A die casting factory is a specialized manufacturing hub that transforms molten metals into high-precision, complex parts using high-pressure molding technology. Unlike general machining shops, it focuses exclusively on the pressure casting process—turning liquid aluminum, цинк, 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, технологии, 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:
А. Шаг 1: Материал подготовка & Переработка
This stage ensures molten metal meets strict quality standards for fluidity and purity:
- Обработка сырья: Receive metal ingots (НАПРИМЕР., ADC12 aluminum, Нагрузки 5 цинк) and sort them by alloy grade to avoid cross-contamination.
- Таяние & Контроль температуры: Heat ingots in gas or electric furnaces to precise temperatures (680–720°C for aluminum, 380–420°C for zinc). Use digital thermocouples to maintain ±5°C tolerance—critical for consistent flow.
- Переработка & Дегазация: Remove impurities (оксидный шлак, посторонние частицы) via ceramic foam filters (20–30 PPI). Для алюминиевых сплавов, use rotary degassing rods (400–600 rpm) to reduce hydrogen content to <0.2cc/100g—prevents porosity in finished parts.
Беременный. Шаг 2: Mold Management & Подготовка
Molds are the “heart” of die casting—factories invest heavily in their design, обслуживание, and optimization:
- Дизайн плесени & Производство: In-house mold workshops use CNC machining centers (accuracy ±0.005mm) и Edm (Электрическая обработка) to create molds from high-strength tool steel (НАПРИМЕР., H13 сталь). Molds include cooling water channels (spaced 15–20mm apart) to speed up solidification.
- Предварительно нагреть & Смазка: 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.
- Обслуживание плесени: 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.
В. Шаг 3: Die Casting Molding
The core production stage—high pressure transforms molten metal into finished part shapes:
- Machine Selection: Использовать hot chamber machines (50–200 tons) for zinc alloys (fast cycle time: 15–30 seconds/part) и Холодные камерные машины (200–1,200 tons) for aluminum/magnesium alloys (handles high melting points).
- Инъекция & Затвердевание: Inject molten metal into mold cavities at 5–150MPa pressure and 2–5m/s speed. Поддерживать давление во время затвердевания (время выдержки: 10–20 секунд) to compensate for shrinkage—ensures part density ≥99.5%.
- Automated Demolding: Use robotic arms (Время цикла <5 секунды) to remove parts from molds. This reduces human error and prevents damage to delicate components (НАПРИМЕР., thin-walled electronic housings).
Дюймовый. Шаг 4: Пост-обработка & Качественная проверка
Finishing steps ensure parts meet customer specifications:
- Обрезка & Выслушивание: Cut off gate residues and runner systems with hydraulic trimmers (Для алюминиевых частей) or laser cutters (for precision zinc parts). Remove burrs with ultrasonic cleaning (Раствор <1.6μm surface roughness).
- Поверхностная обработка: Offer options like anodizing (для коррозионной стойкости), Порошковое покрытие (для эстетики), или покрытие (Для износостойкости). Для медицинских деталей, use passivation to meet biocompatibility standards (Iso 10993).
- Quality Testing: Conduct 3 levels of inspection:
- Визуальный осмотр: Check for surface defects (царапины, поры) with 10× magnifying glasses.
- Dimensional Testing: Use CMM (Координировать измерительную машину) Чтобы проверить допуски (±0.1mm for standard parts).
- 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:
| Capability | Технические детали | Business Impact |
| High-Precision Molding | – Dimensional tolerance controlled to ±0.1mm; surface roughness Ra 1.6–3.2μm.- Can produce thin-walled parts (до 0,5 мм) and complex structures (internal threads, глубокие полости). | Meets tight assembly requirements for industries like automotive and electronics—parts require minimal post-machining. |
| Mass Production Efficiency | – Single-part cycle time as short as 15 секунды (zinc parts); 100,000+ parts/month per machine.- Automated lines (robotic demolding, inline inspection) reduce labor costs by 60%. | Delivers large orders (НАПРИМЕР., 500,000 Автомобильные кронштейны) вовремя; low per-part cost (\(0.3- )2 для небольших деталей). |
| Материальная универсальность | – Handles aluminum (60–70% of production), цинк (20–25%), and magnesium (5–10%) alloys.- Customizes alloy compositions (НАПРИМЕР., adding titanium to aluminum for strength) Чтобы удовлетворить потребности клиентов. | Serves diverse industries—aluminum for lightweight automotive parts, zinc for precision electronics, magnesium for aerospace components. |
| Rapid New Product Development (NPD) | – In-house mold design cuts NPD time to 4–8 weeks (против. 12–16 weeks with external mold shops).- Uses rapid prototyping (3D-printed molds for small batches) to test designs before mass production. | Helps clients launch new products faster (НАПРИМЕР., 5G router housings) and reduces prototype costs by 30%. |
3. Key Service Industries: Where Die Casting Parts Are Used
Die casting factories supply critical components to 5 Основные отрасли промышленности, каждый с уникальными требованиями:
А. Автомобильная промышленность (40–50% of Revenue)
- Products: Монтиры двигателя, Королевки передачи, EV battery pack frames, steering gear casings.
