Die casting is a metal casting process characterized by applying high pressure to molten metal in a mold cavity. The molds are typically made from higher-strength alloys, and the process is somewhat similar to injection molding. Most die-cast parts are made from non-ferrous metals such as zinc, copper, aluminum, magnesium, lead, tin, and their alloys. Depending on the type of die casting, a cold-chamber die casting machine or a hot-chamber die casting machine is required.

The cost of casting equipment and molds is high, so the die casting process is generally only used for mass production of large quantities of products. Manufacturing die-cast parts is relatively easy, usually requiring just four main steps, and the incremental unit cost is low. Die casting is particularly suitable for producing a large number of small to medium-sized castings, making it one of the most widely used casting processes. Compared to other casting techniques, die-cast parts have smoother surfaces and higher dimensional consistency.

Several improved processes have been developed based on traditional die casting, including the porosity-free die casting process, which reduces casting defects and eliminates porosity. This is primarily used for processing zinc and can reduce waste and increase yield. Other innovations include the direct injection process, precision fast die casting technology invented by General Dynamics, and semi-solid die casting, among other new die casting processes.

History:

In 1838, die casting equipment was invented to manufacture molds for movable type printing. The first patent related to die casting was issued in 1849 for a small hand-operated machine used to produce printing press type. In 1885, Otto Mergenthaler invented the Linotype machine, which could cast an entire line of type as a single lead slug, bringing unprecedented innovation to the printing industry. After the printing industry entered large-scale industrialization, traditional hand-cast type molds were replaced by die casting. Around 1900, the introduction of casting and typesetting technology further automated the printing industry, and it was common to see dozens of die casting machines in newspaper offices.

With the continuous growth of consumer products, Otto's invention found increasing applications. Die casting allowed for the mass production of component parts. In 1966, General Dynamics invented the precision fast die casting process, sometimes referred to as dual-shot die casting.

Die Casting Process:

The traditional die casting process consists of four main steps, also known as high-pressure die casting. These four steps are mold preparation, filling, injection, and shakeout, which form the basis for various improved die casting processes. During the preparation phase, a lubricant is sprayed into the mold cavity to help control the mold temperature and assist in the ejection of the casting. The mold is then closed, and molten metal is injected into the mold under high pressure, ranging from approximately 10 to 175 MPa. Once the molten metal has filled the mold, the pressure is maintained until the casting solidifies. The ejector pins then push out the castings. Since a mold can contain multiple cavities, several castings may be produced in each casting cycle.

The shakeout process involves separating the scrap, including the gates, runners, and flash, from the castings. This is typically done using a special trim die to squeeze the castings. Other shakeout methods include sawing and grinding. If the gates are brittle, the castings can be knocked off directly, saving labor. Excess scrap can be remelted and reused. The typical yield is around 67%.

High-pressure injection results in very fast mold filling, allowing the molten metal to fill the entire mold before any part solidifies. This way, even thin-walled sections can avoid surface discontinuities. However, this also traps air, as it is difficult for air to escape during rapid mold filling. Placing vents along the parting line can mitigate this issue, but even the most precise processes can leave porosity in the center of the castings. Most die castings undergo secondary operations like drilling and polishing to complete structures that cannot be achieved through casting alone.

Once shakeout is complete, the castings are inspected for defects, with common issues including misruns (incomplete filling) and cold shuts. These defects can be caused by inadequate mold or molten metal temperatures, metal impurities, insufficient vents, or excessive lubricant. Other defects include porosity, shrinkage, hot cracks, and flow marks. Flow marks are caused by defects in the gating system, sharp corners, or excessive lubricant residue on the casting surface.

Water-based lubricants, known as emulsions, are the most commonly used lubricants due to health, environmental, and safety considerations. Unlike solvent-based lubricants, properly processed water will not leave byproducts in the castings. Improper water treatment can lead to surface defects and discontinuities. There are four main types of water-based lubricants: water-in-oil, oil-in-water, semi-synthetic, and synthetic. Water-in-oil lubricants are the best, as the water evaporates during use, cooling the mold surface and aiding in the ejection of the casting. Typically, the ratio is 30 parts water to 1 part oil, but in extreme cases, it can reach 100:1.

