Die casting cold material is a common yet destructive defect that undermines the quality, actuación, and appearance of castings. It forms when molten metal loses too much heat during filling, leading to reduced fluidity and incomplete mold cavity filling. This defect not only causes scrap rates to spike (arriba a 20% in severe cases) but also poses safety risks for critical components like automotive engine parts or aerospace structural elements. To help manufacturers identify, prevent, and resolve this issue, this article systematically breaks down the nature of die casting cold material, its root causes, and a step-by-step improvement framework—backed by practical data and industry best practices.
1. Understanding Die Casting Cold Material: Definición, Manifestations, and Risks
Before solving the problem, it’s essential to clearly define what die casting cold material is and how it impacts production. Esta sección utiliza un 总分结构 to cover core concepts, con términos clave resaltados para mayor claridad.
1.1 Definición fundamental
Die casting cold material refers to a defect where molten metal experiences excessive cooling (either in the melting stage, transfer process, or mold filling) before fully filling the mold cavity. This cooling reduces the metal’s fluidity, causing it to solidify prematurely or form irregular structures that fail to bond with surrounding metal. Unlike surface blemishes (P.EJ., arañazos), cold material is often a “hidden threat”—it may appear as minor surface marks but hide internal flaws like shrinkage or pore clusters.
1.2 Typical Manifestations
You can recognize cold material through four observable signs, both on the surface and inside the casting:
| Observation Dimension | Specific Traits | Detection Method |
| Surface Features | – Bruto, dull patches (no metallic luster)- Obvious flow lines or layered “striations”- Localized material shortage (small unfilled gaps) | Naked eye inspection (after sandblasting) or 5x magnification lens |
| Defectos internos | – Concentrated shrinkage voids (0.1-0.5diámetro mm)- Aggregated pores (often near cold material areas)- Unmelted solid particles (residues from incomplete melting) | X-ray inspection or metallographic analysis (sample etching with 5% ácido nítrico) |
1.3 Key Risk Areas
Cold material is not random—it tends to form in specific parts of the casting, where heat loss is most severe:
- Thin-walled areas far from the gate: These sections have a large surface area-to-volume ratio, accelerating heat dissipation. Por ejemplo, a 1mm-thick aluminum shell 100mm from the gate is 3x more likely to develop cold material than a 5mm-thick section near the gate.
- Deep cavity bottoms: Molten metal takes longer to reach these areas, and heat is trapped against the mold wall—cooling occurs before full filling.
- Low-temperature mold zones: Areas without proper preheating (P.EJ., mold corners, sections near cooling water channels) act as “disipadores de calor,” rapidly cooling the metal.
2. Root Causes of Die Casting Cold Material: A Comprehensive Analysis
Cold material forms due to a combination of failures in temperature control, diseño de moldes, parámetros del proceso, y gestión de materiales. La siguiente tabla utiliza un factor-causa-mecanismo estructura para identificar la fuente del problema, with specific examples for clarity.
| Categoría de causa | Fallos específicos | Mecanismo de formación de defectos | Ejemplo del mundo real |
| Molten Metal Temperature Control | 1. Incomplete melting (alloy not heated to process temperature)2. Holding furnace power shortage (temperature drops by 20-30°C)3. Unpreheated pressure chamber (room temperature vs. required 150-200°C) | 1. Unmelted particles remain in the metal, acting as “cold cores” that reduce overall fluidity.2. Cooled metal solidifies at the front of the flow, blocking subsequent filling.3. The cold chamber absorbs heat from the molten metal, causing front-end solidification in 2-3 artículos de segunda clase. | An aluminum alloy ADC12 casting plant used a faulty holding furnace—metal temperature dropped from 700°C to 650°C. Cold material defects increased from 3% a 18% en 1 semana. |
| Diseño de moldes & Condition | 1. Poor runner design (sudden cross-sectional changes, sharp bends)2. Temperatura del molde desigual (cooling water too close to cavity: <5milímetros)3. Agente de liberación excesivo (película gruesa >0.1milímetros) | 1. Runner irregularities increase flow resistance, prolonging filling time and heat loss.2. Cold mold areas cool the metal to below its liquidus temperature, stopping flow.3. A thick release agent film acts as an insulator, preventing heat transfer from the mold to the metal (worsening cooling). | A zinc alloy toy manufacturer used a mold with a 90° sharp bend in the runner. Cold material formed at the bend in 25% of castings—redesigning to a 15mm radius reduced defects to 2%. |
| Process Parameter Mismatch | 1. Slow injection speed (<2 m/s for aluminum)2. Incorrect pressure holding timing (too early, compressing cold metal)3. Excessive pouring volume (residual cold material accumulates in the chamber) | 1. Slow flow extends the time the metal is in contact with the cold mold, accelerating cooling.2. Early pressure compresses partially solidified metal, creating layered cold material.3. Residual cold material from previous cycles mixes with new molten metal, reducing overall temperature. | An automotive parts plant used 1.5 m/s injection speed for a 2mm-thick aluminum bracket. 30% of parts had cold material—increasing speed to 4 m/s eliminated the defect. |
| Propiedades del material & Management | 1. Alloy composition deviation (low silicon in aluminum: <9% VS. requerido 11-13%)2. Unscreened return material (mixed with oxide scales, impurezas) | 1. Low silicon reduces aluminum’s fluidity (silicon acts as a “flow enhancer”), making it more prone to cooling-induced solidification.2. Impurities and oxides act as nucleation sites for solidification, triggering premature cooling. | A magnesium alloy plant mixed 50% unscreened return material with new ingots. Cold material defects rose by 12%—reducing return material to 30% and adding a 50μm filter cut defects to 4%. |
3. Systematic Improvement Plan: From Prevention to Resolution
Eliminating cold material requires a “proceso completo” approach—addressing temperature control, diseño de moldes, parámetros del proceso, y gestión de materiales. Esta sección utiliza un marco paso a paso con medidas viables y objetivos mensurables.
