Start from the published envelope
Squeeze casting fills the die at low velocity and holds the metal under pressure while it solidifies. That changes the design rules compared with high-pressure die casting: thicker sections are an advantage rather than a porosity risk, and the part can be T6 heat treated and welded. Our squeeze casting envelope:
| Machines | 300–1,100 t |
|---|---|
| Part weight | Reviewed per drawing against press size and envelope |
| Wall thickness | 4–15 mm |
| Envelope | Up to about 1.2 × 0.8 m |
| As-cast blank tolerance | ±0.2 mm nominal; machined features agreed per feature |
| Alloys | A356, A356.2, A380, A383, AlSi9Mg, AlSi10Mg, AlSi9Cu3 |
| Heat treatment | T6 in-house |
Wall thickness: design for feeding
Below about 4 mm, the metal starts to freeze before pressure can feed it, and high-pressure die casting is usually the better route. Within 4–15 mm, squeeze casting feeds sections that would shrink in a die casting. The rule that still applies is feeding: every heavy section needs a path to the pressure source, so a thick boss isolated behind a thin wall can still shrink.
- Thicker sections should connect towards the gate or punch
- Avoid thin walls between the gate and a heavy section
- Transitions gradual; avoid abrupt thin-to-thick steps
Draft, cores and undercuts
Like any permanent-die process, squeeze casting needs draft on walls parallel to the opening direction and treats undercuts as slides. Cores and slides add cost and maintenance. Draft, radii and core sizes are agreed at DFM review for the alloy and the part; we do not publish one value for every case.
Design for T6 and welding
- Allow for distortion during quenching: symmetric sections and ribs help; flag flatness-critical faces
- Plan finish machining of bores and sealing faces after T6
- For welded parts, show weld locations; the heat-affected zone loses T6 strength
- State properties by section if a load path matters, with specimen locations
Sealing faces and leak paths
Place sealing faces where the metal is fed and dense, and keep them away from the last region to solidify. Allow machining stock that cleans up the cast skin without cutting deep into the section. Agree the leak test on the machined faces, because that is where the part is clamped in service.
Converting an existing part
Most squeeze casting projects start as a part already made another way: a forging, a billet part, a gravity casting or a die casting with leak rejects. Send the existing drawing and the reason for change; we review it against the envelope and the conversion route.