Stainless Steel Die Casting
Stainless steel is a widely used material in casting production. Its key difference from other iron alloys is the presence of a stable passivation layer that protects it from moisture and air. Additionally, it offers high corrosion resistance, making it an ideal choice for a variety of applications. With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about stainless steel die casting:
Meaning Of Stainless Steel Die Casting
Stainless steel die casting, also known as stainless steel die casting, is an industrial process used to create finished products by pouring molten stainless steel into a model or a set of mold cavities. The process starts by shaping the mold cavities to match the desired final product.
Next, the stainless steel is heated until it melts, transforming the solid metal into a liquid form.
Unlike the chromium stainless steel process, this method produces products with more precise dimensions, reducing the need for additional machining afterward.
Material Grades For Stainless Steel Die Casting
Stainless steel is a type of low-carbon steel that contains a small amount of chromium. This chromium forms a protective chromium-oxide layer on the surface, which gives stainless steel its excellent corrosion resistance and allows it to withstand exposure to oxygen. Below are some materials commonly used in stainless steel die castings:
- Duplex stainless steel
- Austenitic stainless steel
- Martensitic stainless steel
- Precipitation hardening stainless steel
- Ferritic stainless steel
Stainless Steel Casting Process
Stainless steel casting involves creating a wax pattern that is coated with a ceramic material to form a mold. The wax is then melted and removed, leaving the ceramic shell intact. Molten stainless steel is poured into this ceramic mold to produce a cast stainless steel part. After the metal cools and solidifies, the ceramic mold is removed.
Applications Of Stainless Steel Investment Castings
Various industries rely on stainless steel because of its unique physical properties. Here are some common industrial applications:
Pipe fitting solutions: Pipe fitting components are used across many industries to control flow, connect pipes, or change their direction. Stainless steel casting is a cost-effective manufacturing method, especially for producing small quantities.
Valve and pump components: These parts are essential for the functioning of many machines. Stainless steel castings allow for the production of complex shapes suitable for valve and pump components, such as valve bodies, pump impellers, and valve glands.
Marine applications: Many steel alloys are chosen for marine parts due to their corrosion resistance and high heat tolerance.
Food processing machinery: Thanks to its rust-resistant qualities, stainless steel die castings are widely used in nearly all food processing equipment. A key example is the components of coffee machines.
Stainless Steel Casting Methods
Below are the major stainless steel casting processes:
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Centrifugal Casting: Utilizes centrifugal force instead of pressure or gravity, making it ideal for hollow and cylindrical structures. Cylindrical molds, typically made from iron or steel, are spun vertically or horizontally, depending on the method, to create the castings.
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Sand Casting: Uses sand molds to produce custom parts. This method is advantageous due to its ability to withstand high temperatures.
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Investment Casting: Involves wax or foam mold cavities coated with refractory material. The wax is melted away as molten metal is poured, allowing the cast to cool and solidify.
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Continuous Casting: Also called strand casting, it molds stainless steel of specific lengths. Molten steel is fed into a vertical mold with a cooling system, producing minimal waste, high-quality, and large-scale castings.
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Pressure Die Casting: A cost-efficient method where high-pressure molten stainless steel is injected into a mold cavity made with tool steel dies. The metal cools quickly, forming precise and near-net shape castings.
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Corner Casting: Produces corner castings used in shipping containers, typically sold in sets of eight.
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Lost Wax Casting: Molten stainless steel is poured into wax patterns enclosed in molds. The wax is heated, melted, and removed (lost), leaving the shape behind. Casts can be prepared directly (from wax patterns) or indirectly (via wax pattern copies).
Stainless Steel Die Casting
Die casting is a complex and precise process used to produce stainless steel parts with exact dimensions. This method involves the use of reusable molds called dies, which is how the process gets its name. Additionally, die casting requires various equipment such as die-casting machines and furnaces.
In this process, stainless steel is melted in a furnace at high temperatures. The molten steel is then poured into the dies, where it cools and solidifies.
There are two types of die-casting machines: the hot chamber machine, which is used to produce alloys with low melting points, and the cold chamber machine, which is designed for alloys with high melting points.
Benefits of Stainless Steel Die Casting
Stainless steel die castings made from various alloys provide numerous benefits, including:
- Superior corrosion resistance
- Size flexibility
- Tight tolerance levels
- Heat resistance
- Capacity to produce complex shapes
- It needs minimum surface finishing after casting
Parameters of Product
| Mold Base | LKM C50 + P20 for AB, Cast iron etc. |
|---|---|
| Inserts(cavity and core) | Dievar, H13, 8407, 1.2344 or the material you required |
| Standard | HASCO, DME, MISUMI, PUNCH and so on |
| Product Material | ADC12, ADC14, A360, A380, AlSi9Cu3 and so on |
| Mold Treatment | Heat Treatment >HRC45 |
| Product Surface | Sand blasting, Powder coated, Painting, Anodizing, etc |
| Shape & Color | Can be design according to your needs |
| Process | High Pressure Die Casting |
| Certificated | ISO 9001:2015 Certificated |
Trade Information
| MOQ | 1 set |
|---|---|
| Mold lead time | T1 sample, about 3-10 weeks, according to the mold requirement |
| Production lead time | 2-5 weeks, according to the order Qty |
| Mold payment term | 50% T/T deposit with PO, balance 50% T/T after sample approved |
| Products payment term | 30% T/T deposit with PO, balance 70% T/T before shipment |
| Port of loading | Ningbo or Shanghai port |
