Applications
Low-pressure die-casting machines are mainly used in the automotive, aerospace and mechanical sectors, where the production of complex and structural resistant components is required.
This process allows the production of parts such as alloy wheels, engine mounts, gearboxes and housings, ensuring high dimensional accuracy and excellent surface quality. Thanks to the low pressure, porosity and internal defects are reduced, improving the mechanical properties of the finished product.
Among the main advantages are high repeatability, reductionin waste and the possibility of obtaining complex shapes with thin profiles, ideal for lightweight but robust components.
Requirements:
Control of electrical heating loads
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Measurement of thermal process temperature
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Metal injection pressure measurement
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Mould position monitoring
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Requirement:
Control of electrical heating loads
In the low-pressure die-casting process, the holding furnace ensures that the molten metal remains at the ideal temperature to guarantee homogeneous and stable melting during injection. Aluminium alloys, which can reach 700°C, are generally heated by silicon carbide (SiC) electric heating elements, powered by low voltage and connected via transformers, ensuring uniform heat distribution. Accurate control of these heating elements is crucial to maintain a constant temperature, optimise energy efficiency and prevent malfunctions. Continuous monitoring improves furnace reliability and ensures consistent quality in the production process.
- Current range up to 600 A, available in single-phase, two-phase and three-phase versions
- Management of all types of loads, from resistors to transformers;
- Advanced diagnostics and modular I/O for predictive maintenance and complete control
- Advanced connectivity with certified industrial communication protocols
Requirement:
Measurement of thermal process temperature
Temperature is the most critical variable in heat treatment processes. Accurate control is essential to ensure the required mechanical properties, process repeatability, compliance with quality standards and operational safety. Temperature probes must operate in high-temperature environments, ensuring stable and continuous measurement. The sheath that protects the sensitive element — usually thermocouples — is fundamental. In addition to withstanding high temperatures, it must also withstand the action of the process atmospheres present in the furnace, as in the case of nitriding. For this reason, it is necessary to choose a suitable coating material that can guarantee reliability and long life.
Solution:
- Measures temperatures up to 1000 °C with thermocouple sensing element
- AISI 316 or INCONEL 600 sheath to withstand different environments and temperatures
- Reliability and measurement stability even in extreme thermal conditions
Requirement:
Metal injection pressure measurement
Pressure monitoring in low-pressure die casting machines is crucial to ensure proper distribution of molten metal within the mould and uniform solidification of the part. Constant pressure control during the various stages of the process — injection, holding and discharge — allows the mould filling speed to be optimised, turbulence and air inclusions to be reduced, and components with low internal porosity and excellent mechanical characteristics to be obtained. The use of high-precision pressure sensors ensures cycle repeatability and production process stability, which are essential for guaranteeing consistent quality and reducing waste in mass production.
Solution:
- Measuring ranges from: 0…0.05 bar to 0…60 bar (0…1 to 0…1000 psi)
- Voltage and current output signal
- Protection class: IP65/IP67
- Accuracy: ± 0.15% FSO typical
Requirement:
Mould position monitoring
Solution:
- Non-contact magnetostrictive technology for long life and no wear
- High precision and measurement stability even in harsh conditions
- Resistance to shock, vibration and temperature variations
Operating principle
Low-pressuredie casting machines are systems that use a vertical shot process from bottom to top to inject molten metal into a mould. The operating principle is based on the use of a furnace, located under the structure that houses the mould, in which the metal – usually aluminium or magnesium – is kept at a constant temperature (around 700°C) to ensureits fluidity during the injection phase. The injection phase takes place by applying controlled pressure in the furnace chamber: this pressure pushes the molten metal through a riser tube connecting the furnace to the mould. In this way, the metal slowly fills the mould from the bottom up, reducing turbulence and air inclusions.
The result is the production of parts with low internal porosity and excellent mechanicalproperties. Once the metal has solidified in the mould, the pressure is released, the mould opens and the component is extracted. The process is highly automatable, suitable for mass production, and allows for the creation of complex shapes with thin walls and high dimensional accuracy, ideal for the automotive and aerospace industries .
Requirements and technology
In the low-pressure die casting process, one of the most critical aspects is the holding furnace, which must ensure and maintain the molten metal – usually aluminium or magnesium – at a constant and controlled temperature, avoiding contamination and oxidation.
Injection pressure is also an important factor and must be precisely controlled to allow slow and uniform filling of the mould, reducing turbulence, porosity and internal defects. Furthermore, to ensure consistent and controlled production quality, not only the injection phase, but also the mould opening and closing phases and the extraction of the finished product are managed by automated systems. This is thanks to precise and repetitive movements, which minimise variations in the process and ensure high quality of the final product.
