Journal of Materials Processing Technology 119 (2001) 268±272

Experimental investigation for metal-®lling system of pressure

diecasting process on a cold chamber machine
S. Sulaimana,*, A.M.S. Hamoudaa, D.T. Gethinb
a
Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
b
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Walles, UK

Abstract

This paper describes the molten metal ¯ow in the ®lling system of pressure diecasting process. An experiment was carried out directly on
a pressure diecasting machine (or cold chamber machine) to obtain the ¯ow characteristics and pressure history. Three types of experiments
were carried out on the machine, i.e. runs under normal pressure diecasting conditions, runs using a dry shot where no metal was injected,
and tests using a short shot where piston plunger movement was stopped prior to complete ®ll of the cavity. Several shots were recorded and
pressure time history and displacement time history under normal casting condition for the metal-injection phase were investigated and
carried out successfully. The results are presented in a format, which enable convenient comparison with the predicted data. # 2001 Elsevier
Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Metal-®lling system; Diecasting machine; Pressure history

1. Introduction that of metal and will provide a signi®cant difference with

Molten metal ¯ow is an important factor in¯uencing the
quality of the castings produced in terms of surface ®nish
and porosity caused by gas entrapment [1]. In the context of
feeding and ®lling, the factors in¯uencing the ¯ow are
viscosity and the physical shape of the passages [2,3]. When
liquid ¯ows in an enclosed passage, its viscosity and the
nature of the ¯ow (that is laminar or turbulent) will deter-
mine the extent to which drag is imposed by the passage
walls with a consequent pressure build-up.
In early studies, the experimental investigation into ¯uid
¯ow in the mould cavity was carried out as explained in
Refs. [4±6]. Since the studies were made using water as
the working ¯uid, the result presented are not exact
because of the differences in physical and thermal proper-
ties of water when compared with liquid metal [5]. For
example, ¯uids with high viscosity show somewhat lower
turbulence.
Although the kinematics viscosity of the liquid alumi-
nium is considered to be similar to that of water, this is not
known with certainty and therefore turbulence levels may be
different. More importantly, water density is not identical to
*
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: suddin@eng.upm.edu.my (S. Sulaiman).
regard to the inertial component of ¯ow.
Therefore, it was suggested in Ref. [5] that, for practical
applications, additional experiments using liquid metal
should be carried out for veri®cation.
Thus, to get accurate information, experimental studies
have been complemented directly on the diecasting
machines [3,7,8]. Therefore, these provide better informa-
tion than the previous studies for comparing machine beha-
viour as opposed to modelled machine behaviour.
2. Experiments
In order that con®dence may be placed in the ¯uid ¯ow
numerical method, it has to be compared with experimental
results. Some work on the pressure required to inject molten
metal in the hot chamber machine such as that described in
[9] is already available.
Since the principles and characteristics of hot chamber
machines are different from those of cold chamber
machines, this information cannot be used directly in the
study. An experimental programme was carried out in which
the hydraulic pressure and piston displacement in the casting
process was recorded with respect to time. In doing so, the
pressure build-up during the feeding system ®ll was mea-
sured for comparison with the current model.

0924-0136/01/$ ± see front matter # 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 9 2 4 - 0 1 3 6 ( 0 1 ) 0 0 9 7 2 - 4
 S. Sulaiman et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 119 (2001) 268±272 269

Fig. 1. General arrangement of instrumentation.

3. Experimental equipment
The experimental work was carried out on a 400 t hydrau-
lic pressure diecasting machine with a shot cylinder of
11.5 cm diameter having up to 400 bar of hydraulic pressure
to energise the piston. Fig. 1 illustrates the general arrange-
ment of instrumentation in the experimental work. Basically
the equipment consists of:
1. a pressure transducer with an amplifier,
2. a displacement transducer,
3. a digital storage oscilloscope with IEEE interface,
4. a Tastronic data transfer interface,
5. micro-computer.
The pressure transducer selected was with a range of
0.345 bar and a displacement transducer with a movement
range of 0.080 m. The oscilloscope receives and stores the
signal from the transducer and displays both the hydraulic
pressure and displacement curves over a part of the injection
stage of the ®ll process. The data were then transferred from
the oscilloscope memory to the computer by means of a
Tastronic data transfer interface which converts the IEEE
format to RS232 to enable communication.
4. Transducers calibration
Prior to carrying out the experimental work, calibration of
both transducers was completed.
1. Pressure transducer. The pressure transducer was
calibrated against a Bourdon pressure gauge at hydraulic
pressure up to 207 bar. Pressure was increased in 34 bar
increments and the signal conditioner adjusted to
provide 10 V output at 207 bar. The calibration curve
for the pressure transducer is shown in Fig. 2a where it
appears as linear.
2. Displacement transducer. The calibration of the dis-
placement transducer was completed by extending the
wire cable connection and noting the signal output.
Fig. 2b illustrates the calibration results for the
displacement transducer, which is again linear.

