There are plenty of everyday things around you that are made from die-casting. The reason is that die casting is one of the most prolific and versatile processes in metals.

The high-pressure die casting method involves the use of mold and high pressure to molten metal. In the process, the material will take the shape of the mold. High-pressure die casting has much application including parts for automotive, lighting, household, and many more.

In this article, we will talk about the pros and cons of using this manufacturing technique. It will help you decide whether this technique will match your requirements for your project.

Advantages of High-Pressure Die Casting

• Convenient for Mass Production

Since the die casting method is similar to injection molding, the process is highly repeatable. It can produce multiple parts with a specific tolerance and shape successively without any changes. There is also little to no machining needed in the process. Instead, you can produce thousands of casted parts before you may need additional tooling. You can easily switch to mass production with high-pressure die casting.

• Strength and Weight

Another benefit of using high-pressure die casting is the parts produced are stronger than those made from injection molding with the same dimensions. Even the thin walls cast are stronger but lighter than any other casting method. And because the casted parts are not made from separate parts welded together, you can rely on its strength. It does not weaken at the joints.

• Accuracy and Stability

In die casting, the general tolerance of the casted parts is quite high. Thus, the parts are dimensionally stable and durable while maintaining the close tolerances required. Most of the parts are also heat-resistant.

• High Production Efficiency

The die casting process is easier to mechanize and automate. As such it has a short turnaround time to produce the required part. A normal cold chamber die-casting machine can finish a part 50 to 90 times in an hour, while the hot chamber option can do it at the speed of 400 to 900 times in an hour.

• Parts Can Be Embedded in the Process

In high-pressure die-casting, you can include complex inserts and fasteners in the final component without shifting to another manufacturing technique. This benefits the company because they don’t have to spend additional costs on materials and processing. It also reduces the assembly work.

Disadvantages of High-Pressure Die Casting

• Porosity

One of the most significant disadvantages of the die-casting process is the porosity it can generate on the finished part. As the metal fills in the cavity at high speed, there should be no room for gas permeability. Without enough precautions taken, the air in the die cavity can cause porosity.

• Large Capital Investment

The casting machine dies, and other equipment related to the die casting process is expensive compared to other production techniques. To compensate for the cost, production is always at a large volume. Otherwise, if the quantity is small, companies turn to outsource the process.

• Low Die Life

This is especially true when the material used is at a high melting point or has high requirements for thermal fatigue and heat deformation resistance.

Conclusion

High pressure die casting is a widely used production process despite its drawbacks. The parts produced are important in many essential products in different sectors like automobiles, motorcycles, and devices. With these pros and cons, we hope that we have helped you in deciding the right technique for your project.