The Effect of Heat Treatment on the Service Life of a Die Casting Mold
Introduction
Die casting is one of the most cost-effective methods of producing many types of parts and components. The technology is highly repeatable and produces consistent quality parts in high volumes. It is used for almost everything from consumer products such as electronics and toys to structural parts for aircraft and automotive. Although the die casting process is efficient, expensive tooling such as the die casting mold is required to produce the parts. In order to extend its service life, the tool must be heat treated for the desired effect. This paper will discuss the effect of heat treatment on the service life of a die casting mold.
Heat Treating Effects
Heat treating can be used in several ways to extend the service life of a die casting mold. The most common are hardening and tempering. Hardening is the process of increasing the hardness of the metal while tempering is the process of reducing the hardness of the metal. By using both of these processes, it is possible to create a die casting mold that is both hard and ductile. This results in a productive life that is substantially extended. Hardening and tempering can also be combined with other processes such as nitriding and carburizing, which can further increase the mold’s service life.
Heat Treating Considerations
Although heat treating can extend the service life of the die casting mold, it is important to consider the use of the tooling for the application when selecting a heat treating process. For example, if the tooling is used for high-volume production, a hardening/tempering process may not be appropriate as it can lead to tool breakage after a certain number of impressions. In this case, a nitriding process might be more suitable as it is more wear resistant.
Conclusion
The effects of heat treating on the service life of a die casting mold can be substantial. Although the most common processes are hardening and tempering, it is important to consider the application when selecting the appropriate process to ensure that the service life is optimized. With the right selection of heat treating process, the die casting mold’s service life can be significantly extended.
