Die Casting Process: The High-Efficiency Engine for Mass Production
Since its inception, the die casting process has occupied an important position in the manufacturing of components in industries such as automotive and electronics due to its high efficiency and precision. With the rapid development of these industries, the requirements for production efficiency, dimensional accuracy, and mechanical properties of components have been continuously increasing. The die casting process has also been continuously innovating and improving. From traditional cold chamber die casting and hot chamber die casting to today's advanced technologies such as vacuum die casting and semi-solid die casting, the die casting process has continuously adapted to market demands and become one of the key technologies for large-scale industrial production.
Technical Advantages
High Production Efficiency
In the production of automotive aluminum alloy wheels, the die casting process demonstrates extremely high production efficiency. The single-mold cycle time of the die casting machine is only 30 - 60 seconds, and the daily output can reach 1,200 - 1,500 pieces. Compared with the sand casting process (with a daily output of 100 - 150 pieces), the production efficiency of the die casting process has increased by 10 - 15 times. At the same time, the unit energy consumption of the die casting process has been reduced by 60% - 70%, making the production process more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, which meets the requirements of sustainable development in modern manufacturing.
High Dimensional Accuracy
When electronic device housings are produced using the die casting process, extremely high dimensional accuracy can be achieved. The tolerance can be controlled within ±0.1mm, and the surface roughness Ra value can reach 3.2μm. A certain mobile phone brand uses die-cast middle frames, and the yield rate is as high as over 98.5%, which is 10% - 15% higher than that of the sheet metal stamping process. Moreover, the die-cast middle frames do not require secondary processing and can be directly assembled, which greatly shortens the production cycle and improves production efficiency.
Excellent Mechanical Properties
When automotive engine blocks are manufactured using the die casting process, their tensile strength can reach 280MPa, which is 20% - 25% higher than that of engine blocks produced by ordinary casting processes. Under the same working conditions, the fatigue life of die-cast engine blocks is extended by 30% - 40%, and the reliability is significantly improved. This enables automotive engines to better withstand various complex working conditions during long-term use, reduces the probability of failures, and lowers maintenance costs.
Technical Disadvantages
High Mold Costs
The cost of die casting molds for automotive body panels is extremely high, usually ranging from 5 million to 10 million yuan, and the mold life is about 100,000 - 150,000 cycles. For small enterprises, if they undertake an order of 5,000 pieces, the mold cost alone allocated to each product can be as high as 1,000 - 2,000 yuan, which far exceeds the value of the product itself. This makes it extremely uneconomical for small enterprises to use the die casting process for production, and they face huge cost pressures.
Potential Die Casting Defects
In the production process of aluminum alloy die-cast parts, if the porosity exceeds 1%, the airtightness will decrease by 30% - 40%. Due to the porosity problem in the battery housing of a new energy vehicle, the waterproof rating dropped from IP68 to IP65. This not only affected the performance and safety of the product but also forced the enterprise to recall the products. The recall cost exceeded 50 million yuan, bringing huge economic losses to the enterprise. Therefore, defect control during the die casting process is crucial.
Limited Material Application
Magnesium alloy die casting has extremely strict requirements for the quality control of raw materials. The moisture content needs to be strictly controlled (＜0.01%); otherwise, defects such as oxidation inclusions are likely to occur. Due to poor control of raw materials, a certain enterprise had a scrap rate of up to 25% for a batch of products, resulting in a direct economic loss of 8 million yuan. In addition, the die casting process is mainly suitable for low-melting-point alloys such as zinc, aluminum, and magnesium. It is difficult to perform die casting on high-melting-point metals, and its application is limited in the manufacturing of high-end equipment that requires the use of high-strength and high-temperature-resistant metal materials.
Customer Selection Suggestions
Enterprises for Mass Production
When home appliance enterprises produce air conditioner compressor housings on a large scale using the die casting process, the annual output can reach 5 million units. The unit cost can be reduced by 15 - 20 yuan compared with the casting process, and the enterprise can save 75 million - 100 million yuan in costs annually. Moreover, the production cycle is shortened from the original 10 days to 3 - 4 days, and the inventory turnover rate is increased by 2 - 3 times. Through mass production, enterprises can fully utilize the high-efficiency advantages of the die casting process, reduce production costs, and improve the economic benefits and market competitiveness of the enterprise.
Industries with High Requirements for Dimensional Accuracy and Mechanical Properties
The aerospace component manufacturing industry has extremely high requirements for the dimensional accuracy and mechanical properties of parts. The strength of components manufactured using the titanium alloy die casting process is 15% - 20% higher than that of forged parts, and the weight is reduced by 8% - 10%. In the manufacturing of key engine components, the fatigue life of die-cast components is increased by 40% - 50%, which can effectively ensure flight safety. Therefore, for industries such as aerospace that have strict requirements for product quality, the die casting process is an ideal choice for manufacturing high-precision and high-performance components.
Enterprises with Long-Term and Stable Orders
After automotive component suppliers sign long-term orders of 3 - 5 years with vehicle manufacturers, by producing components using the die casting process, they can effectively allocate the mold cost. Compared with sheet metal processing, the unit profit can be increased by 20% - 30%, and the return on investment can reach 30% - 40%. The stable order volume enables enterprises to fully leverage the advantages of the die casting process over a long period of time, achieve profit growth, and ensure the sustainable development of the enterprise.