Seminar on

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Presented by

DINOOP.K
0210, PGTE

INTERNAL GUIDE

EXTERNAL GUIDE

Dr. N. Ramani,
Principal,
School of PG studies,
N.T.T.F,
Bangalore 560 058.

Mr. P.J.John
Manager - GDC,
SUNDARAM CLAYTON
Padi, Chennai.

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Scope of seminar
Fluid properties
Feeding mechanisms
Die Design
Product design
Problems and solutions
Case study
School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

INTRODUCTION
Casting-shaping molten metal
Different casting processes
Gravity die casting
Pressure die casting
Low pressure die casting
Squeeze die casting
Investment casting
Centrifugal casting

Selection of process
School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

PROCESS

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

PROCESS

Heating the die

Apply coating
Insertion of cores
Pouring alloy
Mold opening
Trimming

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

ADVANTAGES
Better grain strength and mechanical
properties
Thinner walls and less weight
Good surface finish
Stress free components
Heat treatable
Less entrapped air

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

DISADVANTAGES

Increased cycle time

Less yield
Fettling problems
Less dimensional accuracy
Less denser castings

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

CASTING PROPERTIES

Fluid life
Shrinkage
Slag or dross formation
Pouring temperature
GD & T

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

FLUID LIFE

Used to represent fluid characteristics than

fluidity
Fluidity is a dynamic property
Depends on temperature, chemical,
metallurgical and surface tension
Affects design characteristics

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

SOLIDIFICATION SHRINKAGE

Liquid shrinkage
Liquid solid shrinkage
Directional
Eutectic
Equi axial
Solid shrinkage

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Directional solidification

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Eutectic

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Equi - axial

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

DENDRITIC ARM SPACING

As freezing time decreases, DAS decreases
Mechanical properties increases as DAS
decreases
Time required for homogenization during
heat treatment is less

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

EFFECT OF ALLOYING ELEMENTS

Silicon fluidity, specific gravity, corrosion

resistance, shrinkage
Copper tensile strength , density
mechanical properties at elevated
temperatures
Magnesium ductility, chip formation
Iron die erosion, initiation of cracks

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

SEVEN FEEDING RULES

Rule 1: The heat transfer requirement.

Rule 2: The volume requirement.
Rule 3: The junction requirement.
Rule 4: The feed path requirement.
Rule 5: The pressure requirement.
Rule 6: The pressure gradient requirement

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

The heat transfer requirement.

"the freezing time of the feeder

must be at least as long as the
freezing time of the casting".

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Volume requirement

"The feeder must contain sufficient liquid to satisfy

the volume contraction requirements of the casting".

e . Vf = a( Vc + Vf )

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Junction Requirement

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Feed path requirement

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Pressure requirement

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Pressure gradient requirement

"There must be sufficient pressure differential to cause the feed metal
to flow and the flow must be in the correct direction."

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Zeroth Rule: Do not feed unless absolutely

necessary!

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Five feeding mechanisms

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Solidification defects
Gas porosity
Shrinkage porosity
Hot tearing and cracks

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Gas porosity
Gas held in solution in the molten metal(H2)
Air entrapment
Blows

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Hydrogen porosity

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Air entrapment

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Core blows

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Identification of defects

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Hot tearing

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Die design

Principle of process
Progressive solidification
Minimum turbulence
Air and gas clearance

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Air venting

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Accessibility
Mechanical operation
Ejection

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Running systems directing liquid metal

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Riser systems progressive solidification

Die coatings
Air gaps behind riser wall
Open risers and blind risers
Sand cores in riser area

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Riser systems progressive solidification

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Chilling and cooling - heavy sections

Chillers
Water cooling and air cooling

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Die design rules

Part orientation rules

Minimize height of casting
Place casting such that the risers can be
placed on top of casting at heavy sections

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Die design rules

Riser rules
Located near thick sections
Sized by volume fed
Should compensate shrinkage
External risers are preferred
High volume: area ratio
Riser junction should be heavier than
the section to be fed
School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Die design rules

