Die Castings Compared with Other Products

Compared with sand casting, die castings require much less machining; can be made with thinner walls, can have all or nearly all holes cored to size; can be held within much closer dimensional limits; are produced more rapidly in dies that make many thousands of die castings without replacement; do not require new cores for each casting; are easily provided with inserts die cast in place; have smoother surfaces and involve much less cost per casting. Sand castings, on the other hand, can be made from ferrous metals and from many non-ferrous alloys not suitable for die casting. Shapes not producible by die casting are available in sand castings, maximum size can be greater, tooling cost is often less and small quantities can be produced more economically. Appropriate for small lots or large castings.

Compared with permanent mold castings, die castings can be made to closer dimensional limits and with thinner sections; holes can be cored; are produced at higher rates with less manual labor; have smoother surfaces and commonly cost less per die casting. But the permanent mold casting involve somewhat lower tooling costs; can be made with sand cores yielding shapes not available in die casting. What you save on tooling you give back in product strength and finish.

Compared with forgings, die castings can be more complex in shape, can have shapes not forgible; can have thinner sections, can be held to closer dimensions and can have coring not feasible in forgings. Forgings however, are denser and stronger than die castings, have the properties of wrought alloys, can be made in ferrous and other metals and in sizes not suitable for die castings. If extreme strength is very important and you’re willing to compromise on tolerances, this is for you.

Compared with plastic moldings, die castings are much stronger, are much more stable dimensionally, can be held within closer dimensional limits and can be finished, as plating, in ways not feasible or that are slower on plastic moldings. Where appearances at a price are more important than strength and durability, and where volumes of parts justify higher tooling costs, plastic is the answer.

Compared with screw machine products, die castings are often produced more rapidly, involve much less waste in scrap, can be made in shapes difficult or impossible of production from bar or tubular stock, and may require fewer operations. But screw machine products can be made from steel and from alloys not die castable; have the properties of wrought metals; require less tooling expense. If your lots are very small and precision requirements very high, machined parts are your choice.

Compared with stamping, one die casting can often be made to serve in place of several stampings. Die castings frequently require fewer assembly operations, can be held within closer dimensional limits, can have almost any desired variation in section thickness, involve less waste in scrap, are producible in more complex shapes and can be made in many shapes not producible in stamped forms. Stamping, on the other hand, have the properties of wrought metals, can be made in steel and in alloys not suitable for die casting; in their simpler forms are produced more rapidly, and may weigh less than die castings. Stampings and die castings are poor substitutes for each other. Their applications are different indeed.

To obtain more information call: Cast Well, Inc.

Tel: (908) 355-1110

Fax:(908) 352-1641