For previous article, please refer to The world's top ten mold types ranking - Forging die, Plastic mold, Stamping die. 
A mold that allows liquid metal to quickly fill cavity under pressure and cool and solidify into a part.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Die-casting molds are a crucial part of die-casting production. There are various ways to classify them, mainly including following:
‌By type of die-casting machine‌: horizontal cold chamber, horizontal hot chamber and full vertical die-casting machine die-casting molds, etc.
‌By alloy material‌: aluminum alloy, zinc alloy, magnesium alloy, copper alloy die-casting molds, etc.
‌By die-casting method‌: high-pressure die-casting mold, low-pressure die-casting mold, etc.
‌By mold structure‌: two-plate mold, three-plate mold, etc.
‌By gate position‌: eccentric gate die-casting mold, center gate die-casting mold, etc.
‌By core pulling method‌: die-casting mold with side core pulling and die-casting mold without side core pulling, etc.
‌By product structure‌: flat plate, deep cavity, special-shaped complex structure die-casting mold, etc.
In addition, die-casting molds can also be divided into integral die-casting molds and embedded die-casting molds according to different manufacturing methods. Integral die has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture, but its precision and life are relatively low; insert die has high precision and long service life, but is relatively expensive.

 

These classification methods help to select suitable die-casting molds according to specific production needs, improve production efficiency and product quality. Manufacturing process of die-casting molds can be summarized into following key steps:
1. Design and preparation: Mold structure design: Select appropriate compression molding method, mold structure and size specifications according to structure of die casting.
2. Material selection: Select alloy materials suitable for die casting, such as SKD11, Cr12MoV, etc. 3. Manufacturing and processing: Processing mold parts: Process various parts of mold, including mold plates, punches, inserts, etc., through milling, grinding and other processes.
4. Assembly and debugging: Assemble processed mold parts and debug them to ensure accuracy and performance of mold 2.
5. Production application: Die casting process: Use a die casting machine to fill mold with molten metal at high pressure and high speed, crystallize and solidify under high pressure to form a casting.
6. Mold maintenance: During production process, mold is regularly cleaned, sprayed with release agents and other maintenance work to extend service life of mold. Manufacturing process of die-casting mold requires precise design and processing to ensure accuracy and performance of mold, so as to produce high-quality die-casting parts.
Key factors affecting life of die-casting mold mainly include following:
‌1. Material properties‌: Mold material must have high thermal strength and thermal stability. Commonly used materials such as H13 steel must meet high purity and structural uniformity requirements to improve mold's resistance to thermal fatigue and toughness‌.

2. Use conditions‌: During die-casting process, mold is impacted by high-speed and high-pressure aluminum liquid, thermal expansion and contraction caused by rapid cooling and heating can easily cause mold fatigue, deformation, cracking or cracking‌.

3‌. Heat treatment process‌: Correct heat treatment process can significantly improve performance of mold, including quenching, tempering and other steps. Temperature and time must be strictly controlled to prevent mold from deformation and cracking.

4. Production maintenance‌: Mold preheating before production, temperature control during production, mold lubrication and coating selection, and regular thermal stress elimination tempering treatment are all important factors affecting life of mold.

In summary, improving life of die-casting molds requires comprehensive consideration of materials, usage conditions, heat treatment processes, and production maintenance.

 

Die-casting molds are important tools for casting metal parts, and their manufacturing process involves multiple links.

1. Design and preparation: Select appropriate compression molding methods, mold structures, and dimensions according to structure of die-casting parts. After design is completed, material preparation is carried out, and high-strength, high-hardness tool steel or alloy steel is usually selected.

2. Parts processing: Including processing of mold parts such as sliders, clamping blocks, and diverter cone gate sleeves. Accuracy and performance of mold must be guaranteed during processing, such as parallelism and verticality of mold frame.

3. Assembly and debugging: Assemble processed mold parts and debug them to ensure accuracy and performance of mold. In addition, mold cavity surface treatment, such as degreasing, rust removal, sandblasting, etc., is required.

4. Production application and maintenance: During production process, mold is regularly cleaned, sprayed with release agents, and other maintenance work is performed to extend service life of mold.

5. Manufacturing process of die-casting molds requires precise design and processing to ensure accuracy and performance of molds, so as to produce high-quality die-casting parts.

