On Replicating the Thermal Conditions in High Pressure Die Casting Processes

Acquiring thermal data during the High-pressure die casting (HPDC) process is very challenging. The effect of the various casting process parameters is usually assessed by examining the quality of the final cast after the casting process is completed. The existing casting simulation software lacks the necessary correlations of the interfacial heat transfer coefficient (IHTC) as a function of process parameters. To address this challenge, a hot chamber die casting (HCDC) experimental apparatus has been developed to replicate thermal conditions in industrial HPDC operations. The developed setup enables direct thermal measurements within the die cavity. The metal temperature has been estimated using the lumped mass approach, and the IHTC has been determined using an inverse heat transfer algorithm. The IHTC results obtained experimentally are in good agreement with the IHTC estimated during a set of industrial HPDC trials. The maximum deviation is about 14.1%. These results demonstrate the capability of the developed HCDC experimental apparatus in accurately replicating the industrial HPDC conditions and providing valuable experimental data that can be used in casting numerical simulation models.