What Does a Die Casting Factory Do and What Are Its Core Capabilities?

A die casting factory is a specialized manufacturing hub that transforms molten metals into high-precision, complex parts using high-pressure molding technology. A diferencia de las tiendas de mecanizado general, it focuses exclusively on the pressure casting process—turning liquid aluminum, zinc, or magnesium alloys into components that power industries from automotive to medical devices. But what exactly happens inside a die casting factory? What core capabilities set it apart from other manufacturers? And how does it ensure consistent quality for mass-produced parts? This article answers these questions with detailed insights into workflows, tecnologías, and industry applications.

1. Core Business: The End-to-End Die Casting Workflow

A die casting factory manages every step from raw material to finished part—no external outsourcing required for key processes. The workflow follows a linear, highly optimized sequence:

A. Paso 1: Preparación de material & Refinación

This stage ensures molten metal meets strict quality standards for fluidity and purity:

• Manejo de materia prima: Receive metal ingots (P.EJ., ADC12 aluminum, Cargas 5 zinc) and sort them by alloy grade to avoid cross-contamination.
• Fusión & Control de temperatura: Heat ingots in gas or electric furnaces to precise temperatures (680–720°C para aluminio, 380–420°C for zinc). Use digital thermocouples to maintain ±5°C tolerance—critical for consistent flow.
• Refinación & Desgásico: Eliminar impurezas (oxide slag, foreign particles) via ceramic foam filters (20–30 PPI). Para aleaciones de aluminio, use rotary degassing rods (400–600 rpm) to reduce hydrogen content to <0.2cc/100g—prevents porosity in finished parts.

B. Paso 2: Mold Management & Preparación

Molds are the “heart” of die casting—factories invest heavily in their design, mantenimiento, and optimization:

• Diseño de moldes & Fabricación: In-house mold workshops use CNC machining centers (accuracy ±0.005mm) y edm (Mecanizado de descarga eléctrica) to create molds from high-strength tool steel (P.EJ., Acero H13). Molds include cooling water channels (spaced 15–20mm apart) to speed up solidification.
• Precalentamiento & Lubricación: Preheat molds to 180–250°C (depending on alloy) to avoid cold shuts. Spray a thin layer of eco-friendly release agent (5–8μm thick) to ensure easy part removal—prevents surface damage.
• Mantenimiento del moho: Inspect molds after every 5,000–10,000 shots for wear. Repair minor scratches with laser cladding; replace worn cores when dimensional deviation exceeds ±0.1mm.

do. Paso 3: Moldeo por fundición a presión

The core production stage—high pressure transforms molten metal into finished part shapes:

• Machine Selection: Usar máquinas de cámara caliente (50–200 tons) for zinc alloys (tiempo de ciclo rápido: 15–30 seconds/part) y máquinas de cámara fría (200–1,200 tons) for aluminum/magnesium alloys (handles high melting points).
• Inyección & Solidificación: Inject molten metal into mold cavities at 5–150MPa pressure and 2–5m/s speed. Maintain pressure during solidification (tiempo de espera: 10–20 segundos) to compensate for shrinkage—ensures part density ≥99.5%.
• Automated Demolding: Use robotic arms (Tiempo de ciclo <5 artículos de segunda clase) to remove parts from molds. This reduces human error and prevents damage to delicate components (P.EJ., thin-walled electronic housings).

D. Paso 4: Postprocesamiento & Inspección de calidad

Finishing steps ensure parts meet customer specifications:

• Guarnición & Desacuerdo: Cut off gate residues and runner systems with hydraulic trimmers (para piezas de aluminio) o cortadoras láser (for precision zinc parts). Remove burrs with ultrasonic cleaning (Real academia de bellas artes <1.6μm surface roughness).
• Tratamiento superficial: Offer options like anodizing (para resistencia a la corrosión), revestimiento de polvo (para la estética), o enchapado (Para la resistencia al desgaste). Para piezas médicas, use passivation to meet biocompatibility standards (ISO 10993).
• Quality Testing: Conduct 3 levels of inspection:

1. Inspección visual: Check for surface defects (arañazos, pores) with 10× magnifying glasses.
2. Dimensional Testing: Usar MMC (Coordinar la máquina de medir) Para verificar las tolerancias (±0.1mm for standard parts).
3. Internal Testing: Use X-ray flaw detection to check for hidden porosity (acceptance standard: ≤2% pore volume).

