Die Casting
There are various types of casting that are applicable in various situations. Aluminium die casting is among the best casting alloys in use today. Premium grade aluminium die casting alloys are produced for use in a number of industries. The critical roles these aluminium die casting alloys play makes them very important and therefore should be produced in the best manner possible while utilising good quality materials. There are various benefits associated with aluminium die casting and they include:
- It is lightweight.
- It is able to resist the highest operating temperatures as compared to other die cast alloys.
- It has a high dimensional stability that enables it to be used for thin walls and complex shapes.
The industries in which aluminium die casting parts are used include:
- Agricultural industry.
- Oil and gas industry.
- Automotive industry
- Architectural industry,
Gravity Die Casting
Gravity die casting can be performed for various nonferrous alloy parts such as copper, aluminium and zinc. In gravity die casting the key stages are:
- Coating the heated mould with a die release agent.
- Molten metal being poured to allow materials to occupy all the extremities of the mould cavity.
- Opening of the die after the part has been cooled.
The benefits associated with gravity die casting include:
- It is very ideal for larger and smaller products.
- It is suited for low volumes of production and requires low upfront capital cost.
- It enables heat treating alloys which give greater mechanical properties.
Low pressure die casting
Low pressure die casting is similar to sand casting due to the fact that gravity can be used to fill molten metal into the mould. While low pressure casting is being undertaken the metal that is placed in the furnace is pressed into the mould using pressure.
The benefits of using low pressure die casting include:
- Having alloys which are heat treatable.
- Being able to produce low pressure die casting for requirements that may be medium to high in nature.
- It is ideal for castings which are of larger or higher strength.
Bronze castings
Bronze casting is similar to die casting but the difference is the material being used. Bronze happens to be one of the non-ferrous materials that are used in casting. Examples of other non-ferrous metals that are used in casting include:
- Brass
- Nickel
- Copper
- Tin
The various types of bronze castings include:
- Lead bronze.
- Aluminium bronze.
- Manganese bronze.
- Tin bronze.
- Phosphorous bronze.
All these types of bronze castings have specific areas in which they are used to ensure that they achieve maximum effectiveness