- Requirements: Легкий вес (aluminum parts reduce vehicle weight by 10–15%), Высокая сила (tensile strength ≥280MPa), и коррозионная стойкость.
- Пример: A factory might produce 1 million aluminum battery frames annually for a major EV manufacturer, meeting IP68 waterproof standards.
Беременный. Потребительская электроника (20–25% of Revenue)
- Products: Mobile phone middle frames, Ноутбук петли, wireless headphone charging compartments, Светодиодные радиаторы.
- Requirements: Точность (Допуск ± 0,05 мм), небольшой размер (10–500g), and good surface finish (anodized or plated).
- Пример: Supplies zinc alloy charging port housings to a smartphone brand—100,000 units/week with zero surface defects.
В. Бытовые приборы (10–15% of Revenue)
- Products: Air conditioning compressor housings, washing machine drum bearing seats, Дверь холодильника петли.
- Requirements: Tightness (no water leakage), воздействие сопротивления, и низкая стоимость.
- Пример: Produces aluminum compressor housings for a home appliance company—parts pass 10,000-cycle vibration tests.
Дюймовый. Communication Equipment (5–10% of Revenue)
- Products: 5G base station cooling modules, роутер оболочки, fiber optic connector housings.
- Requirements: Heat dissipation (Высокая теплопроводность), electromagnetic shielding, and weather resistance.
- Пример: Manufactures magnesium alloy cooling modules for 5G towers—parts withstand -40°C to +85°C temperature ranges.
Эн. Медицинские устройства (3–5% of Revenue)
- Products: CT machine rotating frames, Хирургический инструмент ручки, insulin pump casings.
- Requirements: Биосовместимость (Iso 10993), высокая точность (± 0,03 мм), and easy sterilization.
- Пример: Supplies titanium-aluminum alloy surgical tool handles to a medical device firm—parts pass autoclave sterilization (134° C., 20 минуты) 1,000+ раз.
4. How Die Casting Factories Compare to Other Manufacturing Processes
Die casting factories differ from sand casting, штамповка, and injection molding facilities in key ways. The table below highlights critical differences:
| Процесс | Первичный материал | Ключевое преимущество | Ключевое ограничение | Идеально подходит для |
| Умирать кастинг | Металлы (алюминий, цинк) | Высокая точность; complex 3D shapes | Высокие затраты на пресс-форму (\(20k– )200к) | Массовый продукт, complex metal parts |
| Литье в песок | Металлы (железо, сталь) | Низкие затраты на пресс-форму; Большие части | Низкая точность (tolerance ±1mm) | Тяжелые промышленные детали (НАПРИМЕР., engine blocks for large machinery) |
| Штамповка | Металлические листы (сталь, алюминий) | Быстрое время цикла; low cost for flat parts | Limited to 2D/Shallow 3D shapes | Плоские части (НАПРИМЕР., Автомобильные панели, банки для напитков) |
| Инъекционное формование | Пластмассы | Бюджетный; высокий объем | Низкая сила; not for high-temperature use | Пластиковые детали (НАПРИМЕР., toy casings, Пластиковые шестерни) |
5. Yigu Technology’s Perspective on Die Casting Factories
В Yigu Technology, 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) АИ-управляемый управление процессом (real-time adjustment of injection speed/pressure reduces defect rates to <1.5%); 2) Green manufacturing (vacuum die casting cuts energy use by 20%, и 95% of scrap is recycled); 3) Cross-process integration (умирать кастинг + Обработка с ЧПУ + surface treatment on one line shortens lead time by 40%).
Для автомобильных клиентов, Мы производим 500,000+ aluminum battery frames yearly with IP68 certification. For electronics clients, our zinc alloy parts meet ±0.05mm precision. We’re investing in 3D-printed mold technology to cut NPD time to 3 недели. Our goal is to be more than a supplier—we’re a partner that helps clients optimize designs for cost, качество, и устойчивость.
Часто задаваемые вопросы
- Какое минимальное количество заказа (Могил) for a die casting factory?
MOQ depends on mold costs: Для стандартных деталей (НАПРИМЕР., generic brackets), MOQ is 10,000–50,000 units to offset mold expenses. Для пользовательских деталей, we offer flexible MOQ (1,000–5000 единиц) using shared molds, though per-part costs are slightly higher.
- How long does it take for a die casting factory to deliver a custom order?
For new custom parts: 4–8 недель (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 недели (no mold lead time).
- Can a die casting factory handle post-processing like CNC machining?
Yes—most die casting factories (в том числе технология Yigu) integrate CNC machining into their workflow. This is critical for parts that need ultra-precise features (НАПРИМЕР., 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.