Oils used for lubricants include heavy oils, animal fats, vegetable fats, and synthetic oils. Heavy residual oils are highly viscous at room temperature but form a film under the high temperatures of the die casting process. Adding other substances to lubricants can control emulsion viscosity and thermal properties, including graphite, aluminum, and mica. Other chemical additives can prevent dust and oxidation. Emulsifiers can be added to water-based lubricants to mix oil-based lubricants with water, including soaps, alcohols, and ethylene oxides.

Historically, solvent-based lubricants such as diesel and gasoline were commonly used. While they facilitated casting ejection, small explosions occurred during each casting cycle, leading to carbon buildup on the mold cavity walls. Compared to water-based lubricants, solvent-based lubricants are more uniform.

Equipment

Die casting machines can be divided into two main types: hot-chamber die casting machines and cold-chamber die casting machines. The distinction lies in the amount of force they can withstand, with typical pressure ranges from 400 to 4000 tons.

Hot-Chamber Die Casting

Hot-chamber die casting, sometimes referred to as gooseneck die casting, involves a metal pool filled with molten or semi-molten metal, which is injected into the mold under pressure. At the start of the cycle, the machine's piston is in a retracted position, allowing the molten metal to fill the gooseneck. Air or hydraulic pressure then forces the metal into the mold. The advantages of this system include fast cycle speeds (about 15 cycles per minute), ease of automation, and a convenient metal melting process. However, the disadvantages include the inability to die cast metals with high melting points and aluminum, as aluminum tends to pick up iron from the molten pool. Therefore, hot-chamber die casting is typically used for zinc, tin, and lead alloys. Additionally, hot-chamber die casting is challenging to use for large castings and is generally suitable for small castings.

Cold-Chamber Die Casting

Cold-chamber die casting is used for metals that cannot be used in hot-chamber die casting, including aluminum, magnesium, copper, and high-aluminum-content zinc alloys. In this process, the metal is melted in a separate crucible. A specific amount of molten metal is then transferred to an unheated injection chamber or nozzle. Hydraulic or mechanical pressure is used to inject the metal into the mold. The primary disadvantage of this process is the longer cycle time due to the need to transfer molten metal to the cold chamber. Cold-chamber die casting machines can be further classified into vertical and horizontal types. Vertical die casting machines are typically small, while horizontal machines come in various sizes.

Tooling

Die casting molds consist of two parts: the cover part and the ejector part, with the junction between them called the parting line. In hot-chamber die casting, the cover part includes the sprue, while in cold-chamber die casting, it has the injection port. The molten metal enters the mold through this area, which matches the shape of the gooseneck in hot-chamber casting or the injection chamber in cold-chamber casting. The ejector part typically includes ejector pins and runners, the channels through which molten metal flows into the mold cavity. The cover part is usually attached to the fixed platen or front platen, while the ejector part is connected to the movable platen. The mold cavity is divided into two core inserts, which are independent components that can be easily removed or installed using bolts.

The mold is specially designed so that when it opens, the casting remains in the ejector part. Ejector pins then push the casting out. These pins are typically driven by an ejector plate, which applies an equal force to all pins simultaneously to avoid damaging the casting. Once the casting is ejected, the plate retracts, pulling the pins back and preparing for the next casting cycle. Since the castings are still hot when ejected, having enough pins ensures that the pressure on each pin is small enough not to damage the casting. However, the pins can leave marks, so their positions must be carefully designed to minimize impact on the casting's functionality.

Other components in the mold include cores and slides. Cores are used to create holes or openings in the casting and add details. There are three main types of cores: fixed, movable, and loose. Fixed cores are aligned with the direction of casting ejection and are either permanently attached or fixed in the mold. Movable cores can be oriented in any direction other than the ejection direction and must be removed from the cavity using actuators before the mold opens. Slides are similar to movable cores but are used to create undercut surfaces. Using cores and slides in die casting significantly increases costs. Loose cores, also known as pull-out cores, are used to create complex surfaces, such as threaded holes. They need to be manually placed before each cycle and are ejected along with the casting, then removed. Loose cores are the most expensive type due to the labor required to manufacture and handle them, and they also extend the cycle time.

Vents are usually narrow and long (about 0.13 mm), allowing the molten metal to cool quickly and reduce waste. Risers are not needed in die casting because the high pressure of the molten metal ensures a continuous flow into the mold.

