Engineering Failure Analysis 8 (2001) 355359

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Analysis of casting die failures

B. Kosec a,*, L. Kosec a, J. Kopac b
a

University of Ljubljana, NTF, Department of Materials and Metallurgy, Askereeva 12, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
b
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Askereeva 6, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Received 11 May 2000; accepted 2 July 2000

Abstract
Cracks in the surface of a xed die half resulting in imprints on AlSi9Cu3 alloy castings were analysed. The cracks
were revealed and identied by the use of penetrants. Some of them were clearly seen by the use of a magnifying glass
or even by the naked eye. Non-destructive metallographic examination by SEM of polymeric replicas was applied.
# 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Cracks; Die failures; Thermal fatigue; Non-destructive testing; Surface cracks

1. Introduction
Cracks which appeared in sharp transitions between two planes of a xed die half (Fig. 1) after less than
1000 shots were revealed and identied by the use of penetrants (Fig. 2). Some cracks were clearly seen by
the use of a magnifying glass or even by the naked eye.
The die was made from the well known BOEHLER W300 ISODISC hot work tool steel [1,2] which has
frequently been used for similar tools. The chemical composition of the steel is given in Table 1. It can be
seen that the steel corresponds to AISI H11 and DIN X40CrMoV5-1 [3]. It was manufactured in the Slovenian Metal d.o.o. steelworks, Ravne na Koroskem under the trade name Utop Mo 1.
2. Experimental procedure
Readily accessible convex parts of the die half were polished by ne grade (higher than 500) emery paper
and diamond paste and examined by optical microscope. Polymeric foils were used to take imprints from
the surface of the prepared spots. The replicas obtained were so sharp that even small details of the surface
e.g. microstructure compounds could easily be observed with an optical as well as a scanning electron
microscope. High depth of eld characteristic of SEM (scanning electron microscopy) resulted in a sharp
three-dimensional image of the observed object. Naturally, concave parts of the die half surface, where the

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +386-1-20-00-410; fax: +386-1-417-04-560.

E-mail address: kosec@tt72.ntfmim.uni- lj.si (B. Kosec).
1350-6307/01/$ - see front matter # 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S1350-6307(00)00032-7

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Fig. 1. Fixed die half with marked spots prepared for examination.

Fig. 2. The surface of the xed die half after examination with penetrants. Cracks are present in sharp plane transitions.

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Table 1
Chemical composition (wt.%) of Utop Mo 1 steel
C

Si

Mn

Cr

Mo

0.38

1.1

0.4

5.0

1.3

0.4

rst long cracks initiated were not accessible for machine polishing and microscope observation. Marked
spots in Fig. 1 represent the convex and large plane areas prepared for examination.
Although not belonging to the working surface of the die half, elds 5 and 6 (see Fig. 1) were also
examined to determine what conventional process was applied in the manufacture. Based on the appearance of the surface and microstructure of the steel in elds 5 and 6 it can be concluded that the die was
manufactured by electrical discharge machining (EDM) (Fig. 3). Surface relief with ``craters'' and a socalled white layer can easily be seen.
If the active part of the die surface was also machined by electrical discharge machining the aected
surface layer would be removed. The origin of pits observed on convex parts of the tool surface can not be
reliably determined. Anyway, such pits cannot frequently be observed and considered as normal on the
active surface of die casting dies. Of course, they can be remnants of uncompletely removed ``craters''
produced by EDM (Fig. 4).

Fig. 3. Optical micrograph showing microstructure of steel surface in eld 1; tempered martensite; magnication 500.

Fig. 4. Die surface in eld 5, changes due to EDM, left magnication 50, right magnication 100.

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In Fig. 1 data on tool, type of steel, etc. cut most probably by EDM are seen in eld 1. The contour lines
of numbers and letters are well rounded. However, many cracks started from these signs. Based on the
shape and type of propagation they can be attributed to thermal fatigue [4,5] (Figs. 5 and 6). Crack lengths
are within 20200 mm range.
From cracks which resulted in imprints on die castings it can be assumed that the die has been manufactured by EDM. If the active part of the die half surface were made by EDM the deteriorated surface
layer should have been completely removed. In convex and plane areas this is easy but in concave parts and
channels it is dicult. If remnants of deteriorated surface layer remained in plane transitions and inaccessible areas they would serve as sources of cracks. Very serious warnings can be found in the reference
literature [6,7].
The cracks initiating at identication marks resulted also most probably from defects caused by EDM
[8]. Rapid propagation of such cracks resulting in a network of cracks known as heat checking is well
known [9].

Fig. 5. Surface cracks and pits in eld 1; magnication 50.

Fig. 6. Surface cracks at identication marks in eld 1, SEM, left magnication 200, right detail magnication 500.

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3. Conclusions
Failures of dies for die casting of aluminium alloys can generally be divided into four basic groups: 1. big
cracks, 2. heat checking, 3. cracking in corners, sharp edges and abrupt transitions and 4. cracking due to
wear or erosion.
The failures observed in the xed die half for die casting of the AlSi9Cu3 alloy belong to heat checking
initiated at identication marks and cracking in corners, sharp edges and transitions.
Generally speaking, cracking in die casting dies is caused by a number of dierent and simultaneously
operating stresses. Therefore, in addition to the two proposed causes the other possible causes like poor
design, operating conditions and improper structure of the active die surface should also be investigated.

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