Die Casting
Simply Profitable: Simulation in High Pressure Die Casting
The path to lower costs begins with the systematic reduction and elimination of costly casting trials and tooling modifications prior to production. Less scrap, reduced rework and fewer customer rejects all improve your bottom line. Reduced costs give you the edge over your competition.
Desirable die casting processes are characterized by casting conditions that avoid gas inclusions, porosity and cold laps but at the same time provide optimal filling characteristics and short cycle times. Economic production aims at an optimum die temperature control, a long die life, small cycle material amounts and perfectly set machine parameters. Using casting process simulation, die casters gain a deeper understanding of their processes and can adjust die design, casting parameters and runner design in such ways that castings of optimal quality can be produced in economical and robust manufacturing processes.
Simulation of turbulence formation and resulting gas inclusions with the MAGMAhpdc module
Understanding and optimizing processes through simulation comprises:
Realistic and detailed mapping of all process steps
Optimization of the filling process and the cooling of the melt in the shot sleeve
Reduction of die costs by evaluating the die design regarding heat-checking and lifetime
Reduction of cycle times through optimization of heating and cooling channels
Reduction of quality costs by avoiding casting defects that arrive from cold laps, turbulence, air entrapment, gas porosity, and shrinkage
Time savings and a robust layout of ingates, runners and vents, vacuum channels and overflows
Early and reliable decisions through quantitative predictions of component or tool properties
Reduction of production risks by using a high pressure die casting calculator for the rigging layout
Minimization of straightening costs caused by modifying cooling conditions, quenching, trimming and heat treatment
MAGMA supports measurement procedure: in this case a 6-point method for the analysis of calculated distortions (left). Die temperatures before and after spraying (right).
With modules like MAGMAhpdc and other task-specific components, MAGMA 5 offers extensive possibilities to simulate die casting processes in a realistic and reliable way. Among these are:
Filling and pouring from pouring ladles and dosing furnaces
Filling and cooling in the shot chamber
High pressure die casting calculator for the filling of the 1st and 2nd phase, part- and machine-specific
Consideration of surface tension, venting and vacuum for the shot
Porosity prediction also considering the 3rd phase (intensification)
Local squeezing
Time- or temperature-controlled heating and cooling circuits
Warm-up of dies with all thermal and time-related boundary conditions
Local spraying and blowing
Residual stresses and distortions in castings during solidification after casting removal, gate and overflow cut off as well as during cooling
Die stress, prediction of die life and heat checking
Stresses and distortions in castings due to stamping and heat treatment
Measurement-based evaluation of part distortion
Mathematically estimated lifetime of a die calculated by the MAGMAdielife extension module compared to the real crack pattern of the die.