Die-Casting Mold Review Goes Beyond Part Shape

Part shape is only one part of die-casting mold review. Alloy, wall thickness, radii, draft, parting, overflow and venting, ejection, and cooling all affect the tooling plan. Secondary machining locations, assembly datums, and cosmetic requirements should also be defined before design.

Different alloys, part sizes, and casting machines require different process conditions. Copying parameters from an unrelated program can lead to poor decisions. The customer should define material, function, critical dimensions, and acceptance method; the manufacturer then proposes a solution and explains the risks based on actual equipment and experience.

The review should also consider porosity, shrinkage, distortion, and flash, together with how those risks will be evaluated. Where machining, coating, or assembly follows casting, locating features and machining allowance need to be considered as one process chain.