Due to the high temperatures involved, the most important material properties for molds are thermal shock resistance and ductility. Other important characteristics include hardenability, machinability, thermal fatigue resistance, weldability, availability (especially for large molds), and cost. Mold life directly depends on the temperature of the molten metal and the cycle time. Die casting molds are typically made from hardened tool steel because cast iron cannot withstand the high internal pressures. This makes molds expensive, leading to high tooling costs. Metals cast at higher temperatures require molds made from even harder alloy steels.

The main defects in die casting include wear and erosion, as well as thermal cracking and thermal fatigue. Thermal cracking occurs when the mold surface experiences significant temperature changes, while thermal fatigue results from repeated use leading to surface defects.

 

Metals Used in Die Casting

The table below lists the minimum section thickness and draft angles for various materials. The maximum section thickness should be less than 13 mm.

 

Metal	Minimum Section Thickness	Minimum Draft Angle
Aluminum Alloys	0.89 mm (0.035 in)	1:100 (0.6°)
Brass and Bronze	1.27 mm (0.050 in)	1:80 (0.7°)
Magnesium Alloys	1.27 mm (0.050 in)	1:100 (0.6°)
Zinc Alloys	0.63 mm (0.025 in)	1:200 (0.3°)

 

 

The primary metals used in die casting include zinc, copper, aluminum, magnesium, lead, tin, and lead-tin alloys, though cast iron is also possible but rare. Specific die casting metals include ZAMAK, aluminum-zinc alloys, and the American Aluminum Association standards: AA380, AA384, AA386, AA390, and AZ91D magnesium. Characteristics of various die casting metals are as follows:

Zinc: The easiest metal to die cast, economical for small parts, easy to plate, high compressive strength, high ductility, and long casting life.

Aluminum: Lightweight, high dimensional stability for complex and thin-walled castings, high corrosion resistance, good mechanical properties, excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, and high strength at high temperatures.

Magnesium: Easy to machine, high strength-to-weight ratio, and the lightest commonly used die-casting metal.

Copper: High hardness, excellent corrosion resistance, the best mechanical properties of common die-casting metals, wear resistance, and strength close to steel.

Lead and Tin: High density, extremely high dimensional precision, suitable for special corrosion-resistant components. Due to public health considerations, these alloys are not used for food processing and storage equipment. Lead-tin-antimony alloys (sometimes with a bit of copper) are used to make hand-set type in letterpress printing and hot foil printing.

The weight limits for die casting using aluminum, copper, magnesium, and zinc are 70 lbs (32 kg), 10 lbs (4.5 kg), 44 lbs (20 kg), and 75 lbs (34 kg), respectively.

 

Advantages and Disadvantages:

Advantages

The advantages of die casting include excellent dimensional accuracy of castings. This typically depends on the casting material, with a typical tolerance being about 0.1 mm for the first 2.5 cm in size, and an additional 0.002 mm for each centimeter thereafter. Compared to other casting processes, die casting produces smoother surfaces, with a typical surface finish of around 1-2.5 microns. It can produce castings with wall thicknesses as thin as approximately 0.75 mm, which is thinner than those produced by sand casting or permanent mold casting methods. Die casting can directly incorporate internal features, such as threaded inserts, heating elements, and high-strength bearing surfaces. Other advantages include reduced or eliminated need for secondary machining, high production speed, tensile strengths of castings up to 415 MPa, and the ability to cast highly fluid metals.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantage of die casting is its high cost. Casting equipment, molds, and mold-related components are more expensive compared to other casting methods. Therefore, it is more economical to produce a large quantity of products when using die casting. Other disadvantages include the limitation to metals with high fluidity and the requirement that casting weights must be between 30 grams and 10 kilograms. In typical die casting, the final castings always contain some porosity, which means that the castings cannot undergo any heat treatment or welding, as the trapped gas will expand under heat, causing internal micro-defects and surface peeling.

Failure Modes

Damage

During die casting, molds experience repeated thermal cycling due to the exposure to hot and cold temperatures, causing deformation on the forming surface and internal structure. This results in repeated thermal stress, leading to structural damage and loss of ductility, which can cause micro-cracks that continue to propagate. Once cracks expand, molten metal can seep in, and repeated mechanical stress can further accelerate the crack growth. To mitigate this, the molds must be preheated adequately before starting die casting and maintained within a certain temperature range during production to avoid early cracking failures. It is crucial to ensure that no issues arise from internal factors before and during mold production. In practice, most mold failures are due to thermal fatigue cracking.