2. Core Capabilities: What Makes a Die Casting Factory Unique?

Die casting factories stand out from other manufacturers due to 4 key capabilities, tailored to mass production and precision requirements:

3. Key Service Industries: Where Die Casting Parts Are Used

Die casting factories supply critical components to 5 principales industrias, cada uno con requisitos únicos:

A. Industria automotriz (40–50% of Revenue)

• Productos: Montaje del motor, carcasa de transmisión, EV battery pack frames, steering gear casings.
• Requirements: Ligero (aluminum parts reduce vehicle weight by 10–15%), alta fuerza (tensile strength ≥280MPa), y resistencia a la corrosión.
• Ejemplo: A factory might produce 1 million aluminum battery frames annually for a major EV manufacturer, meeting IP68 waterproof standards.

B. Electrónica de consumo (20–25% of Revenue)

• Productos: Mobile phone middle frames, bisagras de portátiles, wireless headphone charging compartments, Disipadores de calor LED.
• Requirements: Precisión (tolerancia ± 0.05 mm), tamaño pequeño (10–500g), and good surface finish (anodized or plated).
• Ejemplo: Supplies zinc alloy charging port housings to a smartphone brand—100,000 units/week with zero surface defects.

do. Electrodomésticos (10–15% of Revenue)

• Productos: Air conditioning compressor housings, washing machine drum bearing seats, Bisagras de puerta del refrigerador.
• Requirements: Tightness (no water leakage), resistencia al impacto, y bajo costo.
• Ejemplo: Produces aluminum compressor housings for a home appliance company—parts pass 10,000-cycle vibration tests.

D. Communication Equipment (5–10% of Revenue)

• Productos: 5G base station cooling modules, conchas de enrutador, fiber optic connector housings.
• Requirements: Heat dissipation (alta conductividad térmica), electromagnetic shielding, and weather resistance.
• Ejemplo: Manufactures magnesium alloy cooling modules for 5G towers—parts withstand -40°C to +85°C temperature ranges.

mi. Dispositivos médicos (3–5% of Revenue)

• Productos: CT machine rotating frames, manijas de instrumentos quirúrgicos, insulin pump casings.
• Requirements: Biocompatibilidad (ISO 10993), alta precisión (± 0.03 mm), and easy sterilization.
• Ejemplo: Supplies titanium-aluminum alloy surgical tool handles to a medical device firm—parts pass autoclave sterilization (134° C, 20 minutos) 1,000+ veces.

4. How Die Casting Factories Compare to Other Manufacturing Processes

Die casting factories differ from sand casting, estampado, and injection molding facilities in key ways. The table below highlights critical differences:

5. Yigu Technology’s Perspective on Die Casting Factories

En la tecnología yigu, we believe die casting factories are the backbone of modern manufacturing—bridging raw metal and high-performance end products. Our factory integrates 3 core strengths: 1) Control de procesos impulsado por la IA (real-time adjustment of injection speed/pressure reduces defect rates to <1.5%); 2) Green manufacturing (vacuum die casting cuts energy use by 20%, y 95% of scrap is recycled); 3) Cross-process integration (fundición + Mecanizado CNC + surface treatment on one line shortens lead time by 40%).

Para clientes automotrices, producimos 500,000+ aluminum battery frames yearly with IP68 certification. Para clientes de electrónica, our zinc alloy parts meet ±0.05mm precision. We’re investing in 3D-printed mold technology to cut NPD time to 3 semanas. Our goal is to be more than a supplier—we’re a partner that helps clients optimize designs for cost, calidad, y sostenibilidad.

Preguntas frecuentes

1. ¿Cuál es la cantidad mínima de pedido? (Moq) for a die casting factory?

MOQ depends on mold costs: Para piezas estándar (P.EJ., generic brackets), MOQ is 10,000–50,000 units to offset mold expenses. Para piezas personalizadas, we offer flexible MOQ (1,000–5,000 unidades) using shared molds, though per-part costs are slightly higher.

2. How long does it take for a die casting factory to deliver a custom order?

For new custom parts: 4–8 semanas (includes 3–4 weeks for mold design/manufacturing, 1–2 weeks for sampling, and 1–2 weeks for mass production). For repeat orders: 1–2 semanas (no mold lead time).

3. Can a die casting factory handle post-processing like CNC machining?

Yes—most die casting factories (incluida la tecnología yigu) integrate CNC machining into their workflow. This is critical for parts that need ultra-precise features (P.EJ., threaded holes with ±0.02mm tolerance) that can’t be achieved via die casting alone. We use 5-axis CNC machines to ensure accuracy and efficiency.