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Optimization of cooling-heating system in HPDC tools

Conference Paper · January 2016

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Optimization of cooling-heating system in HPDC tools

M. PETRIČ1, L. LAVTAR2, B. TALJAT2, S. KASTELIC1, P. MRVAR1,

1
Department of materials and metallurgy, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering,
University of Ljubljana
2
STEEL d. o. o.

Abstract

High pressure die-casting process (HPDC) is a permanent mould casting technology. During
one cycle the heat from melt is transported into a steel tool which is a reason for heating of a
tool. In order to prevent overheating the heating-cooling system is positioned in the tool.
Cooling-heating system heats up the tool at the beginning of the casting process and cools the
tool in further production of castings. Paper describes the problems at conventional tool with
defect analysis of a tool as a result of thermal loading. On basis of analysis of existing tool
made by ProCAST software the change of heating-cooling system in a tool was prepared and
verified. In further the new tool was produced.

Keywords: HPDC process, stresses, tool lifetime

Introduction

High Pressure die-casting process (HPDC) is highly interesting for technological and scientific
practice. HPDC process is used for production of parts for automotive industry, aeronautics
etc. HPDC process is cyclic process appropriate for mass production and is one of the most
important casting technologies. Recently the research is done on HPDC casting alloys [1 – 3],
die materials [4] and most important on regulation of different parameters of the process [5 –
7] such as melt injection important for gas porosity and shrinkage porosity. Research from the
field of thermal loading of the tool [8, 9] and chemical reactions on the interface melt/die are
still important questions since they influence the die lifetime. In order to reduce costs for die
production the development of software for simulation of the HPDC process is supported.

Important process in a HPDC technology is heating-cooling system of the tool conducted by

several loops of cooling channels through the tool. Cooling channels are usually produced by
drilling [10] and in recent publications there is no evidence of different technologies used for
production of cooling channels. There are some papers describing adjusted cooling channels
at production of polymers [11 –16] where they can be also produced by 3D printing [17].
Findings are showing that cooling channels are not effective if they are positioned away from
die cavity so they should be positioned closer to the die cavity surface in order to extract the
heat from the die more effectively [18].

Paper describes the investigation and production of new innovative heating-cooling system for
the tool in order to improve directional solidification of castings and to extend the lifetime of the
die.

Experimental
The case of research was a HPDC tool with two casting cavities as is presented on Fig. 1a
and the distributor presented in Fig. 1b . The tool was produced from tool steel UTOPMO2 with
chemical composition presented in Table 1. The tool was hardened, tempered and nitride. Both
parts of a tool have same dimensions 300 × 300 × 100 mm. Water was used as a cooling agent
for a tool. The casting produced by this tool was a carburettor from AlSi9Cu3 alloy presented
in Fig. 1c.

In order to analyse the casting cycle and to correlate measured and calculated results the
thermal imaging was used. Results of thermos imaging were used to correlate and verify the
calculated results made by numerical simulation programme ProCAST. Calculated results
gave information about heating and cooling of a tool during process of casting and predicted
stress results in a tool as a result of cyclic thermal loading. The analysis of defects on
destructed tool was made in order to analyse the critical spots in a tool.

According to numerical calculations the new heating-cooling system was made in a new tool
and new distributor and verified in practise.

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 1: Two casting cavity HPDC tool (a), distributor (b) and the casting (c)

Table 1: Chemical composition of tool steel

C Si Mn Cr Mo V

0,40 1,05 0,40 5,15 1,35 1,00

Results and discussion

Analysis of cyclic thermal loading of a tool showed that the stable part of a tool has 130 °C
higher temperature than moving part of a tool at the position shown on Figs. 2 and 3. The
picture is taken before spraying of a tool. The lifetime of a stable part of a tool was 73070
cycles while the lifetime of a moving part of a tool was 95332 cycles which confirms that higher
temperatures has negative effect on lifetime. A new stable part of a tool was produced with
newly positioned heating-cooling channels nearer to the casting cavity (Fig. 4). Analysis of
thermal loadings showed the difference in temperature for old and new tool where temperature
of old tool was 297 °C and temperature of a new tool was 285 °C shown on Fig. 5. The lower
temperatures brought also changes in stress formation during cycles. Fig. 6 is presenting most
critical spot of a moving part of a tool and is showing that amplitude of average normal stresses
is lowered from 1080 N/mm2 to 700 N/mm2 which means 36 % lower loadings. According to
calculations the lifetime of a tool should increase. The new tool made only 9474 cycles due to
end of production of casting.

The stable part of an old tool was analysed for defects caused by cyclic thermal loading. Fig.
7 is showing thermal fatigue cracks and wear at spot f where the tool was loaded by the melt
and on spot n where there were no loadings. Also other defects are presented such as
adhesion, wear and cracks on the same places as calculated by ProCAST software (Fig. 6).
Profile of Vickers hardness is presented on Fig. 8 is presenting the lowered hardness on the
spot f where the wear occurred. The hardness is lowered form 1050 HV0,1 to 940 HV0,1.

As mentioned also the distributer was analysed and according to calculated results and
changed cooling system the new distributer was produced. Analysis of thermal loadings
presented on Fig. 9 is showing differences in temperatures and average normal stresses for
old and new distributer. One can see that better and more effective cooling system affects the
temperatures where the temperature in a new distributer is only 94,7 °C while in old one is
235,3 °C. In this manner the temperature is 60 % lower. The lowered temperature is leading
also to lowered induced stresses where stresses are lowered for 47 % from 109 N/mm2 to 58,5
N/mm2 in most critical spot. The lifetime of an old distributer was 74928 cycles while the lifetime
of a new one is at least 102246 cycles since it is still tested. In this way the lifetime is increased
for more than 36 %.

(a) (b)

Figure 2: Calculated temperature field of movable part of a tool (a) and thermal imaging of a
surface of same part before spraying
 (a) (b)

Figure 3: Calculated temperature field of stable part of a tool (a) and thermal imaging of a
surface of same part before spraying

a) b)

Figure 4: Positioning of heating-cooling system in a stable part of a tool: old tool (a) and new
tool (b)
Figure 5: Temperature during cycling in an old (red) and new tool (blue)

Figure 6: Calculated average normal stresses during cycling in an old (red) and new tool (blue)
Figure 7: Defects in a tool with thickness and wear of nitrided surface

Figure 8: Vickers hardness profiles on spots n and f

 (a) (b)
Figure 9: Old (left) and new (right) cooling system of a distributor: thermal field (a), average
normal stress field (b)

Conclusions

Analyses of a tool made by ProCAST software and by thermal imaging showed that the stable
part of a tool has approximately 130 °C higher temperature which leads to a shorter lifetime of
a tool. The stable part of a tool had a lifetime of 72070 cycles while movable part of a tool had
lifetime of 95332 cycles. Based on calculations the new position of heating-cooling system has
been made and tool produced. This has resulted in lowered temperatures and lowered
stresses in the tool. Calculation showed that the amplitude of average normal stresses in an
old tool was 1080 N/mm2 but in new tool it was decreased to 700 N/mm2. The lifetime of a new
tool should increase but the tool was not tested to the end since the production of a casting
was stopped.

Similar analyses were done for the distributor and same trend of results was observed. The
distributor with new more effective cooling system reached about 60 % lower temperatures
then in an old one. Maximum temperature in new distributor was 94,7 °C. Lowered
temperatures caused for 47 % lower stresses and average normal stresses reached only 58,4
N/mm2. This lead to increased lifetime for over 36 %. An old distributor made 74928 cycles
and new one made over 102246 cycles and still running.

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