Plunger Kinematic Parameters Affecting Quality of High-Pressure Die-Cast Aluminum Alloys

The selection of the optimal process parameters in high-pressure die casting has been long recognized as a complex problem due to the involvement of a large number of interconnected variables. Among these variables, the effect of the plunger motion has been proved to play a prominent role, even if a thorough and exhaustive study is still missing in the literature. To overcome this gap, this work aims at identifying the most relevant plunger kinematic parameters and estimates their correlation with the casting quality, by means of a statistically significant sample manufactured with different plunger motion profiles. In particular, slow and fast shot velocities and switching position between two stages have been varied randomly in accordance with design of experiment methodology. The quality has been assessed through the static mechanical properties and porosity percentage. As a further proof, the percentage of oxides has been estimated on the fracture surfaces. These measurements have been correlated to novel parameters, representing the mechanical energy and the inertial force related to the plunger motion, that have been extracted from the time-history of the displacement curves. The application of statistical methods demonstrates that these novel parameters accurately explain and predict the overall quality of castings.