Fracture

Under the pressure of injection, cracks can develop at the weakest points of the mold, especially where there are scratches or EDM (electrical discharge machining) marks on the mold's surface, or at sharp corners of the mold. When the grain boundaries are brittle or the grains are coarse, the mold is more prone to cracking. Brittle fractures propagate quickly, posing a significant risk of mold failure. Therefore, all scratches and EDM marks on the mold surface must be polished, even in the gating system areas. Additionally, the mold materials must have high strength, good plasticity, impact toughness, and fracture toughness.

Erosion

As mentioned earlier, commonly used die casting alloys include zinc, aluminum, magnesium, and copper alloys, as well as pure aluminum die casting. Zn, Al, and Mg are more reactive metals and have good affinity with mold materials, particularly Al, which can easily erode the mold. Higher hardness molds generally have better erosion resistance, while soft spots on the mold surface can negatively impact its erosion resistance.

Several factors contribute to mold failure, including external factors (such as casting temperature, preheating of the mold, amount of release agent applied, compatibility of the die casting machine tonnage, excessive casting pressure, high injection speed, cooling water not synchronized with production, type and composition of the casting material, casting dimensions and shapes, wall thickness, and type of coating) and internal factors (such as the metallurgical quality of the mold material, forging process of the blank, rationality of mold structure design, gating system design, internal stresses from machining, heat treatment process of the mold, and various precision and surface finish requirements). If early mold failure occurs, it is necessary to identify the internal or external factors causing the problem for future improvement. In practical production, erosion typically occurs in localized areas, such as where the internal gating directly impacts the mold core or cavity, and in areas with softer hardness, where aluminum alloy may stick to the mold.

Problems

Pouring and Overflow

Requirements for Direct Gating in Cold-Chamber Horizontal Die Casting Machines:

1.Inner Diameter of the Pressure Chamber: The diameter of the pressure chamber should be selected based on the required specific pressure and the filling capacity of the pressure chamber. Additionally, the inner diameter tolerance of the gating sleeve should be slightly larger than that of the pressure chamber to avoid issues such as die head jamming or severe wear due to misalignment. The wall thickness of the gating sleeve should not be too thin. The length of the gating sleeve should generally be shorter than the ejection stroke of the injection piston to facilitate the removal of the coating from the pressure chamber.

2.Surface Finish: After heat treatment, the inner holes of the pressure chamber and gating sleeve should be precision-ground and then finish-ground along the axis, with a surface roughness of ≤ Ra0.2 μm.

3.Runner and Coating Cavities: The depth of the runner should match the depth of the horizontal runner, with a diameter that fits the inner diameter of the gating sleeve. It should have a 5° draft angle in the ejection direction. Using a direct gating system can improve the filling capacity of the pressure chamber by shortening its effective volume.

Mold Requirements:

1.Horizontal Runner Entry: The entry of the horizontal runner should generally be positioned in the upper 2/3 of the pressure chamber's inner diameter to prevent premature entry of the molten metal into the runner due to gravity, which could cause early solidification.

2.Cross-Sectional Area of the Runner: The cross-sectional area of the runner should gradually decrease from the direct gate to the internal gate. An expanding cross-section can cause negative pressure, potentially drawing in gas from the parting surface and increasing turbulence and gas entrapment in the molten metal. The exit cross-section should be 10-30% smaller than the entrance cross-section.

3.Length and Depth of the Runner: The runner should have sufficient length and depth. A certain length is necessary for stable flow and guidance. If the depth is insufficient, the molten metal cools too quickly. Conversely, excessive depth can slow down solidification, affecting productivity and increasing the amount of return material.

4.Runner Cross-Section: The cross-sectional area of the runner should be larger than that of the internal gate to ensure the speed of metal flow into the mold. The main runner should have a larger cross-sectional area compared to the branching runners.

5.Runner Design: The bottom edges of the runner should be rounded to prevent early cracking. The side surfaces can be given a 5° slope. The surface roughness of the runner should be ≤ Ra0.4 μm.

Internal Gate:

1.Metal Flow: After the molten metal enters the mold, the parting surface should not be immediately sealed. Overflow and venting channels should not directly impact the core. The flow of molten metal should ideally follow the direction of the cast ribs and cooling fins, filling from thick to thin sections.

2.Gate Positioning: When selecting the internal gate position, minimize the length of the molten metal flow path. When using multiple internal gates, prevent the merging and impact of several streams, which can cause turbulence, gas entrapment, and oxidation inclusions.

