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1 Matching Material Properties 5 liability arising out of the use of this material.
No warranties, express or implied, are given in
2 Die & Unit Die Construction 6
connection with this publication.
Cast Features & Die Elements 6
Machined Prototypes 12
12 Post-Casting Operations 13
CNC Precision Machining 13
Customer Responsibilities 15
CWM Sales/Engineers 16
Table 1 Typical Material Properties: Die Casting Alloys & Selected Plastics
1 Matching Material Properties Typical alloy values based on as-cast characteristics for separately die cast specimens,
not specimens cut from production die castings. (2006 NADCA Standards. Sec. 3)
Die casting materials are precisely formulated
metal alloys which offer the mechanical properties Die Casting Alloys Thermoplastics
of medium-strength metals. They are generally Commercial: Al 380 Mg Zn 3 ZA-8 Lexan Torlon
several times as strong and many times more AZ91D
rigid than plastics, and their mechanical proper- ANSI/AA: 380.0 AG-40A 3413 4203L
ties compare favorably with powdered iron, MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
brass, and screw-machined steel. Ultimate Tensile
Designing for proper strength in a product ksi 46 34 41 54 19 27.8
(MPa) (320) (230) (283) (372) (130)
depends on two main factors: strength of the
material selected and configuration of the part. Yield Strength
ksi 23 23 32 41-43 -- --
Die casting alloys offer a wide range of as-cast (MPa) (160) (160) (221) (283-296)
material strengths, ranging as high as 54 ksi (372
Elongation
MPa) ultimate tensile. The designer can usually % in 2 in. (51 mm) 3.5 3 10 6-10 3-5 15
develop sufficient strength in critical features sim- Hardness
ply by providing adequate wall thickness. Where BHN 80 75 82 100-106 -- --
additional strength is required, reinforcing features Shear Strength
such as ribs, flanges and locally thickened sec- ksi 28 20 31 40 10.5 18.5
tions can be accurately computed and precisely (MPa) (190) (140) (214) (275) (72)
cast. (See Guidelines G-6-2-2006 and G-6-3- Impact Strength
2006 in NADCA Standards.) ft-lb 3 1.6 43 24-35 2 --
(J) (4) (2.2) (58) (32-48) (100)
The die casting process allows the product
Fatigue Strength
designer freedom to create extremely intricate ksi 20 10 6.9 15 6 --
contours, varying the wall thicknesses over vari- (MPa) (140) (70) (47.6) (103) (40)
ous sectors of the product. Where strength Youngs Modulus
requirements are not critical, CWM high-tech die psi x 106 10.3 6.5 12.4 1.25 0.7
casting can produce rigid components with ultra- (GPa) (71) (45) (85.5) (8.6)
thin walls. As a result, the designer has much PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
more latitude with die casting than with plastics, Density
powdered metals, or stampings to design rela- lb/in3 0.099 0.066 0.24 0.227 0.052 0.050
tively thick walls for strength in some areas, and (g/cm3) (2.74) (1.81) (6.6) (6.3) (1.43) (1.38)
very thin walls for conserving material in others. Melting Range
CWM offers the designer material choices in all F 1000-1100 875-1105 718-728 707-759 -- --
(C) (540-595) (470-595) (381-387) (375-404)
of the major non-ferrous alloy categories: alu-
Specific Heat
minum, magnesium and zinc. BTU/lbF 0.25 --
0.230 0.10 0.104 0.27
(J/kgC) (963) (1050) (419) (435)
Aluminum 380 Alloy
Coefficient of
Die casting alloy Al 380 is the most widely used of Thermal Expansion
the aluminum die casting alloys, offering the best in./in./F x 10-6 12.2 13.8 15.2 12.9 12.1 17
combination of properties and ease of produc- ( m/mK) (22.0) (25.0) (27.4) 23.2 (22)
tion. It is specified for nearly every product type Thermal Conductivity
where the properties of aluminum are desirable. BTU/ft hr F 55.6 41.8 65.3 66.3 150
1.77
(W/mK) (96.2) (72) (113) (115) (0.21)
All aluminum die casting machines operate by the
Electrical
cold-chamber production process. Conductivity
% IACS 27 n/a 27.0 27.7 23 --
Magnesium AZ91D Alloy
Electrical Resistivity
Magnesium is the lightest commonly used struc- in. 35.8
n/a n/a n/a __
tural metal. Its use in die cast parts has grown ( cm) (14.1) --
dramatically, often replacing plastic parts with
greater strength and rigidity at no weight penalty. Table 2 Nominal Chemical Composition: Die Casting Alloys
For detailed chemical composition, request appropriate CWM Instant Fax Line Document.
