21

Elimination of Porosity of Die Casting by Increased

Pressure Function

Stefan Gaspar, Jan Pasko, Jozef Malik



Abstract
A high pressure die casting technology of nonferrous metals and their alloys is one of the latest ones used in foundry
industry. In accordance with a specific character of this production technology, the major casting defects are cavities and
cold shuts. The presented contribution deals with analysis of increased pressure influence on porosity of castings. It is very
important from the point of view of quality indexes of manufacturing.
Keywords: pressure die casting, increased pressure, porosity, quality of production



1 Introduction
In die casting production process, a higher attention is
paid to die castings inner quality which is characterized by a
type and range of casting related defects. The major cas-
ting defects are cavities. These cavities are determined as
bubbles of exogenous origin due to the gases and air inside
a die trapped by a turbulent flow of a molten metal [7]. A
die casting plunger velocity inside a filling chamber of
a pressure die casting machine is one of the most significant
factors of a pressure die casting. This velocity determines
the regime of a die cavity filling, thus influencing both inner
and surface quality of castings [8]. Emphasizing techno-
logical parameters of a pressure die casting process, besides
parameters referring to a die cavity filling, castings quality
is affected by increased pressure exerted on a solidifying
casting in the last phase of a casting process [4, 5].
The process of a hydrostatic pressure transfer into the
die cavity is called increased pressure. The longer the solidi-
fication time of the gating channel, the longer the pressure
operates. [1, 3].
2 Experimental methodics and applied
materials
The influence of increased pressure on the porosity of
castings was verified with a horizontal cold chamber die
casting machine of the Mller Weingarten 600 type. The
verification of the influence of the increased pressure on the
porosity was carried out with the casting illustrated in fig. 1,
produced from the ENAC 47100 alloy, whose chemical
composition corresponded with EN 1706 (STN 424310),
table 1 [2].
The analyzed sampling castings were cast keeping to the
constant and variable technological factors:
Constant technological factors:
plunger pressing velocity - 2,6 m.s
-1

liquid alloy temperature - 708 C
working temperature of a die - 199 C
Variable technological factors:
increased pressure p
1
= 13 MPa, p
2
=22 MPa,
p
3
=25 MPa
Based on the mentioned factors a set of castings was
obtained and analyzed. A metallographic sample was taken
from the same place of each casting as denoted by an arrow
in fig. 2. Metallographic samples of all analyzed were 100
times enlarged under the OLYMPUS GX51 microscope and

processed by a computer software ImageJ. This computer
software images taken from space evaluated a percentage
ratio of porosity [2, 6].

Fig 1 Test sample of a die casting - flange for an electric
motor
Table 1 Chemical composition of the experimental cast
of the applied alloy
Chemical composition of the experimental
cast of the applied alloy % of elements content
Al Si Fe Cu Mn Mg
85,27 12,02 0,71 1,19 0,21 0,13
according to EN 1706 (STN 424310)
the rest
10,5 -
13,5
max.
1,5
0,7 -
1,2
max.
0,55
max.
0,35
Cr Ni Zn Pb Sn Ti
0,02 0,02 0,35 0,02 0,03 0,03
according to EN 1706 (STN 424310)
max.
0,1
max.
0,3
max.
0,55
max.
0,2
max.
0,1
max.
0,2

Fig. 2 Evaluation of the porosity of the sample
No. 3.1 by the Image J software - porosity 0,85 %

22
3 Analysis of the achieved results
The measured porosity values of microstructure samples
taken from castings in dependence on the increased pressure
are given in table 2 and graphically presented in fig. 3.
Table 2 Porosity values in dependence on the
change of the increased pressure
Porosity values in dependence on the change of
the increased pressure
Sample
No.
Increased
pressure
[ MPa ]
Die casting
plunger
velocity
[ m.s
-1
]
Porosity
[ % ]
1.1 13 3,73
2.1 22 2,09
3.1
25
2,6
0,85

3,73
2,09
0,85
0
0,5
1
1,5
2
2,5
3
3,5
4
12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26
incr eased pr essur e [MPa]
p
o
r
o
s
i
t
y

[
%
]

Fig. 3 Porosity dependence on the change of the increased
pressure
The microstructure of selected analyzed samples are il-
lustrated in figures 4, 5 and 6, where black spots illustrate
pores in the casting.

Fig. 4 Microstructure of the sample No 1.1,
porosity 3,73%, increased pressure 13 MPa

Fig. 5 Microstructure of the sample No 2.1,
porosity 2,09%, increased pressure 22 MPa

Fig. 6 Microstructure of the sample No 3.1,
porosity 0,85%, increased pressure 25 MPa
In order to prove the achieved results, a non destructive
control of castings internal homogeneity was performed
the RTG analysis which reliably shows the location, shape
and dimensions of internal voids [9, 10]. The analysis of
dimensions and a distribution of internal voids enabled to
find a connection between the measured mechanical charac-
teristics and these parameters. RTG analyses are document-
ted on figures 7, 8 and 9. Bright areas show inner cavities in
a mould, which arise during the process of mould filling de-
pendent on technological casting variables. The analyses
showed that the values of porosity correlated with the size
of voids which weakened the casting cross section.

Fig. 7 RTG image of the specimen No 1.1,
increased pressure 13 MPa

Fig. 8 RTG image of the specimen No 2.1,
increased pressure 22 MPa

Fig. 9 RTG image of the specimen No 3.1,
increased pressure 25 MPa
4 Conclusions
The measured values of porosity presented in table 2
show the substantial differences in dependence on pressure.
Based on macroscopic and RTG analysis, the minimum
porosity rate was achieved when the increase pressure value

23
was at its peak. There is a tendency in the porosity rate
increase when the increase pressure value decreases. Hence
increase pressure force heightens mechanical attributes and
distinctively decreases porosity by porous pressure volume.
At present time, increase pressure is the most discussed
factor of die casting. On the hand, increase pressure decree-
ases the life cycle of moulds, and on the other, it increases
casts replenishment and decreases the volume of closed air
in casting. Consequently, increase pressure increases quail-
tative characteristic of mould, as well as an increase in ef-
fectiveness of production with respect to positive results in
economic spheres.



Gaspar Stefan, M.Sc., PhD.,
Assoc. Prof. Pasko Jan, M.Sc., PhD.,
Technical University of Kosice
Faculty of Manufacturing Technologies Presov
Department of Technical Devices Design
Sturova Street No. 31, 080 01 Presov,
Phone: 051/772 3796, kl. 164,
E-mail: stefan.gaspar@tuke.sk,
jan.pasko@tuke.sk,
Assoc. Prof. Malik Jozef, M.Sc., PhD.,
Technical University of Kosice
Faculty of Metallurgy,
Department of Ferrous and Foundry Metallurgy,
Park Komenskeho 14, 040 01 Koice,
Phone: 055/602 3140,
E-mail: jozef.malik@tuke.sk,
Slovak Republic





















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