3.Thin-Walled Parts: The thickness of the internal gate for thin-walled components should be relatively smaller to ensure necessary filling speed. The gate should be designed for easy removal without damaging the main body of the casting.

Overflow Channel:

1.Ease of Removal: The overflow channel should be easy to remove from the casting and should minimally damage the main body of the casting.

2.Vent Slot Position: When designing overflow channels with vent slots, ensure that the position of the overflow outlet avoids early blockage of the vent slots, which would render them ineffective.

3.Overflow Outlet Design: Avoid having multiple overflow outlets or very wide and thick overflow outlets on the same channel, as this can cause cold metal, slag, gas, and coating materials to return to the cavity, leading to casting defects.

 
Design

Design Principles for Die Cast Parts

To optimize die cast parts, it's essential to simplify mold structure, reduce costs, minimize defects, and improve part quality while meeting product functionality. Since injection molding techniques are derived from casting processes, design guidelines for die-cast parts are similar to those for plastic injection parts. For detailed guidelines, refer to the book "Design for Manufacturing and Assembly" published by the Machinery Industry Press.

Corners and Radii

Radii Requirements: Often, die cast drawings specify requirements like a radius of R2. It's crucial not to overlook these specifications when designing molds. Avoid creating sharp corners or excessively small radii. Properly designed radii help ensure smooth metal flow, proper venting of gases, and reduced stress concentrations, which can extend mold life and minimize defects such as cracks and filling issues. For example, standard oil pan molds often have significant radii. Current best practices include optimizing radius design, particularly for critical components like heavy machinery oil pans.

Draft Angles

Avoiding Undercuts: Ensure there are no unintended side undercuts in the ejection direction, as these can cause issues if the casting sticks to the mold. Unintended undercuts often result from improper handling during molding trials, such as drilling or chiseling, which can create local indentations.

Surface Roughness

Smooth Finish: Both forming areas and gating systems must be meticulously finished, with a focus on achieving high surface smoothness in the direction of ejection. Since the metal flows into the mold cavity within 0.01-0.2 seconds, reducing flow resistance and pressure loss is critical. A smooth surface helps reduce these factors, while poor surface quality in the gating system can lead to increased mold wear due to harsh thermal and erosive conditions.

Mold Hardness

Hardness Specifications: For different alloys, the hardness requirements are as follows:

Aluminum Alloys: Approximately HRC 46°

Copper: Approximately HRC 38°

Machining Considerations: When machining molds, leave an allowance for future repairs and set dimensions at the upper limit to avoid issues with welding. This practice helps maintain the integrity and longevity of the mold.

Fluidity

Definition and Importance

Fluidity refers to the ability of a liquid alloy to fill the mold. The level of fluidity determines whether the alloy can cast complex parts effectively. Among aluminum alloys, eutectic alloys exhibit the best fluidity.

Factors Affecting Fluidity

Several factors influence fluidity, including:

 . Composition: The alloy's chemical makeup significantly affects its fluidity.

 . Temperature: Higher temperatures generally increase fluidity.

 . Impurities: Solid particles such as metal oxides, metal compounds, and other contaminants within the liquid alloy can impede fluidity.

The most crucial external factors are the pouring temperature and the pouring pressure (commonly referred to as the pouring head).

Improving Fluidity in Production

In actual production, once the alloy composition is set, the following measures can enhance fluidity:

 . Refining and Degassing: Strengthening the smelting process to remove impurities.

 . Improving Mold Design: Enhancing the mold’s permeability in sand molds, ensuring proper venting in metal molds, and managing mold temperature effectively.

 . Adjusting Pouring Temperature: Increasing the pouring temperature within safe limits to ensure adequate fluidity without compromising the quality of the cast parts.

Considerations for Die Casting Conditions

Key Elements

Die casting involves three critical elements:

1.Die Casting Machine

2.Die Casting Alloy

3.Die Casting Mold

These elements must work together harmoniously to consistently produce castings with good appearance, internal quality, and dimensional accuracy as specified in drawings or agreements. The die casting process aims to achieve stable, rhythmic, and efficient production of high-quality castings.

Melt Temperature, Mold Temperature, and Pouring Temperature

Mold Temperature Selection Principles:

1.Low Mold Temperature:

 . Results in porous internal structure.

