Score your part
Answer for the finished part, not the current process. Each answer leans toward die casting, toward squeeze casting, or neither. The result says which route to review first; it is not a quotation and it does not replace a drawing review.
How the score works: each answer adds the value shown in the table below. Total −2 or less: review die casting first. Between −1 and +3: compare both on the same drawing. +4 or more: review squeeze casting first. Low volume alone does not decide it; very low volumes may suit neither route.
The criteria behind the score
| Criterion | Leans to die casting | Leans to squeeze casting |
|---|---|---|
| Leak requirement | None or cosmetic (−1) | Tight leak rate or thick machined sealing faces (+2) |
| T6 or welding | Not required (−1) | Required (+3) |
| Property requirement | Alloy only (−1) | Specified at critical sections (+2) |
| Wall thickness | Below about 4 mm (−2) | 4–15 mm (+1) |
| Volume | Very high with fine detail (−2) | Repeat production (0) |
| History | No problems (0) | Leak, porosity or blister rejects (+2) |
Compare the complete route, like for like
We run both: die casting on 160–1,100 t and squeeze casting on 300–1,100 t, with T6, machining and inspection in-house. A fair comparison uses the same drawing revision, quantity and acceptance criteria for both.
| Criterion | Die casting review | Squeeze casting review |
|---|---|---|
| Geometry | Cast features, tooling access, required machining | The same features on the pressure-solidification route |
| Performance | Alloy, process and test requirements, usually as-cast | Alloy and T6; validate the actual component |
| Internal integrity | Discontinuity limits and any leak test | The same criteria; no zero-defect assumption |
| Economics | Tooling, secondary work, inspection, demand | Tooling, heat treatment, machining, inspection |
Is squeeze casting more expensive than die casting?
Per casting, usually yes: the cycle is longer because the metal is held under pressure while it solidifies, and T6 adds a heat-treatment step. On the finished part the answer can change, when a die casting is being scrapped for leaks, impregnated, or cannot reach the property the drawing needs. Compare tooling, cycle time, heat treatment, machining, inspection and scrap at the same annual quantity.
- Do not compare a finished-part quote with one that leaves out machining or inspection
- Do not treat a handbook property as an acceptance result for your part
- Do not assume the design stays unchanged: datums, sections and tooling features may need review
Vacuum die casting and semi-solid routes
Vacuum die casting evacuates the cavity before injection and reduces trapped air; rheocasting and thixocasting fill with semi-solid metal. All three sit between conventional die casting and squeeze casting for some parts. If one of them is already in your comparison, include it in the same like-for-like table and tell us which; the drawing review states which routes we can run for the part.
Example: a machined pressure housing that leaks
Document the leak location, test conditions and current machining sequence. Ask whether the present process can meet the agreed limits after a gating or machining change, and whether squeeze casting should be sampled. Compare both on the same leak and dimensional requirements. This is a review scenario, not a reported customer outcome.