High Pressure Die Casting – Optimized Processes

Aachen/Nuremberg, January 2016. Robust tooling, in-time start of production and a sustainable, profitable production are key issues for the foundry industry. The tradeshow EUROGUSS 2016 at the start of the new year attested to this fact by attracting numerous exhibitors and visitors interested in the latest die casting news and an exchange of information on newest innovations. The timely identification of parameters which significantly influence quality and profitability was a recurring theme at the 16th International High Pressure Die Casting conference, which took place at the same time. The application of virtual experimentation and the methodical analysis of die casting processes was also the main topic of MAGMA’s conference contribution.

Dr. Horst Bramann presented a systematic analysis of shot sleeve dosing and the shot itself and their influence on the quality of a high pressure die casting. By means of the newly implemented shot sleeve simulation, which will be available in MAGMA5 Rel. 5.4, dosing variations, process parameters and quality criteria can be directly linked. The results of virtual designs of experiments can be comprehensively assessed and visualized with easy-to-use tools such as a main effect diagram. As an example, the effects of dosing variations on overmolding or flash formation can be recognized before the start of production, and procedures to minimize these issues can be defined up-front. New possibilities upcoming in MAGMA5 included the detailed definition of spraying patterns aimed at the systematic optimization of casting quality and die lifetimes. The local flow conditions in heating/cooling channels, the heat balance of the die, and the resulting thermal stresses can be analyzed and optimized in detail.

New functionality specifically for high pressure die casting available in MAGMA5 Rel. 5.4 will enable users to recognize quantitative correlations between die lay-out, production conditions and quality criteria early in the process. This ranges from the qualitative comparison of different gating variations using objective statistical methods, through a systematic virtual confirmation of robust process conditions resulting in instructions for production, to the targeted autonomous optimization of casting quality and productivity. As an example, the design optimization of a rack for the heat treatment of a structural die casting with regards to minimization of distortion was also presented.

MAGMA5 Rel. 5.4 offers completely new capabilities to the die caster to design robust lay-outs, tooling, and process conditions, considering quality and profitability simultaneously.