Die Casting

Austin Cofiell
History
Die casting started with a hand-operated machine created in 1838 were you would
pour a molten tin and lead mixture into a mold and wait for it to cool. The final
product would be the casting. Typically this was only used for typewriters and
other typing machines. In 1914 more alloys were introduced making it possible to
create a much wider variety of parts.
Procedure to Create
Today the machines used for die casting force molten metal into a mold cavity
under high pressure. Most die castings are made metals such as zinc, copper,
aluminum, etc. Depending on the type of metal used, a hot- or cold-chamber
machine is used. In hot-chamber die casting a piston is retracted while the metal
fills the “gooseneck”. The piston then forces the metal into the die. In
cold-chamber die casting the metal is melted separately and then a precise
amount of the metal gets taken to the machine where a piston drives the metal
into a die.
Cold-chamber

Hot-chamber
Uses
Die casting can create many different complex mechanical parts that will be
strong, have higher resistance to temperatures, and can be designed to have
many different appearances. It is also good for mass producing different products
as it is faster than many other processes.
Examples
-Steps of escalators

-Sewing machines and cameras

-Engines, clutch housings, and covers

Future uses and conclusion
Die casting is and will continue to play a very important part in manufacturing.
Castings are used in 90% of manufactured products and over one third of those
products are made using die casting. In the U.S. alone die casters annually
contribute over $8 billion annually to the nation's economy and over 50,000 jobs.
Die casting is also used in nearly every car or motorcycle, many everyday
appliances, and a lot of medical equipment.