• Advantages of Die Casting
• Die Casting Design
• Guides for Design
• Comparisons with Other Products

Die casting is an efficient, economical process offering a broader range of shapes and components than any other manufacturing technique. Parts have long service life and may be designed to complement the visual appeal of the surrounding part. Designers can gain a number of advantages and benefits by specifying die cast parts.

High-speed production - Die casting provides complex shapes within closer tolerances than many other mass production processes. Little or no machining is required and thousands of identical castings can be produced before additional tooling is required.

Dimensional accuracy and stability - Die casting produces parts that are durable and dimensionally stable, while maintaining close tolerances. They are also heat resistant.

Strength and weight - Die cast parts are stronger than plastic injection moldings having the same dimensions. Thin wall castings are stronger and lighter than those possible with other casting methods. Plus, because die castings do not consist of separate parts welded or fastened together, the strength is that of the alloy rather than the joining process.

Multiple finishing techniques - Die cast parts can be produced with smooth or textured surfaces, and they are easily plated or finished with a minimum of surface preparation.

Simplified Assembly - Die castings provide integral fastening elements, such as bosses and studs. Holes can be cored and made to tap drill sizes, or external threads can be cast.

1. Specify thin sections which can easily be die cast and still provide adequate strength and stiffness. Use ribs wherever possible to attain maximum strength, minimum weight.
2. Keep sections as uniform as possible. Where sections must be varied, make transitions gradual to avoid stress concentration.
3. Keep shapes simple and avoid nonessential projections.
4. A slight crown is more desirable than a large flat surface, especially on plated or highly finished parts.
5. Specify coring for holes or recesses where savings in metal and overall costs outweigh tooling costs.
6. Design cores for easy withdrawal to avoid complicated die construction and operation.
7. Avoid small cores. They can be easily bent or broken necessitating frequent replacement. Drilling or piercing small holes in die castings is often cheaper than the cost of maintaining small cores.
8. Avoid use of undercuts which increase die or operating costs unless savings in metal or other advantages fully warrant these extra costs.
9. Provide sufficient draft on side walls and cores to permit easy removal of the die casting from the die without distortion.
10. Provide fillets at all inside corners and avoid sharp outside corners. Deviation from this practice may be warranted by special considerations.
11. Die casting design must provide for location of ejector pins. Take into consideration the effect of resultant ejector marks on appearance and function. The location of ejector pins is largely determined by the location and magnitude of metal shrinkage on die parts as metal cools in the die.
12. Specify die cast threads over cut threads when a net savings will result.
13. Die castings which affect the appearance of a finished product may be designed for aesthetics, and to harmonize with mating parts.
14. Inserts should be designed to be held firmly in place with proper anchorage provided to retain them in the die casting.
15. Design parts to minimize flash removal costs.
16. Never specify dimensional tolerances closer than essential. This increases costs.
17. Design die castings to minimize machining.
18. Where machining is specified, allow sufficient metal for required cuts.
19. Consider contact areas for surfaces which are to be polished or buffed. Avoid deep recesses and sharp edges.