Glossary

4th Axis CNC Machining Capability

4th axis CNC machining capability refers to a machining center fitted with a rotary table that turns the workpiece about a fourth axis, so features on several faces can be cut without unclamping the part. On an aluminum die casting… Read more

ADC-12 Castability and Mechanical Properties

ADC-12 castability and mechanical properties describe how well this Japanese Industrial Standard alloy fills a die and how the finished casting performs under load. ADC-12, known as A383 under the Aluminum Association system, contains roughly 9.5 to 11.5 percent silicon… Read more

ADC-3 Corrosion Resistance

ADC-3 corrosion resistance is the reason this alloy gets specified for marine, outdoor and high-humidity aluminum die cast components. ADC-3, written as A360 under the Aluminum Association system, takes its strength from magnesium at 0.4 to 0.6 percent rather than… Read more

Aluminum Alloy Selection Criteria

Aluminum alloy selection criteria are the factors that decide which die casting alloy suits a given part: operating environment, wall thickness and geometry, mechanical load, planned surface treatment, machining content, and the region where the part will be made. Silicon,… Read more

Aluminum Ingot Quality and Sourcing

Aluminum ingot quality and sourcing determine the starting condition of every die cast part a foundry produces. Ingot arrives either as primary metal from smelters or as secondary metal recovered from scrap, and the two differ in how tightly trace… Read more

CNC Machining Tolerances for Die Castings

CNC machining tolerances for die castings describe the dimensional accuracy a supplier can hold on features cut after casting, as opposed to the looser accuracy the casting process itself produces. As-cast aluminum features typically hold around plus or minus 0.1… Read more

Die Casting Part Weight Range

Die casting part weight range describes the minimum and maximum finished part mass that a die casting facility can produce within its press and tooling capacity. Part weight influences multiple process parameters: heavier parts require larger shot volumes, longer cooling… Read more

High-pressure Die Casting Cycle Time

High-pressure die casting cycle time is the measured duration of a single complete production cycle, typically expressed in seconds, and it directly determines how many parts a machine can produce per hour. The cycle begins when the shot sleeve is… Read more

Horizontal Lathe vs. Vertical Machining Center

Horizontal lathe vs. vertical machining center is the choice between two machine types used to finish aluminum die castings, and it is decided by the shape of the feature rather than the shape of the part. A horizontal lathe spins… Read more

In-process Machining Quality Control

In-process machining quality control is the practice of measuring parts during a machining run rather than only at the end, so that dimensional drift is caught while it can still be corrected. On aluminum die castings the usual checks are… Read more

Machine Tonnage Selection

Machine tonnage selection is the engineering decision that determines the clamping force required to keep a die casting mold closed against the pressure of molten aluminum being injected at high speed. The calculation is based on the projected area of… Read more

Material Traceability in Die Casting

Material traceability in die casting is the documented chain that links a finished aluminum casting back to the ingot melted to produce it. A traceable supplier records the ingot supplier and lot number, the spectrometry result confirming alloy composition, the… Read more

Mold Flow Simulation

Mold flow simulation is a computer-based analysis process used during mold design to predict how molten aluminum will fill a die cavity, cool, and solidify. Before a single piece of tooling is machined, engineers can model pressure distribution, temperature gradients,… Read more

Mold Life Expectancy

Mold life expectancy refers to the projected number of shots a die casting tool can produce before it degrades to the point where part quality can no longer be maintained within tolerance. For aluminum die casting molds, typical service life… Read more

Mold Repair and Maintenance

Mold repair and maintenance encompasses the scheduled and corrective work performed on aluminum die casting tools to preserve dimensional accuracy and extend service life. Scheduled maintenance typically includes cleaning of parting lines and vents, lubrication of moving components, inspection for… Read more

Multi-Cavity Mold Design

Multi-cavity mold design refers to a tooling configuration in which a single die casting shot fills two or more identical cavities simultaneously, producing multiple finished parts per cycle. This approach is used in aluminum die casting to increase output per… Read more

Post-cast Dimensional Stability

Post-cast dimensional stability describes whether an aluminum die casting holds the dimensions it was machined to, or moves afterward as internal stress relaxes. Casting solidifies quickly under pressure, so the metal cools unevenly and residual stress is locked into the… Read more

Production Volume Thresholds for Die Casting

Production volume thresholds for die casting refer to the minimum production quantities at which the economics of high-pressure die casting become favorable compared to alternatives such as sand casting, gravity casting, or machined billet. The tooling required for die casting… Read more

Shot Parameters and Metal Fill Rate

Shot parameters and metal fill rate describe the set of controlled injection variables that govern how molten aluminum moves from the shot sleeve into the die cavity during each high-pressure die casting cycle. The primary parameters include slow shot speed,… Read more

Tooling Lead Time

Tooling lead time refers to the total time required to design, machine, and validate a production mold before volume manufacturing of aluminum die cast parts can begin. It typically spans from order placement to first article approval, encompassing mold design,… Read more

Glossary

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