactures to create specific parts that | | | | of the machines that are used in the die |
| are not economically feasible to create on | | | | casting manufacturing process. Typical sizes |
| the general assembly line. Million of parts | | | | of the die casting machines range from 100 to |
| that are made via die casting process could | | | | 4,000 tons. Along with the massive weights |
| not have been achieved otherwise since the | | | | also comes a gigantic size associated with |
| cost of producing certain items are not | | | | the machines. Majority of the machines can be |
| economical or even production possible. Any | | | | as large as regular home sizes in any city of |
| form of casting is a labor intensive process | | | | the world. Irrespective of size, there are |
| that requires a specific skill set. All | | | | primarily two types of categories of die |
| processes from temperature building, quantity | | | | casting machinery. One is the hot chamber |
| and quality of the liquid to be injected, | | | | machines for zinc, magnesium and lower |
| form and shape of the mould, to the coolness | | | | melting-point metals and the other is the |
| technique of the output products all require | | | | cold chamber machines for aluminum ( ) and |
| specific skill sets. Without an accomplished | | | | higher melting-point metals. A die casting |
| team, it become very difficult for die | | | | machine automatically opens and closes the |
| casting manufactures to delivery quality | | | | mold and injects the liquid metal, all under |
| products. | | | | high pressure and as rapidly as possible, in |
| | | | the case of zinc up to several hundred times |
| Die casting is a similar process in which | | | | an hour. This time line is also dependent |
| molten metal is put under high pressure into | | | | upon the machinery features and the vendor. |
| the cavities of steel molds. The molds are | | | | Extensive research and work has taken place |
| called dies. The dies also come in different | | | | to hone the die casting manufacturing machine |
| shapes and varieties in properties. Die | | | | features and make it more simple and cost |
| casting process is heavily used in the | | | | effective both in terms of pricing and |
| automotive industry to create different body | | | | productivity. There are several key |
| parts. Australia’s auto industry | | | | milestones that all die manufactures are |
| supports a large local die casting business, | | | | looking anxiously to reduce. Time to produce |
| manufacturing parts that include cylinders, | | | | the end product, minimize quantity of goods |
| pistons and engine sumps etc. A very similar | | | | used in the entire process and enhance the |
| growing industry also flourishes in Korea as | | | | overall skill set of individuals are all the |
| well since Korea is home to a large number of | | | | key elements that need improvement. The |
| automotive manufactures. Die casting is one | | | | anticipated reduction is approximately 30% - |
| of the most efficient means of producing car | | | | 40%, but the overall reduction is around 20% |
| parts since it is more feasible than the | | | | and that too in the human resource |
| older versions of liquid casting and other | | | | department. Engineers are now being trained |
| strenuous techniques. Die casting has allowed | | | | on specialized avenues in die casting which |
| for the substantial growth in mass production | | | | helps in reducing the overall human resources |
| of automotives as well as parts for airplanes | | | | required. |
| and trains as well. | | | | |
| | | | One of the ongoing challenges with die |
| Flourishing economies of scale also come with | | | | casting is detecting surface and sub surface |
| its price and challenges. Mergers and | | | | defects within specific timelines. Defects |
| alliances are now a common practice in die | | | | and variances in the final products are still |
| casting manufacturing countries to streamline | | | | on the high end. Due to the high number of |
| and hone processes to cater to the booming | | | | defects and variance, a large amount of raw |
| economy and mass productivity requirements. | | | | material is lost and put forth as waste. |
| The die process entails four major steps that | | | | Vendors have realized this gap in identifying |
| are required to be followed sequentially. The | | | | the defects and variances during the process. |
| first step is to spray the mold with any form | | | | Fully automatic machines are now being |
| of lubricant and then close the mould. | | | | manufactured to cater to this ongoing |
| Different lubricants are used as per the | | | | challenge. A fully automatic fault detecting |
| requirement of the finished good. There are | | | | machine named CAST vision has been produced |
| several benefits of using lubricant in the | | | | and a prototype process is in place for |
| process. The lubricant both helps control the | | | | extended in-plant on-line trials. This is the |
| temperature of the die and it also assists in | | | | third year of this project and it is giving |
| the removal of the casting. Effective | | | | good results. The result of algorithm which |
| lubricant can be the differentiator factor of | | | | was designed and developed in 2nd year has |
| average versus customer centric products. | | | | been put to test now. By prototyping the CAST |
| Molten metal is then injected into the die | | | | team had designed and developed a working |
| under high pressure. The high pressure | | | | system CAST vision. This can discriminate |
| assures a casting as precise and as smooth as | | | | between good and defective parts. |