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FAQ
General
Tooling
High Pressure Die Casting
Squeeze Casing
Plastic Injection Molding
CNC Machining
3D Printing
Stamping
Plastic Thermoforming
General
What are the advantages of CEX compared with other die casting supplier?
- We make castingmoldsin house, our mold engineers are responsible for mold design, production, and assembly;
- Most castingproducts are exported. we are familiar with the technical requirements and quality control of the USand European customers.
- Independent research and development capabilities. Our self-developed squeeze casting process can replace highpressure die casting to obtain highstrength aluminum products.
What is the leading time of aluminum die castings and aluminum squeeze castings?
Tooling could be finished in about 25- 45working days.
Samples could be send out to the customer in 2 working days after tooling finished.
After samples being confirmed, mass products could be finished in about 20-45 working days, depends on the purchasing quantity.
Tooling
How much does die cast tooling cost?
Aluminum die casting tooling cost ranges from $2800 to $80,000 depending on size and complexity of the part structure, and the cavities of the tooling.
The total tooling cost includes the material cost, the manufacutering cost and other indirect cost.
What is the service life of the die casting tooling/mold?
Normally the the die casting tooling life is 50000-100000 cycles.
Are your casting tooling made in house?
Yes. We offer in-house tooling design and manufacturing services at our facility in Qingdao.The tooling team in CEX Casting is reliable with years of experience.
For die casting tooling and squeeze casting tooling, we provide:
- Fluid simulation
- Tooling design
- Tooling Validation
- Tooling maintenance and repair
High Pressure Die Casting
What is the die casting process step by step？
Step1. prepare the die casting mold by spraying the refractory coating or lubricant and heat the die to the required temperature.
Step2. Inject the molten metal into the die by an automated ladle or just manually.
Step3. The molten metal being cooled and solidified in the die for sufficient time.
Step4. Open the two dies, spray the release agents and then move out the finished cast blank.
Can die cast aluminum be anodized?
Yes, die cast aluminum can be anodized, but do not recommended.
- Die casting aluminum alloys have high silicon content, with the increasing of silicon content, the color of the anodized film will changed from light gray to dark gray, and finally to black gray.
- There’re air marks, cold shuts, and blisters on the surface of the castings, so the anodized film will not be uniform and smooth.
Can die cast aluminum be welded?
No, die cast aluminum can’t be welded.
The die casting process needs rapid cooling, which caused air pocket defects in the casting. If we hit air pockets during the welding process, we can do nothing except grind away the porosity and re-solder.
Can you die cast stainless steel?
No, stainless steel can’t be used in the die casting process.
Currentlly the die casting dies are made of hardened steel, this is only suitable with casting of aluminium and other relative low melting temperature materials. However the melting temperature of stain steel is high, which can erosion the molds.
What are the alloys of aluminum die casting?
Different countries have different standards for die casting aluminum alloy grades:
China(GB/T 15115-94): ZL102, ZL104, YL102, YL104, YL108, YL112, YL113, YL117…
Japan(JIS H5302:2000): ADC10, ADC12, ADC1, ADC2, ADC3, ADC4, ADC5, ADC14…
America(ASTM B85-96): A380, A383, A319, A369, A535, A413, 518, 392, 390, 384…
Europe(EN1706:1998): ENAC-43400, ENAC-44300, ENAC-44400, ENAC-46000…
What’s the wall thickness of aluminum die casting?
The typical wall thickness of aluminum die casting is 1.016mm to 5.08mm, the specific thickness needs depend on the structure, application, size, etc.
What’s the type of aluminum die casting machines?
Aluminum die casting machine types are divided into cold chamber die casting machines and hot chamber die casting machines.
CEX has 160-1100T cold chamber die casting machines, the most significant parts we could manufacture are up to 22kg.
What are the defects of aluminum die casting?
Internal die casting defects
- Gas Porosity
- Inclusions
- Shrinkage Porosity
Superficial die casting defects
- Cracks
- Network Cracks
- Flashes
- Cold Shut
- Drags and Soldering
- Blisters
- Flow Marks
- Deformation
Squeeze Casing
Why squeeze casting is superior than high pressure die casting?
- The squeeze casting parts without air holes, with high air tightness
- T6 heat treatment is accepted
- At least increased 50% strength
Why squeeze casting can replace hot forging?
After T6 treatment has the same mechanical properties as forged parts:
Yield Strength: 220-240Mpa
Tensile Strength: 260-300Mpa
Hardness: 80-90Hb
Density: 2.72g/cm³
Elongation: 4.5-6%
At the same time, compared with hot forging, squeeze casting process can save at least 40% machine cost.
Why squeeze casting can replace steel casting?
- Maintain the same strength with steel casting
- Reduce at least 50% weight
Plastic Injection Molding
What are the benefits of plastic injection molding?
1.Complex structures products can be produced.
2.High precision. The tolerance can be controlled within +-0.125mm.
3.High production efficiency. The injection molding cycle can be completed once in 10-120 seconds.
4.High repeatability and reliability. Steel injection molds can complete at least 100,000 cycles with consistent product.