3.1 Paso 1: Build a Precise Temperature Control System
Temperature is the root of cold material—stabilizing it across all stages is critical. Key measures include:
- Melting Stage:
- Adopt a double-furnace process: Use a main furnace (720-750° C) for full melting and an auxiliary furnace (680-710° C) for precise temperature adjustment to the upper limit of the process window.
- Instalar online infrared thermometers (accuracy ±2°C) to monitor metal temperature in real time—trigger an alarm if it drops below the lower limit (P.EJ., 670°C for ADC12).
- Transfer & Injection Stage:
- Usar heated transfer ladles (equipped with 5kW electric heaters) to maintain metal temperature during transport—reduce heat loss to <5° C.
- Preheat the pressure chamber to 150-200° C (aluminio) o 180-220° C (magnesio) using electric heating jackets—never start injection with a room-temperature chamber.
- Mold Preheating Stage:
- Colocar gradient preheating temperatures based on alloy type: Aluminum molds → 200-250°C; Magnesium molds → 220-280°C.
- Usar zone-specific heating (P.EJ., install additional heaters in cold spots like deep cavities) to ensure temperature uniformity (deviation ≤±10°C).
3.2 Paso 2: Optimize Mold Design for Heat Retention & Flow
A well-designed mold minimizes heat loss and ensures smooth metal flow. Focus on these improvements:
- Runner Redesign:
- Replace sudden cross-sectional changes with gradual transitions (taper angle 1-3°) to reduce flow resistance.
- Usar smooth curved runners (radius ≥10mm) instead of sharp bends—cut filling time by 30% and heat loss by 25%.
- Agregar buffer grooves (volume 1.2x runner volume) at the entrance of thin-walled areas to stabilize flow and prevent front-end cooling.
- Thermal Balance Adjustment:
- Embed ceramic heat-insulating inserts (conductividad térmica 0.5 W/m · k) in thin-walled or deep cavity parts—slow heat dissipation by 50%.
- Adjust cooling water channel spacing: Keep channels ≥8mm from the cavity surface (VS. common 5mm) to avoid over-cooling.
- Mold Surface Maintenance:
- Polish the cavity surface to Ra ≤0.8 μm (using diamond grinding wheels) to reduce friction and heat loss from metal-mold contact.
- Control release agent application: Usar un mist sprayer to apply a thin, película uniforme (espesor 5-10μm)—avoid excessive spraying that insulates the metal.
3.3 Paso 3: Dynamically Adjust Process Parameters
Process parameters must match the mold and material to avoid cold material. Key optimizations:
| Parámetro | Adjustment Measures | Target Value (Aluminum ADC12) |
| Velocidad de inyección | Adoptar “fast-slow-fast” three-stage speed: 1. Initial fast (4-6 EM) to reach the cavity quickly.2. Middle slow (2-3 EM) for thick areas.3. Final fast (3-5 EM) for thin walls. | Filling time ≤2 seconds for parts <200de longitud mm. |
| Mantener la presión | Start pressure holding 0.2-0.3 artículos de segunda clase after cavity filling (not earlier)—use cavity pressure sensors to trigger timing. | Presiono de sujeción: 80-120MPA; tiempo de espera: 70-80% of total solidification time. |
| Pouring Volume | Calculate the exact single pouring volume using the formula: Volume = (Casting Volume + Runner Volume) × 1.05 (safety factor). | Avoid residual cold material in the chamber—clean the chamber after every 50 tiros. |
3.4 Paso 4: Strict Material & Ingredient Management
Poor material quality exacerbates cold material—tighten control with these steps:
- Alloy Composition Control:
- Establish an alloy database and conduct spectral analysis for each batch of raw materials—ensure silicon content in ADC12 is 11-13%, magnesium in AZ91D is 0.7-1.0%.