Mg alloy AZ91D is the most widely-used mag-
nesium die casting alloy, offering high-purity with Nominal Comp: Cu 3.5 Al 9.0 Al 4.0 Al 8.4
excellent corrosion resistance, excellent strength Si 8.5 Zn 0.7 Mg 0.035 Mg 0.023
Mn 0.2 Cu 1.0
and excellent castability. Corrosion resistance in
AZ91D is achieved by enforcing strict limits on With mechanical properties, note die casting alloys 380.0, A380.0, 383.0 and 384.0 are substantially
metallic impurities. interchangeable. 0.2% offset 500 kg load, 10mm ball Rotary Bend 5 x 107/10 8 cycles
Notched Charpy. AT 68F (20C) ASTM E 23 unnotched 0.25 in. die cast bar Varies with
Utilizing the faster cycling hot-chamber process stress level; applicable only for short-duration loads. Use 107 as a first approximation. At rupture
for its magnesium production, CWM operates Izod notched1/8 (3.2mm) ft.lb. (J/M) ASTM D671, 2.5mm cycles.
Btu-in/h-ft2-F
Operation Thick Gates Thin Gates Parting Line & Metal Sharp
Description & Overflows & Overflows Seam Line Extension in Corners
0.12 (3 mm) 0.12 (3 mm) Metal Extension Cored Holes
After Degating only Rough within Rough within Excess Only Not Not
Extension Remaining 0.12" (3.0 mm) 0.12" (3.0 mm) Broken Off Removed Removed
Before Trimming
After Commercial Within 0.06" Within 0.03" Within .015" Removed Not
Trimming* (1.59 mm) (0.8 mm) (0.38 mm) within .010" Removed
Extension Remaining (0.25 mm)
* Commercially trimmed does not include washing to remove loose material. For very heavy gates and overflows, consult CWM.
(2006 NADCA Standards, Guidelines G-6-5-2006)
The die cast frame, right, the casting), and (2) commercial trimming of die
illustrates the appearance casting metal extension. These NADCA guidelines
of a center-gated die cast-
represent normal production practice. Precision
ing before trimming,
showing gate, runners and trimming, closer than standard commercial trim-
overflow extension. Photo ming, or complete removal of all extension entails
below is the same die cast additional operations and should be specified only
frame after receiving its when requirements justify the additional cost.
normal die cast trimming Note that in some instances, where special sur-
operation. In many cases face finish characteristics are not involved, the
the trim die will require
multiple slides similar
most economic methods of degating and metal
to the die casting die, with extension removal may include a tumbling or
comparable attention to vibratory deburring operation, or hand cleaning.
quality materials and die
design details.
Note: All CWM tooling 8 As-Cast Finish Guidelines
orders include a trim die The die casting process is uniquely qualified to
that meets or exceeds
NADCA Commercial
provide metal parts with a superior as-cast exter-
Trimming standards. nal surface, important to many component appli-
cationsand essential for consumer product
housings and other decorative parts.
The NADCA surface finishing guidelines pre-
sented in Table 5 classify as-cast surface finishes
for die castings into a series of five grades so that
the type of cast finish required may be defined
early in the product planning stage, and well in
7 Metal Extension (Flash) Guidelines advance of die casting die design.
An extension of metal (or flash) is normally formed These guidelines should be used for general
on a die casting at the parting line of the two die type classification purposes only, not to take the
halves and where moving die components oper- place of specific discussion with CWM regarding
ate. A seam of extended metal may also occur the steps necessary to assure satisfying as-cast
where separate die parts cast a part feature. product finishing specifications. Such specifica-
The cost of required trimming of any cast metal tions should be agreed upon with CWM prior to
extension, estimated as part of production costs, die design to assure cost-effective production.
can be reduced by preplanning in the part design Note that important steps can be taken in the
stages and consideration of the amount of metal planning of part design features enabling an opti-
extension required to be removed and the mum surface to be produced in specified areas.
removal method to be employed. For exacting cosmetic finishes, extra steps in die
Early consultation with CWM can often result in design, die construction and casting production
production economies in this removal step. are required, and additional cost may be involved.
Table 4, above, is the NADCA guide to the Selection of the lowest finishing grade, commen-
types of die casting metal extension (flash) which surate, of course, with the die cast part applica-
occurs in typical die castings and the amount of tion, will yield the lowest die and part costs.
metal extension material which remains after (1) A detailed discussion of the factors that relate
degating (removal of any gates and runners from to success in designing dies for highly cosmetic,
15 Contract Manufacturing
With most end products, a die cast part is a com- Specialized equipment will be employed, as required, to accelerate cost efficiencies. Here
ponent of a larger assembly, precision-mated to an eight-station assembly cell performs two-sided gasketing in volume production.
Chicago
White Metal
Casting, Inc.
Certified Aluminum, Magnesium, Zinc and ZA-8 Die Casting
MEMBER:
North American Die Casting Association
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