Virtualization Of High Vacuum And High Performance HPDC Machine For Top Quality Casting

OEM and automotive market is driven foundry suppliers to high performance castings: high structural integrity, high mechanical properties, welding and heat treatment. These requirements are typically obtain with gravity and low pressure die-casting due to HPDC limitations.

HPDC need Heat Treatment T6 and special Al alloy to increase mechanical properties. In case of T6, gas porosity inside the component is forming blisters during solubility heat treatment at 520-530°C for 8-12 hours, decreasing component performances. In case of special alloys, these alloys have high viscosity due to low Si with unfilling problems that decrease component mechanical properties.

First point is that only with HIGH VACUUM technology is possible to cast structural parts and cast components with T6 and special alloy. Vacuum technology has increased its performances in these last years to offer two levels of vacuum: standard vacuum and high vacuum. Today the innovation is HIGH VACUUM.

Second point is the request of high performance HPDC machine (DCM). The integration between machine and Vacuum grants top quality casting. This mean a gas evacuation curve that is in phase with the injection curve with the flow rate control of both aluminum and air. 

Third point is the virtualization of HIGH VACUUM and DCM. Virtualization means to do a simulation of HPDC
process. Usually simulation is used to define the design of the die with the best gating system and evacuation
lay-out. All these conditions are finally used with right process parameters cheeked with the software. For the
first time the virtual machine has been simulated with virtual close loop and with finite power.

This paper has the aim to present the last developments in technology of HIGH VACUUM and DCM using a
new virtualization approach in casting simulation software. The current state-of-art of application will be
presented.