Fluid flow and thermal heat flow modeling are being extensively used in the casting industry to increase yield, predict defects and solve problem areas in the castings. An increasing number of North American die casters use fluid and thermal simulation to predict casting defects and to optimize many die parameters as a part of their design process. A simulation tool is now available that integrates die casting process parameters with conventional heat and fluid flow modeling. Prior to production and with process simulation, a high pressure die cast part can now be optimized in terms of cavity fill, gate area, gate velocity, plunger speed and cavity pressure. The PQ2 diagram that forms an integral part of this process simulation allows the die caster to analyze and optimize the operating window that is needed to match the die casting machine to the casting quality requirements. This paper discusses the results of a case study on the application of this new technology to a die cast part from inception to final production.
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