Gas injection

Innovative die casting solution for non-removable hollow channels in the component

As part of the EU research and innovation program “Horizon 2020”, we, as a consortium with other companies from all over Europe, have received approval for the gas injection project “MAGIT” (Magnesium and Aluminum Gas Injection Technology).

  • Gasinjektion im Druckguss
  • MAGIT
  • TiK - Technologie in Kunststoff
  • Hochschule Aalen
  • Giesserei Technologie Aalen
  • Surtechno

This project involves the gas injection process, in which non-removable component cavities in aluminum die casting can be produced during the casting process. This process is already successfully used in plastic injection molding and has now been transferred to the die casting process with metallic melts.

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Technology

The gas injection process is an innovative technology that opens up new possibilities in the field of aluminum die casting.

Process description

With this technology, the still liquid melt inside the component is displaced into an opening secondary cavity by means of gas injection during the cooling phase - thus a hollow channel is formed in the component. The great advantage of this technology is that channels with deflections (–> conventionally non-removable) can be produced.

The process is suitable for both media-carrying and weight-saving hollow channels.

Advantages:

  • Channels with deflections can be produced.
  • Media-carrying or weight-saving channels can be produced during the casting process. No separate process is necessary. Gas injection is fully integrated into the casting process.
  • The complexity of the assembly decreases. Attachments and seals that were previously used to close a cooling channel are eliminated.
  • The joining and assembly effort for the media channel geometry is eliminated. Additional processes such as screwing and welding a cover are also eliminated.

Requirement:

  • The component geometry must be adapted to the process.
  • The die casting tool must be equipped with special components.

Possible quality tests for gas injection channel:

  • Flow test (oil, water)
  • Leak test (differential pressure)
  • X-ray and computed tomography testing
  • Destructive testing (e.g. saw cut or mechanical processing)

Application examples:

  • Gas injection can be used for media-carrying channels as well as for recesses (e.g. weight reduction).
  • Typical applications are integrated cooling lines in power electronics housings or stator carriers.
ALUWAG power electronics housing type 1 with media-carrying gas injection channel.
ALUWAG power electronics housing type 2 with media-carrying gas injection channel.

Process steps

Process step 1: The liquid melt is shot into the mold cavity using the standard die casting process.
Process step 2: The material solidifies in the mold. The melt is still liquid in the core of the component.
Process step 3: The solidification of the melt in the die casting mold takes place from the outside in. The injector gains access to the still liquid melt in the core through a puncture.
Process step 4: By opening the locking slide, the still empty secondary cavity is opened.
Process step 5: The liquid core is displaced into the secondary cavity by gas injection. A cavity is created along the channel geometry.
Process step 6: The excess residual material is separated off.

Funding

European Commission
H2020-EIC-FTI-2018-2020

This project has received funding from the European Union‘s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 950866.