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Those who aren’t involved in the industry typically have a generic understanding of die casting. For many, it might only go as far as being familiar with the key terminology, such as knowing that the mold is referred to as a die.

Expanding on this concept would explain that the die acts as variable element, and is injected with molten metal. This process is generally done under high pressure, exerting the force on the die. The molten metal can be injected two different ways, the difference between the two is referred to as Hot and Cold Chamber processes.

Requesting a Quote

Quite often I receive an inquiry or a request for quote for an aluminum die cast part using either a 2D print or a 3D model. The request is for unit pricing along with a tooling charge to determine whether the die cast process makes sense economically versus other manufacturing processes.

It is not uncommon to have questions about die casting, aluminum die casting in particular. With so many alloys available, it makes it difficult to differentiate the products. The question of which alloy to select for a particular part comes up very often during a product design review.

We offer five main types of aluminum alloys, each having a special characteristic of their own. Many decisions are based off of the product being made and the durability it will require post production.

Over the years many parts, customers, and jobs were taken out of North America and moved overseas. This has been a trend for quite a while but there are some signs that many companies are taking a second look at existing overseas efforts. New figures indicate that companies are investigating opportunities in North America for production.

If the casting experience hasn’t ever been witnessed first hand, it’s hard to wrap your head around. In such a large industry with so many different methods of casting, people often find it hard to differentiate between casting processes.

Many terms are accidentally used interchangeably, when in fact they don’t apply. I will be differentiating between two terms that often lose their identity: Die Casting vs. Sand Casting.

Think of this as a quick reference guide that will provide insight into the industry without actually having to be immersed in it.