Aluminum die casting for housings, covers and integrated components, with alloy, machining and finish selected for the part requirements.
Review the component, material specification and delivery requirements together before selecting tooling and production conditions.
Routine weights refer to trimmed, single-part castings after gate and runner removal. Shot mass and cavity count are reviewed separately. A 15 kg casting is a large-part project reference; the drawing, tooling and machine fit determine feasibility for a new part.
Examples of cast geometry and secondary machining routes. They illustrate component types; alloy, dimensions, finish and inspection are confirmed for each project.
A representative aluminum housing form showing the relationship between cast geometry, interfaces and secondary machining.
A representative finned enclosure form showing thermal features, mounting geometry, protected surfaces and machined interfaces.
Typical aluminum main walls are 1.5–4.5 mm. Review wall transitions, filling distance, ribs, bosses, draft, parting lines, venting and machining allowances together. Local thin-wall targets require DFM and tooling trials.
Identify bores, threads, bearing seats, sealing faces and mounting datums. Agree machining allowances and whether dimensions apply before or after finishing.
Review secondary CNC machining →Define the coating system, appearance sample, thickness, masking and mating surfaces. Assess the selected aluminum grade and surface preparation together.
Explore surface finishing →Identify pressure-tight areas and porosity-sensitive features. Agree test medium, pressure, allowable leakage, inspection stage and any required records.
Review specialized requirements →Material reference values support initial selection. Confirm the specified grade, manufacturing condition and acceptance criteria for the finished component.
Aluminum die casting can produce housings, covers, brackets and integrated components where mass and repeatable geometry are important. A380 is the reference grade used here. ADC12 and A380 have distinct specifications; compare composition limits, governing standards and required properties before approving a substitution.
Still comparing materials? Compare casting alloy families →
The following published values refer to A380. Use these values for initial material comparison. Part acceptance and design properties require the applicable specification, delivery condition and representative test evidence.
| Reference property | Value |
|---|---|
| Density | 2.71 g/cm³ |
| Typical tensile strength | 324 MPa |
| Reference Brinell hardness | 80 |
| Approximate melting range | 540–595°C |
Eastern Alloys A380 data. Mechanical figures are the supplier's typical die-cast reference values. Casting geometry, internal quality, test method and delivery condition can change the properties of the finished part.
The melting range describes the solidus-to-liquidus interval. Service limits and casting temperatures must be established separately.
Specify continuous and peak temperatures, exposure duration, loading and allowable deformation. Corrosion resistance depends on the alloy, environment, contact with other metals and coating system. Assess these conditions for the selected grade and finished component.
Review wall transitions, filling distance, ribs, bosses, parting lines, draft, venting and machining allowances together. Establish feasible local wall thicknesses and process conditions for the proposed geometry and tooling.
Entrapped gas can cause blistering during solution heat treatment of conventional high-pressure die castings. Heat treatment therefore requires a suitable alloy and a casting process validated for the intended condition. RHEINFELDEN publishes high-pressure die-cast T6 data for Silafont-36; this example does not establish T6 suitability for A380. Review welding and leakage requirements separately. RHEINFELDEN Silafont data
Review aluminum soldering, thermal fatigue, erosion and local die features. Define replaceable inserts, maintenance and the dimensional or cosmetic criteria that end useful tool life.
Published die-life reference: 60,000–200,000 shots, from the Uddeholm tooling guide, page 12. The range counts casting cycles. Confirm actual tool life and core or insert replacement intervals for the project; the reference is not a service-life commitment.
High-silicon die-casting alloys such as A380 can produce gray, dark or mottled anodized finishes. Approve a representative sample for appearance requirements. Conversion coatings, paint, powder coating and suitable plating systems may also be evaluated. Machining plans should account for tool wear and the possibility of exposing internal porosity. Aluminum Anodizers Council
Agree finish samples, coating thickness, adhesion, corrosion-test conditions and whether dimensions apply before or after treatment. Electrical or thermal contact areas may need defined masking and interface requirements.
Evaluate the mass and manufacturing cost of the complete component. Tooling amortization, cycle time, yield, machining and finishing can materially affect the comparison. Thermal-management applications also require the selected alloy's conductivity and the part's heat-transfer requirements.
Compare cost per accepted component, including material utilization and recovery, tooling, production, secondary operations, inspection, rejects, packaging and transport. Energy use also depends on furnace efficiency, holding time and production utilization.
Confirm alloy, size, mass, tolerances, finish and testing requirements during the drawing and DFM review. Record the agreed manufacturing and acceptance requirements before production release.
T6 requires a suitable alloy and a validated casting and heat-treatment process. Entrapped gas can cause blistering during solution treatment, so suitability must be established for the specific component.
Any substitution requires comparison of the governing specifications, composition limits, delivery condition and required properties, followed by customer approval.
Confirm the alloy, preparation, coating requirements and a representative appearance sample. High silicon content can affect color and surface uniformity.
Tooling, casting, machining and inspection follow the drawing revision and approvals agreed for the order.
Confirm the grade, geometry, critical features and agreed drawing revision.
Review tool design, trials, sample measurements and approval requirements.
Produce the casting and remove feed-system material and flash to the agreed requirements.
Complete the required functional features, surface treatment and interface protection.
Release parts with the agreed inspection records, identification and packaging.
Die tooling
Casting equipment
Inspection planning
Inspection methods, including any internal-feature evaluation, are selected and confirmed for the project.
A drawing-based checklist for closing geometry, tooling, machining, finishing, inspection, and approval questions before die manufacture begins.
Read engineering guide →A practical framework for classifying casting defects, investigating interacting causes, selecting controls, and matching inspection to functional risk.
Read engineering guide →Select and specify finishes for cast and machined parts using material compatibility, service conditions, functional requirements and appearance criteria.
Read engineering guide →Send your drawing with the alloy specification and finished-part requirements. Engineering reviews the proposed route and provides clarification questions, next steps or a quotation.
Review My Drawing →Files are stored privately. Contact us before uploading if your project requires an NDA.