- Agregar flow-enhancing elements si es necesario: Para aluminio, agregar 0.1-0.2% rare earth elements (cerio, lanthanum) to improve fluidity by 15-20%.
- Return Material Management:
- Screen return material with a 1mm mesh sieve to remove oxide scales and impurities.
- Limit return material proportion to ≤30% (mix with 70% new ingots)—higher ratios reduce fluidity and increase cold material risk.
- Refinación & Desgásico:
- Usar argon rotary degassing (15 minutos, 2L/min argon flow) to reduce hydrogen content to <0.15ml/100g Al—this also removes small oxide inclusions.
- Let the molten metal stand for ≥15 minutes after refining to allow slag to float—skim off slag before pouring.
4. On-Site Diagnosis & Emergency Treatment
Even with preventive measures, cold material may occur. This section provides quick-response steps to minimize production loss.
4.1 Rapid Diagnosis
Follow this 3-step process to confirm cold material and identify the root cause:
- Inspección visual: Check for rough, dull patches or flow lines—tap the area with a small hammer: a dull sound indicates internal cold material (VS. a clear ring for normal metal).
- Microscopic Check: Take a small sample from the defective area and polish it—if unmelted particles or layered structures are visible under 100x magnification, it’s confirmed cold material.
- Parameter Review: Check recent data logs:
- Did molten metal temperature drop below the process range?
- Was injection speed slower than usual?
- Did mold temperature in the defect area fall below the target?
4.2 Emergency Countermeasures
If cold material is detected, take these immediate actions to restore production:
- Temperature Adjustment: Increase molten metal temperature by 10-15° C (P.EJ., from 680°C to 695°C for ADC12)—test 10-20 samples to verify improvement.
- Chamber Cleaning: Stop production and clean the pressure chamber with a steel brush to remove residual cold material—preheat the chamber to 200°C before restarting.
- Parameter Tweak: Increase injection speed by 0.5-1 EM (within the safe range) to reduce filling time—avoid exceeding 8 EM (which causes turbulence).
- Mold Touch-Up: Apply a small amount of high-temperature release agent (a base de grafito) to cold mold zones—this temporarily reduces heat loss until full mold maintenance is possible.
5. Yigu Technology’s Perspective on Die Casting Cold Material
En la tecnología yigu, we believe cold material is not just a “production defect” Pero un “system warning”—it signals failures in temperature control, diseño de moldes, or process management. Many manufacturers only treat the symptom (P.EJ., increasing metal temperature) without addressing the root cause (P.EJ., a faulty holding furnace), leading to recurring defects.
Recomendamos un data-driven prevention strategy: Install IoT sensors to monitor temperature, velocidad de inyección, and mold condition in real time—build a “cold material risk model” that predicts defects 1-2 hours in advance. Por ejemplo, our system alerts operators if mold temperature in a deep cavity drops by 15°C, allowing adjustment before defects form.
También defendemos DFM (Diseño para la fabricación) reviews: Our engineers work with clients to optimize casting design (P.EJ., thickening thin-walled areas near cold spots) and mold structure (P.EJ., adding buffer grooves) before production—this cuts cold material defects by 60-70% in the first batch. By combining real-time monitoring with proactive design, cold material can be controlled to a rate of <2%.
6. Preguntas frecuentes: Common Questions About Die Casting Cold Material
Q1: Can cold material defects be repaired, or must the casting be scrapped?
Minor cold material (surface-only, no internal voids) can be repaired via argon arc welding (use matching alloy filler, current 80-100A) followed by grinding to restore surface smoothness. Sin embargo, castings with internal cold material (contracción, pores) or cold material in load-bearing areas should be scrapped—repairs cannot restore structural integrity, and these parts may fail under stress.
Q2: How to distinguish cold material from other similar defects like cold shuts?
Cold material and cold shuts both involve premature cooling, but they differ in three key ways: 1. Ubicación: Cold material forms in thin-walled/far-from-gate areas; cold shuts form at the meeting point of two metal flows. 2. Structure: Cold material has unmelted particles or layers; cold shuts have a clear “seam” with no particles. 3. Impacto: Cold material causes internal weakness; cold shuts mainly affect surface appearance (if no internal separation).
Q3: Does cold material affect the mechanical properties of the casting?
Yes—cold material significantly reduces mechanical performance. Por ejemplo, an aluminum ADC12 casting with cold material has: 1. Resistencia a la tracción reduced by 20-30% (from 310MPa to 220MPa). 2. Alargamiento dropped by 50% (de 3% a 1.5%). 3. Vida de fatiga shortened by 60-70% (fails after 50,000 ciclos vs. 150,000 cycles for normal castings). This makes cold material parts unsuitable for critical applications like automotive engine components or aerospace brackets.