 . Makes it difficult to expel air, leading to incomplete formation.

2.High Mold Temperature:

 . Leads to a dense internal structure.

 . Increases the risk of the casting "welding" to the mold cavity, making it difficult to eject.

 . Excessive temperatures can cause mold expansion, affecting dimensional accuracy.

Optimal Mold Temperature:

 . Should be within an appropriate range determined through testing.

 . Consistent temperature control is ideal once the optimal range is identified.

Die Casting Formation Conditions

These can be summarized into two main aspects:

1.Material Melt Temperature: The temperature at which the alloy is melted.

 

2.Mold and Melt Temperature During Injection: The temperatures of the mold and the molten alloy during the injection process.

Die casting is a process that involves filling a mold cavity with liquid or semi-liquid metal under high pressure and allowing it to solidify under pressure to form castings.

Characteristics

The two main characteristics of die casting are high pressure and high speed. The typical injection pressure ranges from several thousand to tens of thousands of kPa, and can even reach up to 2×10⁵ kPa. The filling speed is usually between 10 to 50 m/s, and sometimes even exceeds 100 m/s. The filling time is very short, generally between 0.01 to 0.2 seconds. Compared to other casting methods, die casting has the following advantages:

Advantages

1.High Product Quality

 . Dimensional Accuracy: Die castings have high dimensional accuracy, generally around grade 6-7, and can even reach grade 4.

 . Surface Finish: Good surface smoothness, typically between grade 5-8.

 . Strength and Hardness: Higher strength compared to sand casting by 25-30%, but with reduced ductility by about 70%.

 . Stability and Interchangeability: The parts are dimensionally stable and interchangeable.

 . Thin-Walled Complex Castings: Can cast complex parts with thin walls. For example, the minimum wall thickness for zinc alloy die castings can reach 0.3mm, for aluminum alloy it can be 0.5mm, with the smallest cast hole diameter being 0.7mm and the smallest screw pitch being 0.75mm.

2.High Production Efficiency

 . High Machine Productivity: For instance, a domestic JⅢ3 horizontal cold chamber die casting machine can produce 600-700 castings per eight hours, while a small hot chamber die casting machine can produce 3000-7000 castings per eight hours.

 . Long Mold Life: A single set of die-casting molds can last for hundreds of thousands to millions of cycles, especially for zinc alloy castings.

 . Ease of Automation: Die casting processes are conducive to mechanization and automation.

Excellent Economic Benefits

Minimal Post-Processing: Due to the precise dimensions and smooth surfaces of die castings, they often require little to no machining, which increases metal utilization and reduces the need for machining equipment and labor.

Cost-Effective: The cost per casting is low, and die casting can incorporate other metals or non-metallic materials, saving assembly time and metal usage.

Disadvantages

Despite its many advantages, die casting has some drawbacks that need addressing:

1.Porosity Issues: The high-speed filling of the mold cavity can lead to porosity in the castings, making them unsuitable for heat treatment.

2.Complex Geometry Limitations: Die casting is challenging for parts with complex internal geometries.

3.Mold Longevity with High Melting Point Alloys: The lifespan of die-casting molds is shorter when used with high melting point alloys like copper and ferrous metals.

4.Economies of Scale: Die casting is not cost-effective for small batch production due to the high cost of molds and the high production efficiency of die-casting machines.

Applications and Development Trends

Die casting is one of the most advanced metal forming techniques, promoting minimal and no-chip manufacturing. Its applications are vast and rapidly expanding. The size and weight of castings depend on the power of the die casting machine. With increasing machine power, casting dimensions can range from a few millimeters to 1-2 meters, and weights from a few grams to several tens of kilograms. Internationally, aluminum castings up to 2 meters in diameter and 50 kg in weight are achievable.

Die casting applications have expanded beyond the automotive and instrumentation industries to various other sectors, including agricultural machinery, machine tools, electronics, defense, computers, medical devices, clocks, cameras, and household hardware, among others. Specific applications include automotive parts, furniture fittings, bathroom fixtures, lighting components, toys, razors, tie clips, electrical and electronic components, belt buckles, watch cases, metal fasteners, locks, and zippers.

New technologies in die casting, such as vacuum die casting, oxygen-enhanced die casting, precision high-speed die casting, and the use of soluble cores, are continually being developed. These advancements will significantly benefit the die casting industry in China and worldwide.