Step 01
Uniform wall thickness
Keep sections as uniform as possible; core out thick areas to avoid shrinkage porosity.
Pressure Die Casting (PDC) · Thirumudivakkam, Chennai
Pressure Die Casting
Manufacturer in Chennai
Choosing the right casting process — and designing the part for it — decides cost and quality more than anything else. This page explains how we approach aluminium pressure die casting projects from enquiry to production.
- Best for
- Medium–high volume
- Typical walls
- Thin, uniform sections
- Tooling
- Hardened steel die
- Lead time to sample
- 5 Weeks
Pressure die casting vs gravity and sand casting
Pressure die casting (PDC) fills a steel die under high pressure, gravity die casting fills a permanent mould by gravity alone, and sand casting uses an expendable sand mould. PDC gives the thinnest walls, best surface and fastest cycle, but needs the highest tooling investment and is not heat-treatable in the usual way because of entrapped gas.
Gravity die casting suits thicker, heat-treatable parts at moderate volumes; sand casting suits prototypes, very large parts and low volumes. If your part is better suited to another process, we will say so.
Process
Designing a part for pressure die casting
Following these guidelines reduces tooling cost, porosity and machining:
Step 02
Draft on walls and cores
Allow draft on surfaces parallel to die opening so the part ejects without drag marks.
Step 03
Generous fillets
Radius internal corners to help metal flow and reduce stress concentration in the die and part.
Step 04
Ribs instead of mass
Use ribs for stiffness rather than thick walls — lighter and fewer defects.
Step 05
Parting line and datums
Agree the parting line and machining datums early so critical features are cast in one die half.
Step 06
Machining allowance
Specify only the faces that must be machined; as-cast surfaces are often good enough.
Capabilities
What to expect from PDC
Indicative values — confirmed per part during DFM.
| As-cast tolerance | [INSERT TOLERANCE GRADE, e.g. per ISO 8062] |
|---|---|
| Machined tolerance | [INSERT ACHIEVABLE TOLERANCE] |
| Surface finish (as-cast) | [INSERT Ra VALUE] |
| Machine range | 250T & 350T cold chamber |
| Max shot weight | 6.8 kg aluminium |
Materials
We pressure die cast aluminium–silicon alloys only.
- ADC12 / A380 / AlSi9Cu3
- Housings, covers, brackets
- AlSi10Mg
- Thin-wall and higher-ductility parts
- LM24
- Parts specified to BS 1490
When customers choose pressure die casting
Typical situations where PDC is the best fit:
- Replacing a fabricated or machined-from-solid part to cut cost and weight
- Converting a gravity casting with high machining content
- Launching a new housing for a vehicle, motor or electrical product
- Consolidating several parts into one casting
Industries
Industries we supply with pressure die casting
- Critical-to-function dimensions and datums
- Porosity acceptance level and inspection method for critical zones
- Leak test pressure and medium where applicable
- Cosmetic surface requirements
FAQ
Pressure Die Casting — frequently asked questions
Is pressure die casting the same as HPDC?
Yes — in practice the terms mean the same process. See our HPDC page for how a cycle works on our machines.
Can pressure die cast aluminium be heat treated?
Conventional solution heat treatment can cause blistering from entrapped gas, so it is not normally applied to standard HPDC parts. Discuss strength requirements with us early.
How long does tooling take?
It depends on part complexity and the number of cavities and slides. We give a tooling and sampling schedule with the quotation.
Can you convert my gravity casting to pressure die casting?
Often, yes. Send the drawing and we will review wall thickness, draft and heat-treatment needs.
Related capabilities
Request for Quotation
Get a quote for pressure die casting
Share your 3D model or drawing, alloy and annual quantity. Our engineering team reviews every enquiry for manufacturability before quoting.