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Compression casting uses two molds to squeeze liquid metal into a shape, resulting in stronger metal with better grain and less shrinkage. Magnesium, aluminum, and their alloys are commonly used, but almost any metal can be used except for those that are liquid at room temperature or dangerously radioactive.
Compression casting is a method of molding metal into shapes using two molds that are squeezed together. Most casting techniques use two molds that are pressed together before the metal is added but, in compression casting, the two are pushed together after the metal is added. This is done with liquid metal and the top mold is only removed when the metal has cooled. Using this technique, the metal will typically come out stronger, with better grain and less metal shrinkage. This is commonly done with magnesium, aluminum and their alloys, but many other metals can be used.
Most casting techniques involve the use of two molds, but compression casting uses molds differently. The two casts are normally placed together and the liquid metal is poured into the case. With a squeeze jet, a pool of liquid metal is placed in the bottom die and a top die enters and compresses the metal into a shape. The pressure is applied via the upper mold, so it’s not strictly casting, as it adds forging to create a hybrid technique.
Only liquid metal can be used in this application. While materials such as plastics can melt at high temperatures, this technique will not be suitable for melting plastics. After the upper die is set, workers wait for the metal to completely cool. Once cooled, the upper mold will be released and the required shape will have been cast into the now solid metal.
There are several benefits to pressing smelting that increase the functionality of the metal. One advantage is that the metal will typically be stronger, because the cooling method forms a better grain than other casting techniques. There is an airtight seal and pressure between the two molds, so less metal is able to evaporate, leading to less shrinkage during the cooling process.
Magnesium, aluminum, and metals alloyed with these two sources are commonly used in compression casting, because they are easy to melt and have a variety of uses. At the same time, almost any metal can be used in this process. Unless the metal is liquid at room temperature, such as mercury, or dangerously radioactive, such as plutonium, most low to medium temperature melt metals can be used. High-temperature casting metals are often unusable, either because they would eventually melt the molds or they are too difficult to cast properly without warping or other errors.
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