Gate rules
Gate into thick region
Minimum agitation and die erosion
Light taper towards casting
Multiple gating
Gate thickness 2 10 mm
School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Die design rules

Runner rules
Standard shapes
Minimum direction changes
Run along for long parts
Runner extension
Part of runner above and below
Minimum distance from the part
School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Die and core materials

Depends on production quantity

Cast iron
EN8
H13
School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Product design

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Fillets stress relieving

Not
recommended

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Product design
Ribs increase strength

Not recommended

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Product design
Draft

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Problems and solutions

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Causes

Shrinkage

Solutions

Insufficient metal feeding

Provide riser

Sudden variation in section

thickness

Reduce section thickness by

providing hole

Heat transfer through sand core

Provide Chilling / Cooling

Water cooling
Air cooling
Graphite coating on sand core.

High metal temperature

Optimize metal temperature

High die temperature

Optimize die temperature

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Causes

Unfill

Solutions

Insufficient air vent size

Increase the size

Metal temperature low

Optimize Metal temperature

Die temperature low

Optimize Die temp.(More than

250 C at the cavity)

Air vent block

Clean the vents

Low metal volume

Pour exact metal

Less wall thickness

Min 4mm wall thickness is

required for GDC Process.

Low Silicon content

Optimize Silicon Content

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Causes

Flow marks

Solutions

Slow pouring

Optimize pouring speed

Low metal temperature

Increase Metal temperature

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Causes

Flash

Solutions

Excess coating

Remove coating

Die mismatch

Correct the mismatch

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Causes

Crack

Solutions

Die temperature high

Optimize Die temperature

Draft angle insufficient

Provide sufficient draft angle

Optimize Metal temperature

Metal temperature high

Increase the Silicon content
Low silicon content
Optimize ejection time
Late ejection

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Causes

Porosity

Solutions

Gas in metal

Do proper degassing.

Air vent block

Clean the Vent pins

More die spray

Remove the die coat

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Ejection Pin Depression

Causes
Solutions
High metal temperature

Optimize Metal temperature

More Die spray

Remove the coating

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Causes

Drag marks

Solutions

Coating wear off.

Metal catch up
Core bend

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Analyze the reason for Core bend

and correct it.

Case study
porosity

Improper ejection and crack

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Flow marks

unfill

GRAVITY DIE CASTING

Thank you

School of PG studies, NTTF 2002 - 2003

Tolerances for Critical dimensions in mm

(One or two Decimal Places)
Length of Dimension "A"

Diecasting Alloy

Basic tolerance.
Up to 25mm
Additional tolerance
for each additional 25mm.

Over 25 mm
to 300 mm

Zinc

Aluminium

Magnesium

+/- 0.08

+/- 0.10

+/- 0.10

+/- 0.03

+/- 0.04

+/- 0.04

+/- 0.03

+/- 0.03

Over 300 mm

+/- 0.03

Tolerances for Non-Critical dimensions in mm

(Un-toleranced or rounded to nearest whole number.)
Length of Dimension "A"

Diecasting Alloy
Zinc

Aluminium

Magnesium

+/- 0.25

+/- 0.25

+/- 0.25

Over 25 mm
to 300 mm

+/- 0.04

+/- 0.05

+/- 0.05

Over 300 mm

+/- 0.03

+/- 0.03

+/- 0.03

Basic tolerance.
Up to 25mm
Additional tolerance
for each additional 25mm.

Additional Tolerance in Millimetres

Projected Area of
Diecasting in
cm2

Up to 325 cm2
325 to 650 cm2
650 to 1,300 cm2
1,300 to 2,000 cm2

Flatness Tolerances.
As Cast. (mm)

Diecasting Alloy
Zinc

Alumin
iu
m

Magnes
iu
m

Dimension of diecasting.

+/- 0.10

+/- 0.13

+/- 0.13

Basic Tolerance.
Up to 75 mm

+/- 0.15

+/- 0.20

+/- 0.20

+/- 0.20

+/- 0.30

+/- 0.30

+/- 0.30

+/- 0.40

+/- 0.40

Additional Tolerance.
For every 25 mm.

All Alloys

0.20

0.08