Introduction to the Methodology of the Study of Operational Wear of Experimental Shaped Parts of Moulds for HPDC of Zinc Alloys

Abstract

This research article introduces a methodology for studying the operational wear of experimental shaped parts of moulds for high-pressure die casting (HPDC) of zinc alloys. The study includes roughness analysis and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) based on a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) and 3D scanning to quantify the wear of the mould parts due to contact with the zinc alloy melt and solidifying castings during the HPDC process cycles. The research aims to improve the understanding of the mechanisms of mould wear in HPDC of zinc alloys if different types of steel grades and their production technologies are applied during a hundred thousand casting cycles. The results show roughness and geometrical changes on the surface of shaped parts of moulds made from H11 steel grade conventionally, respectively additively manufactured by selective laser melting (SLM).The results so far have shown that the shaped parts of the mould made of conventional H11 steel after 500,000 or additively manufactured H11 steels show the good shape and surface stability after 100,000 casting cycles. Until now, it has not been possible to determine the negative effect of the given HPDC process on the wear of the studied shape parts of the moulds using the above methods; the analyses will continue until their final wear. In parallel with evaluating the shape and surface of the shaped parts, these parameters are also assessed for the zinc alloy castings. However, the evaluation can't be squeezed into the required scope of this contribution. In the following research phase, also metallographic methods will be applied to study the quality parameters of both shaped mould inserts (after their wear) and castings (after different numbers of casting cycles) too. The final and tested methodology, in connection with other extensive outputs of the research and development carried out within the framework of the solved project, should be helpful for designers and manufacturers of shaped parts of moulds and for the own HPDC of zinc alloys.

An Introduction to the Methodology of Quality Monitoring of Zinc Alloy Castings Produced by HPDC in Additively Manufactured Shaped Mould Parts

“…Figure 4 shows the results and comparison of 3D scanning and CMM for castings K3 from the new AM part and after highest achieved wear, i.e., 100,000 shots. The presented methods are the same as used in previous works by the authors to evaluate shaped parts [8].…”

“…The presented methods are the same as used in previous works by the authors to evaluate shaped parts [8].…”