Return to Die Casting Design FAQ Headings / Return to CWM Home PageDefinitions: Die Casting and Other Pressure Casting
Q. What is the die casting process?
Q. How does die casting differ from other casting production methods?
Q. Aren't miniature die castings just very small castings?
Q. What is metal-matrix composite die cast production?
Return to Top of this Question List
Return to FAQ Headings / Return to CWM Home PageConversions from Other Processes to Die Casting:
- Q. What are die casting's advantages over producing a design as a sand casting?
Q. What are die casting's advantages over producing a design as an investment casting?
Q. What are die casting's advantages over production by the thixomold(TM) process?
Q. When can die casting offer advantages over permanent mold castings?
Q. What are die casting's advantages over producing a design as a plastic molding?
Q. When can die casting offer advantages over producing a design as a stamping?
Q. What are die casting's advantages over producing a design as a powdered metal part?
Q. When can die casting offer advantages over screw machining?
Q. When can die casting offer advantages over producing a design as an extrusion?
Return to Top of this Question List
Return to FAQ Headings / Return to CWM Home PageAlloy Selection for Die Cast Parts:
Q. When is zinc the best alloy to use for a die cast part?
Q. When is aluminum the optimum choice for a die cast part?
Q. When is magnesium the best alloy to use for a die cast part?
Q. When are ZA alloys the optimum choice for a die cast part?
Q. When is copper the best alloy to use for a die cast part?
Return to Top of this Question List
Return to FAQ Headings / Return to CWM Home PageRecyclability of Die Cast Parts:
Return to FAQ Headings / Return to CWM Home PageDesign Guidelines for Die Cast Parts:
- Q. Can the die casting engineer make a direct conversion from a part design produced in another process to a die cast design?
Q. How close are the tolerances the die casting process can achieve?
Q. What are the thinnest walls that can be specified on a die cast part?
Q. Can a design that has undercuts be produced as a die casting?
Q. Can external threads be die cast, without secondary operations?
Q. Can internal threads be die cast, without secondary operations?
Q. What are the limits on complex features that can be designed in a part to be die cast?
Q. What are the highest temperatures that die castings can be expected to withstand?
Return to Top of this Question List
Return to FAQ Headings / Return to CWM Home PagePrototyping, Die Design & Construction:
- Q. What are the prototyping options with a design intended for die cast production?
Q. What are the advantages of using CNC machined prototypes for a design intended for die casting?
Q. What exactly is a prototype die and when should it be used?
Q. Why does a set of die casting dies require the die investment it does?
Q. What is the expected die casting die life for a new die casting die?
Q. Is a trim die always necessary in preparing for die cast production?
Q. What is a unit die and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
Return to Top of this Question List
Return to FAQ Headings / Return to CWM Home PageDie Casting Production & Post-Casting Operations:
- Q. What are the most important considerations for minimizing porosity in a die cast part?
Q. Can conventional die castings be produced to 100% pressure tightness?
Q. Are cast-in-place inserts, positioned during part production, a routine die casting operation?
Q. What types of part inserts can be used as an alternative to cast-in-place inserts?
Q. What are the most important considerations in assuring the cosmetic surface of a die casting?
Q. What does custom die caster membership in NADCA and the DDC indicate?
Return to Top of this Question List
Return to FAQ Headings / Return to CWM Home PagePurchasing Guidelines for Die Cast Parts:
- Q. Is the best time to review a design with a die caster in the preliminary product planning stage or after detailed part prints have been prepared?
Q. Who has ownership of the tooling produced for die casting production?
Q. Should you expect a transferred die casting die, constructed and run by one die caster, to be put into production easily at another die caster?
Q. What can be done to help assure longer die casting die life?
Q. What are the pros and cons of purchasing a die directly from an independent tool builder?
Q. What procedures are followed if a product design change occurs before production but after the die casting dies have been made?
Q. Why do dies remain with the die caster after completion of the production run?
Q. What are the responsibilities regarding “first piece” samples of die castings when received by the purchaser?
Q. When is a savings on metal, that might be possible with lower quality alloy, justified?
Q. How will a die caster be determining the price for metal that will be used in a die casting?
Q. Does Just-In-Time delivery have any impact on tooling costs?
Q. How can questions regarding dimensional accuracy be avoided?
Q. What is the warranty covering custom die castings?
Q. What is the product liability of the die caster regarding a die cast part that fails in field use?