Die casting system and method utilizing high melting temperature materials

Abstract

An example die casting system includes a die comprised of a plurality of die components that define a die cavity configured to receive a molten metal. One of the die components comprises a material that is not reactive with the molten metal and has a melting temperature above 815 degrees Celsius.

1 . A die casting system, comprising:
 a die comprised of a plurality of die components that define a die cavity configured to receive a molten metal, wherein at least one of the plurality of die components comprises a material that is not reactive with the molten metal and has a melting temperature above 815 degrees Celsius.   
     
     
         2 . The die casting system of  claim 1 , comprising a shot tube in fluid communication with said die cavity, a shot tube plunger moveable within said shot tube to communicate the molten metal into said die cavity, wherein at least one of the shot tube and the shot tube plunger comprises the material. 
     
     
         3 . The die casting system of  claim 2 , wherein a tip of the shot tube plunger comprises the material. 
     
     
         4 . The die casting system of  claim 1 , comprising at least one ejector pin configured to be moved relative to the die cavity, wherein the at least one ejector pin comprises the material. 
     
     
         5 . A die casting system, comprising:
 a die comprised of a plurality of die components that define a die cavity configured to receive a molten metal, wherein at least one of the plurality of die components comprises a material selected from a group consisting of a nickel based super alloy, a cobalt based super alloy, an iron-nickel based super alloy, a suitably alloyed iron based alloy, a suitably alloyed copper alloy, and a refractory metal based alloy.   
     
     
         6 . The die casting system of  claim 5 , comprising a shot tube in fluid communication with said die cavity and a shot tube plunger moveable within said shot tube to communicate the molten metal into said die cavity, wherein at least one of the shot tube and the shot tube plunger comprises the material. 
     
     
         7 . The die casting system of  claim 6 , wherein a tip of the shot tube plunger comprises the material. 
     
     
         8 . The die casting system of  claim 5 , comprising at least one ejector pin configured to be moved relative to the die cavity, wherein the ejector pin comprises the material. 
     
     
         9 . The die casting system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of die components comprises a die. 
     
     
         10 . The die casting system of  claim 5 , wherein another of the plurality of die components comprises a material that is not in the group. 
     
     
         11 . The die casting system of  claim 5 , wherein the refractory metal comprises a material selected from a group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, rehenium, niobium, and tantalum. 
     
     
         12 . A die casting system, comprising:
 a die comprised of a plurality of die components that define a die cavity configured to receive a molten metal that has a melting temperature above 815 degrees Celsius, wherein at least one of the plurality of die components comprises a material that is a ceramic material, a metal matrix composite material, a ceramic matrix composite material, or some combination of these.   
     
     
         13 . The die casting system of  claim 12 , comprising a shot tube in fluid communication with said die cavity and a shot tube plunger moveable within said shot tube to communicate the molten metal into said die cavity, wherein at least one of the shot tube and the shot tube plunger comprises the material. 
     
     
         14 . The die casting system of  claim 13 , wherein the leading contact surface of the plunger tip or the entire plunger comprises the material. 
     
     
         15 . The die casting system of  claim 12 , wherein the material comprises a material selected from a group consisting of boron nitride, silicon nitride, silicon aluminum oxy nitride (SiAlON), aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, titanium carbide, tungsten carbide, zirconium oxide, boron carbide, titanium diboride, niobium boride, zirconium boride, hafnium diboride, niobium carbide, zirconium carbide, hafnium carbide, and graphite. 
     
     
         16 . The die casting system of  claim 15 , comprising a shot tube in fluid communication with said die cavity and a shot tube plunger moveable within said shot tube to communicate the molten metal into said die cavity, wherein at least one of the die components and the shot tube plunger comprises the material. 
     
     
         17 . The die casting system of  claim 15 , comprising at least one ejector pin configured to be moved relative to the die cavity, wherein the ejector pin comprises the material. 
     
     
         18 . The die casting system of  claim 12 , wherein the metal matrix composite material comprises a material selected from a group consisting of copper-tungsten, copper-molybdenum, copper-molybdenumcopper-copper, copper-niobium, Silvar, aluminium silicon carbide. 
     
     
         19 . The die casting system of  claim 12 , wherein the ceramic material comprises a material selected from a group consisting of C—SiC, SiC—SiC, SiC—Si 3 N 4 , C—ZrC, C—HfC, C—SiC—ZrC, C—SiC—HfC, C—TaC and C—TaC—HfC.