Frequently Asked Questions
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01 What is Gravity Die Casting?
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Aluminum gravity die castings can be found in a variety of industries including: Machine Tools, Compressors, Pumps, Valves, Medical Equipment, Construction Equipment, Automobiles and Trucks, Engines, and Turbines.
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What is Gravity Die Casting?
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Gravity Die Casting, also referred to as a permanent mold casting is process where the molten metal is poured from a vessel or ladle into the mold. The mold cavity fills with no force other than gravity, filling can be controlled by tilting the die. Undercuts and cavities can be incorporated into the component form with the use of sand cores. This process offers a better surface finish than sand casting as well as better mechanical properties, both of which are due to rapid solidification.
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Moreover, gravity die casting has a higher casting rate than aluminum sand casting. That said, die casting molds cost relatively more than sand molds. When compared to sand casting, gravity die casting requires less finishing and fettling and gravity die casting tends to produce a higher quality product.
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Gravity Die Casting Process
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Gravity die casting is primarily a manual process with the molten metal added with the use of a ladle. However, it is also possible to use an automated ladle to pour the molten metal for some high volume applications. Tilting the die can help control the speed and direction of the mold.
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Gravity die casting involves four basic steps:
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The die is heated and then sprayed with a refractory coating, and closed. The coating both helps control the temperature of the die during manufacture and it also assists in the removal of the casting.
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Molten metal is then manually poured into the die, (although in some cases a machine can be used) and allowed to solidify.
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The die is then opened and the cast parts either removed by hand or in some cases ejector pins are used on the mechanized machines.
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Finally, the scrap, which includes the gate, runners, sprues and flash, is removed from the casting(s). The castings are then processed to remove sharp edges and excess material, then blast cleaned (if required) prior to dispatch to the customer.
Advantages of Gravity Die Casting
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Good dimensional accuracy
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Smoother cast surface finish than sand casting
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Improved mechanical properties compared to sand casting
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Thinner walls can be cast compared to sand casting
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Reverse draft internal pockets and forms can be cast in using preformed sand core inserts
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Steel pins and inserts can be cast into the part
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Faster production times compared to other processes.
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Once the tooling is proven, the product quality is very repeatable.
Gravity die casting allows us to create high quality parts and components to even the most exacting of customer specifications.
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I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me to add your own content and make changes to the font.
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I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me to add your own content and make changes to the font. Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you.