Die casting system machine configurations

Abstract

A die casting system includes a die, a shot tube and a shot tube plunger. The die casting system is positioned relative to a surface. The die includes a plurality of die components that define a die cavity. The shot tube is in fluid communication with the die cavity. The shot tube plunger is moveable within the shot tube to communicate molten metal into the die cavity. Each of the die, the shot tube and the shot tube plunger are inclined at an angle relative to the surface during injection of the molten metal into the die cavity.

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         6 . A die casting system, comprising:
 a die comprised of a plurality of die components that define a die cavity;   a shot tube in fluid communication with said die cavity, wherein said shot tube includes an integrated melting unit configured to heat a charge of material from a position inside of said shot tube;   a shot tube plunger moveable within said shot tube to communicate said charge of material into said die cavity; and   wherein each of said die, said shot tube, said integrated melting unit and said shot tube plunger are positioned within a vacuum chamber.   
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said shot tube includes a first sleeve and a second sleeve, and said integrated melting unit includes an induction coil. 
     
     
         8 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said first sleeve is a graphite sleeve and said second sleeve is a ceramic sleeve. 
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said integrated melting unit includes an induction skull melting system. 
     
     
         10 . The system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said shot tube plunger includes a cooled copper shot tube plunger. 
     
     
         11 . The system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the die casting system is a vertical die casting system. 
     
     
         12 . A method of die casting a component, comprising the steps of:
 (a) loading a charge of material within a shot tube of a die casting system;   (b) heating the charge of material at a position inside said shot tube; and   (c) injecting the charge of material into a die cavity of the die casting system to cast the component.   
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the charge of material is a molten metal and said step (a) includes the step of:
 pouring the molten metal into the shot tube.   
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said step (b) includes the step of:
 heating the molten metal to a desired temperature inside of the shot tube.   
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the charge of material is an ingot of material and said step (a) includes the step of:
 positioning the solid ingot of material inside of the shot tube.   
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said step (b) includes the step of:
 melting the solid ingot of material into a molten metal inside of the shot tube.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said step (b) includes the step of:
 heating the charge of material with an integrated melting unit associated with the shot tube of the die casting system.   
     
     
         18 . A die casting system, comprising:
 a die that defines a die cavity;   a shot tube in fluid communication with said die cavity, wherein said shot tube includes an integrated melting unit configured to heat a charge of material from a position inside of said shot tube without preheating said charge of material from a position outside of said shot tube; and   a shot tube plunger moveable within said shot tube to communicate said charge of material into said die cavity.   
     
     
         19 . The system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein each of said die, said shot tube, said integrated melting unit and said shot tube plunger are positioned within a vacuum chamber having a vacuum source. 
     
     
         20 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said shot tube plunger includes a cooled copper plunger having cooling channels that receive a coolant from a coolant source.