5.Materials can be reused to reduce waste.
6.Lightweight, the strength and durability of plastic are greatly improved, comparable to metal.
7.Wide selection of materials.
8.Wide range of color options.
What plastic is used for injection moulding?
The following are 11 common injection molding materials.
Which material to use depends on the product structure and usage. If you have any troubles, please contact CEX and the professional advice will be provided.
1.Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)—High Impact Resistance
2.High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)—High Strength/Affordable Price
3.Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)—High Chemical Resistance/Moisture Resistance
4.Nylon–High Wear Resistance
5.Polycarbonate (PC)—High Ballistic Resistance
6.Polypropylene (PP)—High Impact Strength and Good Moisture Resistance
7.Polystyrene (PS)—Moisture Resistance
8.Polyoxymethylene (POM) —High Surface Gloss
9.Acrylic Poly (PMMA)—Weather Resistance/High Gloss/Good Wear Resistance
10.Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)—High Elasticity/ Transparency
11.Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR)—Ability to stretch and return to normal shape
How thin can you injection mold plastic?
The general wall thickness of injection molding plastic is from 0.635mm to 5.08mm
Different materials have different minimum wall thicknesses, CEX will recommend you the most suitable wall thickness.
What are plastic injection molds made of?
Hardened or pre-hardened steel is preferred for mold making, aluminum and beryllium copper alloys are also a good choice.
What’s the issue of plastic injection molding?
1.Flow Lines
2.Sink Marks
3.Surface Delamination
4.Weld Lines
5.Short Shots
6.Warping
7.Jetting
8.Vacuum Voids
9.Burn Marks
10.Flash
What are plastic injection molding used for？
Injection molding is the most common process for producing plastic parts, it exists everywhere around us:
Building Construction
Food / Beverage
Medical / Pharmaceutical
Vehicle Parts
Household Parts
Mechanical Parts
……
Will 3d printing replace injection molding?
No, 3D printing won’t replace injection molding process.
3D printing is suitable for small batch production in the product development stage, while injection molding is suitable for high-volume production, which is efficient and economical.
CNC Machining
What is the process of cnc machining？
Step1. Design CAD models
Step2. Convert CAD files to CNC programs via CAM and load them on CNC machines
Step3. Setting up CNC equipment, such as fixing work pieces
Step4. Run the CNC program for machining operations
Where cnc machines are used？
Automotive Industry
Building Industry
Dental Industry
R & D
Military Equipment
Decorations
Agricultural Industry
……
What materials can be machined?
Metal (Aluminum Alloys, Brass, Stainless Steel, Etc.)
Plastic (POM, PEEK, PTFE, Nylon, Etc.)
Wood
Foam
Composite Material
CEX mainly specialize in machining metal and plastic materials.
Why cnc machines are used?
- Can improve production efficiency
- Can guarantee product accuracy and quality
- Eliminate human error and reduce material waste
- Operation safety
Can cnc machine cut metal?
Yes, cnc machine can cut metal.
It mainly depends on the ability of the CNC machine to cut metal, a strong machine is no problem.
3D Printing
What 3d printing is used for?
– Consumer products(eyewear, footwear, furniture…)
– Automotive products – Aviation Products
– Industrial products (manufacturing tools, prototypes, functional end-use parts)
– Dental products
– Prosthetics
– Architectural scale models and models
– Reconstruct fossils
– Replication of ancient artifacts
– Reconstruction of forensic pathology evidence
– Movie props
……
What 3d printing material is the most flexible?
The most flexible material in 3d printing process is TPU.
What 3d printing material is food safe?
Ceramics
PLA without Additives
PolyEthylene Terephthalate
PP
Co-polyester
PET
PET-G
HIPS
…..
Which 3d printing materials is the strongest?
Polycarbonate (PC) is the strongest material in 3d printing process.
What to do when 3d print is done?
- Cooling
- Separate the parts from the base
- Clean the extruder and base
- Check product size and finish
- Surface treatment
Will 3d printing replace cnc machining?
No, 3d printing can’t replace cnc machining. Each process has its own characteristics, and won’t be replaced. At present, whether it is product accuracy or production speed, 3D printing cannot surpass cnc machining.
Stamping
What are the defects of metal stamping?
Splits
Wrinkles
Springback
Sheet thickness is not well controlled
Deformation
Inconsistent size
What are the benefits of metal stamping?
Efficient
High precision
High repeatability
High speed
Low maintenance cost
Low labor cost
……
What is metal stamping used for?
Architecture
Electronic
Solar energy
Wind energy
Agricultural
Industry
……
Plastic Thermoforming
What plastic is used for thermoforming?
HIPS
ABS
PVC
Acrylic
PET
HDPE
PC
PEI
PP
……
How do thermoforming machines work?
Step1: Heating the thermoplastic sheet to its softening point
Step2: Stretch the sheet onto the mold
Step3: Cool to the desired shape
Is thermoforming plastic recyclable?
Yes, the thermoforming plastic is recyclable.
What’s the temperature of thermoforming plastic?
The general temperature of thermoforming plastic is from 110-230°C