It is generally agreed that die casting with aluminum is one of the most cost-effective and sustainable ways to create metal parts. When using aluminum, you will have to choose which aluminum casting alloys to use in the process. Here is some technical information on aluminum alloys to help you get a better sense of your alloy options and why we choose the alloys we prefer.

A380 Aluminum Alloy

The most popular alloy for aluminum die casting is A380. We use A380 because it has demonstrably the best combination of physical and mechanical properties for casting, including being lightweight, very strong at high temperatures and corrosion resistant. A380 is also very good at retaining dimensional stability even with complex shapes and thin walls and offers high electrical and thermal conductivity.

A383 Aluminum Alloy

Another option for die casters is to use A383 aluminum alloy. This is alloy is typically only used when you are forming intricate components and require very specific die-filling characteristics. While it doesn’t share all the properties of A380, it does offer higher strength at high temperatures with less chance of cracking under heat.

A360 Aluminum Alloy

A360 is harder to cast than A380, which is why many die casters avoid it. However, it does offer higher strength at high temperatures, better ductility and higher corrosion resistance, so you may want to consider this alloy depending on your casting abilities and needs.

A360 vs. A380 v. A383

To summarize the differences between the three types of casting alloys as outlined above, A360 has the best pressure tightness, high-temperature strength and corrosion resistance of the three alloys.

A380 is also highly corrosion-resistant but more cost-effective and easier to work with than A360, so this is the one you would use most commonly if you have budgetary concerns to consider and don’t need the highest levels of corrosion resistance or pressure tightness.

A383 is a modified A380 alloy you would only use if you need precise die filling that you are not getting from your A380 alloy, as it is not as durable as A380.

ZA Alloys

Some applications may call for ZA, or zinc aluminum alloys, for your die casting. Originally the primary type of alloy used in gravity casting, scientists have refined this type of alloy for effective use in die casting. The three alloys that fall into this category are ZA-8, ZA-12 and ZA-27. Alloys that combine zinc and aluminum offer higher strength, lower density, better creep resistance and better wear resistance than other zinc alloys.

ZA-8

ZA-8 is the only hot chamber alloy of the three. It is the zinc aluminum alloy one uses in die casting with the lowest possible aluminum content. It features an aluminum content of 8.4 percent with one percent copper. Because of the minimal aluminum content, ZA-8 has a lower melting point and higher density than other zinc aluminum alloys. This makes it ideal for hot-chamber die casting. It’s often used for higher strength requirements that need plating.

ZA-12

ZA-12 has somewhat greater aluminum content than ZA-8 but less than ZA-27, so it offers a sometimes desirable mediation of zinc alloy properties. It has 11 percent aluminum and one percent copper content. It provides the best combination of castability and strength of the ZA alloys. Because of its higher melting point and lower density, if you are using ZA-12 for casting, you must use the cold-chamber method.

ZA-27

ZA-27 is the strongest of the three ZA alloys, but difficult to cast. It has the highest aluminum content of all the zinc-aluminum alloys we use for die casting, with an aluminum content of 27 percent and copper content of 2.2 percent. The result is a material with the highest melting point, highest strength and lowest density.

Unlike other zinc aluminum alloy parts, parts made with ZA-27 are typically not ideal for chrome plating. As with ZA-12, you cannot use this alloy with hot-chamber casting because of its high melting point. Underside shrinkage can be an issue in die casting for ZA-27 – so cooling rates need to be looked at carefully.

压铸展-铸造展-2018第十九届广州国际压铸、铸造及工业炉展览会-中国最受关注的压铸铸造展会-巨浪展览 -The 19th Guangzhou Die-casting, Foundry & Industry Furnace Exhibition -Die-casting exhibition, Die-casting expo,2018 Die-casting exhibition, 2018 Die-casting expo, China Die-casting exhibition, China Die-casting expo, Foundry exhibition, Foundry expo, 2018 Foundry exhibition, 2018 Foundry expo, Industry Furnace exhibition, Industry Furnace expo, 2018 Industry Furnace exhibition, 2018 Industry Furnace expo, China Industry Furnace exhibition, China Industry Furnace expo