 

‌Overview of heat treatment process of die-casting molds ‌

1. Pre-treatment: Die-casting mold after forging needs to be spheroidized annealed or tempered to eliminate stress, reduce hardness, facilitate cutting, and prepare the organization for final heat treatment.

‌2. Stabilization treatment: After rough processing, stress relief annealing, that is, stabilization treatment, is required to eliminate internal stress and prevent quenching deformation.
‌3. Quenching: A vacuum quenching process is used, including heat balance method to improve consistency of heating and cooling, slow heating, two-stage preheating, use of lower limit quenching heating temperature and appropriate holding time. During quenching cooling, cooling speed is controlled by pre-cooling and adjusting air pressure and wind speed to reduce quenching deformation.
‌4. Tempering: Mold needs to be tempered immediately after quenching to prevent deformation and cracking. Tempering temperature is determined by working hardness, and usually three temperings are performed.
‌5. Nitriding treatment‌: In order to improve wear resistance, corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance of mold, nitriding treatment can be carried out, and depth of nitriding layer is generally 0.15~0.‌2.

 

Tests that need to be carried out after heat treatment of die-casting mold mainly include following aspects:
1‌. Hardness test‌: According to drawing requirements and process regulations, hardness of heat-treated parts is tested. Before inspection, surface of parts needs to be cleaned and a suitable hardness tester is selected for testing to ensure that hardness value meets requirements.
‌2. Deformation detection‌: Check whether parts are deformed after heat treatment, such as unevenness of thin plate parts and radial runout of shaft parts, to ensure that size and shape of parts meet requirements.
‌‌3. Appearance inspection‌: Observe whether there are cracks, burns, bumps and other defects on the surface of parts to ensure appearance quality of parts.
‌4. Metallographic inspection‌: Under certain circumstances, such as customer requirements or process regulations, metallographic analysis of parts is carried out to check organizational structure and performance of materials.
‌5‌. Mechanical properties testing‌: Mechanical properties tests are carried out on parts with special requirements, such as strength and toughness, to ensure that parts meet use requirements. ‌These test items help ensure that quality and performance of die-casting molds meet requirements after heat treatment.
‌Top ten international die-casting machine brands‌ include following brands:
1‌. LK Group‌: Founded in 1979, it is one of the world's largest die-casting machine manufacturers, mainly producing die-casting machines, injection molding machines and CNC machining centers (CNC). LK Group has more than 60 sales offices in more than 20 countries.
‌2. Yizumi‌: Founded in 2002, it focuses on the field of compression molding equipment manufacturing, providing injection molding machines, die-casting machines, rubber injection molding machines and other products. Yizumi is listed on Shenzhen Stock Exchange and is a leader in China's equipment technology field.

3. Bühler Group: Founded in 1860 and headquartered in Switzerland, it is one of the world's leading die-casting solution providers, is known for its high-precision, high-efficiency and high-stability die-casting technology.

4. Haitian Metal: Ningbo Haitian Metal Forming Equipment Co., Ltd. is mainly engaged in a variety of series of die-casting machines. With independent innovation, energy conservation and environmental protection as its purpose, it provides cost-effective die-casting complete sets of equipment.

5. Fulai: Founded in 1949, it is a pioneer in production of hot chamber die-casting machines and molds, providing high-quality and high-performance die-casting equipment.

6. Ube Industries Machinery: Founded in 1914, it is an internationally renowned die-casting machine, injection molding machine, and other equipment. A manufacturer of plastic machines and extruders, with production bases in Japan, United States and China.

7. Huaihai Die Casting Machine: Belongs to Bengbu Huaihai Die Casting Machine Co., Ltd., focusing on technology development, production and operation of die casting machines, is known for its quality-oriented and integrity-based tenet. 

8. Longhua Die Casting Machine: Founded in 1982, it specializes in design, manufacture and sales of intelligent die casting machines and is a national high-tech enterprise .

9. Lizhuo Die Casting Machine: Belongs to Changzhou Lizhuo Die Casting Machine Manufacturing Co., Ltd., with rich experience in R&D design and technical services, providing high-precision die casting products.

10. Dingshang Machinery: Mainly engaged in cold chamber die casting machines and related equipment, providing planning, design, construction and after-sales service of die casting whole plant equipment.

These brands occupy an important position in the global die casting machine market, providing high-quality die casting equipment and technical services.