Fig. 2. (a, b) Calibration curve.

270 S. Sulaiman et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 119 (2001) 268±272

From Fig. 1, it can be seen that both transducers are

mounted in different locations. The pressure transducer was
®tted into the hydraulic circuit via a plug arrangement. The
displacement transducer was fastened to a plate attached to
the casing on the injection cylinder. The wire on the dis-
placement transducer was attached to the moving ram and
thus moved in and out under the action of the ram making
use of a return spring inside the transducer to cause its
retraction.

5. Experimental results
The production of the component shown in Plate 1 was
selected for the model and tests. Basically three types of
experiments were carried out on the machine:
1. Runs under normal pressure diecasting conditions.
2. Runs using a dry shot where no metal was injected.
3. Tests using a short shot where press piston movement
was stopped prior to complete fill of the cavity.
Plate 1.
In the experimental work, several shots were recorded and
Figs. 3a and b illustrate a typical pressure time history and
displacement time history under normal casting conditions
for the metal-injection phase. The curves in Fig. 3b are a
magni®ed section of the transient start in ®gure 3a. The
detailed description for interpreting the curves in the casting
process is presented in Fig. 4. The transient suggests that the
metal is injected for 1.15 s and as explained in [10], two
distinct stages of the injection process, i.e. slow and fast are

Fig. 3. Pressure and displacement variation with time.

 S. Sulaiman et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 119 (2001) 268±272 271

Fig. 4. Pressure and displacement vs. time.

clearly evident. This is also re¯ected in the displacement
curve where two velocities are evident. In the slow stage, the
piston plunger moves to advance the molten metal to a point
just before the gate whereas the fast stage has a high piston
speed in order to ®ll the die cavity in a very short time. From
the results, it can be seen that the velocity of the slow stage is
0.225 m/s and fast stage is 2.433 m/s. From the pressure
curve, the intensi®cation stage is shown clearly at the end of
the ®ll process which creates a very high pressure on the
metal and is aimed at overcoming any shrinkage porosity
that may occur in the casting. Since the pressure measured in
the experiment is the machine piston hydraulic pressure, it
must be converted to metal pressure based on the ratio of
shot cylinder diameter to piston diameter. In this case, the
shot cylinder diameter was 0.085 m while the hydraulic
piston diameter was 0.115 m. In this experiment, the max-
imum displacement was 0.3226 m with the metal pressure
up to 355 bar.
Fig. 5 illustrates the pressure and displacement curves for
a dry shot. In the dry shot, no molten metal has been put into
the shot sleeve and, therefore, no pressure was generated in
the feed due to metal movement. The hydraulic pressure
generated in this experiment is to accelerate the piston only
and is very small over the slow stage with a pressure `spike'
being introduced at the change to high velocity. Therefore,
from this experiment, it may be deduced that the pressure

Fig. 5. Pressure and displacement vs. time.

272 S. Sulaiman et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 119 (2001) 268±272
Fig. 6. Pressure and displacement vs. time.
Plate 2.
measured in the feeding system ®lling process as illustrated
in Fig. 3 is due to metal ¯ow, the pressure needed to
accelerate the piston being negligible.
The third experiment used a short shot in which the casting
®ll process was not completed. The aim of this test was to
study the metal ¯ow and metal pressure in the feeding system
only. The displacement of the piston plunger was shorter than
in the normal process. Therefore, less molten metal volume
entered into the feeding system and mould cavity. Fig. 6
illustrates the pressure and displacement curves in the short
shot test. These curves show that pressure is developed and it
increases when the piston plunger moves and metal is fed
along the feeding system. The result of this test is shown in
Plate 2 where it can be seen that the metal has already
entered into the cavities nearest to the feeding system.
The above experiments were carried out carefully with
every effort made to minimise errors. These have been
achieved by calibration of the pressure transducer at hydrau-
lic pressures up to 207 bar although the pressure diecasting
machine can be operated up to 400 bar. In addition, the
oscilloscope was operated at the maximum scale for the
screen.
6. Conclusion
Experiments to measure the pressure transient during
®lling in the diecasting process were carried out successfully.
The pressure transient showed that for a typical ®lling
system, the ¯ow resistance was low and that pressure varia-
tion occurred in response to changes in the plunger velocity.
In the metal ¯ow analysis, metal front movement was also
analysed by looking at the short shot experimental results.
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