High-Precision Die Casting Molds Manufacturers

What are high-precision die casting molds and what is the difference between them and ordinary molds?

Definition of high-precision die casting mold
High-precision die casting molds are special molds used in die-casting or extrusion casting processes. They have higher design and manufacturing standards, emphasizing dimensional accuracy, structural details, surface quality and molding consistency. Compared with ordinary molds, high-precision molds require stricter material selection, more detailed processing technology and more complete inspection processes to ensure that the mold can achieve stable molding of complex structures and meet the integrated production needs of lightweight and complex structural parts in modern manufacturing.

Main application fields of high-precision molds
Ningbo NKT Tooling Co., Ltd. focuses on the design and manufacturing of aluminum, magnesium and zinc alloy molds. High-precision molds are widely used in the following industries:
Automotive industry: precision components such as gearbox housing, motor housing, control arms, etc.
Communication equipment: such as heat dissipation structural parts, antenna brackets, housing components, etc.
Industrial automation: such as sensor housing, tool connectors
Health and sports equipment: such as fitness equipment structural components, bicycle alloy frames, etc.

Difference in accuracy from ordinary molds
Ordinary molds are generally used for products that do not require high dimensional and consistency, such as simple plastic parts or low-end metal products. In contrast, high-precision molds have stricter error control, and often require error control to be within the range of ±0.01mm or less, and some parts even need to achieve micron-level accuracy. This high-demand implementation relies on advanced processing equipment, high-grade mold steel and strict quality control processes.

Differences in material selection
High-precision molds usually use alloy mold steels with good thermal stability, high hardness and strong crack resistance, such as H13, 8407, etc. to cope with the thermal fatigue problem in high-temperature die casting. Ordinary molds often use low-cost mold steel or ordinary carbon steel, which is prone to cracks or deformation and has a short service life.

Improvement in design and manufacturing process
High-precision die casting molds usually require structural design and molding simulation with the help of three-dimensional modeling software and mold flow analysis tools. During the design process, multiple factors such as metal fluidity, pore arrangement, and cooling channel location must be fully considered to ensure that the product structure is complete and the dimensions are stable. The design of ordinary molds is relatively simplified, and may not be simulated and analyzed, and there is a risk of repeated trial molds and rework.

Ability to form complex structures
Due to the use of precision machining equipment and the improvement of mold detail processing capabilities, high-precision molds can be used for integrated molding complex structural parts, reducing subsequent processing and assembly processes and improving production efficiency. Ordinary molds are subject to structural design and mold accuracy, and often cannot achieve single die-casting molding of complex geometric or thin-walled parts.

Comparison of service life and stability
High-precision die casting molds usually have higher stability and longer service life. After strengthening with heat treatment, nitriding treatment and other processes, the mold can maintain stable performance in long-term and high-strength production and avoid frequent replacement. Ordinary molds are prone to product size drift due to thermal fatigue or wear, affecting production continuity.

The trade-off between cost and benefit
Although the initial manufacturing cost of high-precision molds is relatively high, from a long-term operational perspective, their stability and reusable value can bring higher benefits to the enterprise, including advantages such as improved product consistency, reduced defective rate, and extended maintenance cycle. Although ordinary molds have little investment in the initial stage, they are relatively low in overall cost-effectiveness due to frequent later maintenance and fast scrapping.

The position of high-precision molds in modern manufacturing
With the acceleration of the development trend of lightweight and integrated products, the role of high-precision die casting molds in the manufacturing field is becoming increasingly important. It not only affects the quality of product molding, but also plays a fundamental role in improving manufacturing efficiency, reducing material waste, and optimizing process flow. Ningbo NKT Tooling Co., Ltd. is committed to providing customers with stable and reliable mold solutions to support the implementation and mass production of more high-demand products.

How does NKT Tooling ensure the accuracy and quality of high-precision die casting molds?

Precision design as the basis
In ensuring the quality of high-precision die casting molds, Ningbo NKT Tooling Co., Ltd. always regards mold design as a key starting point. In the early stages of mold development, the company adopted advanced three-dimensional modeling software (such as UG, Pro/E, etc.), and combined with mold flow analysis technology (Moldflow) for filling, cooling and exhaust simulation, effectively predicting potential defects and optimizing structural design. This design process not only improves the mold formation consistency, but also provides a clear process basis for subsequent manufacturing processes.

Strict control over material selection
The performance of the mold is closely related to its material. The company uses high-performance thermal mold steels such as H13 and 8407 that are commonly used for die casting. The materials must have good heat resistance, crack resistance and mechanical stability. Before entering the factory, each batch of steel is subjected to hardness testing, chemical composition analysis and flaw detection to confirm that the material has no cracks, inclusions and other problems during the smelting and heat treatment stages, and quality risks are controlled from the source.

Precision processing equipment investment
To achieve high accuracy requirements, Ningbo NKT Tooling Co., Ltd. is equipped with a series of high-precision processing equipment, including five-axis machining center, CNC electric spark machine, slow-travel wire cutting machine and high-rigid CNC boring and milling equipment. The mold parts size control processed through these equipment is more stable, and the contour accuracy can be controlled within ±0.005mm, meeting the needs of complex geometry and high assembly accuracy.

Multi-wheel fine processing technology
In the mold manufacturing process, the company implements multiple stages such as rough processing, semi-finishing, finishing, assembly and coordination processing and mirror polishing. Especially in the cavity and parting faces, high-precision tools are used and hand-tightened in combination with experienced technicians to ensure the tight structure of the mold and the reasonable fit clearance. This phased processing method effectively reduces the possibility of thermal deformation and stress concentration and improves the consistency of the mold.

Advanced heat treatment process
The life and stability of the mold are significantly affected by the heat treatment effect. The company strengthens the mold steel through various heat treatment methods such as vacuum heat treatment, tempering treatment and surface nitriding. In terms of controlling temperature, time and cooling media, the company uses automated equipment to perform process control to ensure that the hardness of the mold material is uniformly distributed and the structure does not undergo abnormal phase change, thereby enhancing wear resistance and thermal crack resistance.

Strict quality inspection process
From raw materials to finished product delivery, every key link needs to pass the layer-by-layer review by the quality inspection department. Ningbo NKT Tooling Co., Ltd. is equipped with professional testing equipment such as three-coordinate measuring instruments (CMM), projectors, hardness meters, roughness meters, etc., to accurately detect dimensions, tolerances, surface finishes, etc. Especially after the mold assembly is completed, a comprehensive dry mold test installation inspection will be conducted to verify whether the cavity structure and operating status of moving parts meet the design standards.

Mold test verification and debugging
Before the mold is put into mass production, the company will conduct sample die-casting test molds, and verify the mold forming ability through metallographic analysis, X-ray flaw detection, dimensional retesting and other means. If defects such as flashing, air holes, and shrinkage are found during the mold test, the technical team will trace the mold structure and process settings and make targeted corrections to ensure that the mold can operate stably after it is put into the customer's production line.

Technical team support and continuous improvement
The company currently has more than 80 professional personnel, including 15 senior engineers and more than 30 professional and technical engineers, with relatively solid technical strength. During the project implementation process, the technical team will track the entire process of mold from design to use, collect feedback on usage and organize process improvement plans, continuously optimize subsequent mold development and processing strategies, and improve overall delivery level.

Full process information management system
In order to achieve standardization and traceability management, the company has established a production process management system and a quality control recording platform. The design drawings, material sources, processing processes, heat treatment data and inspection records of each set of molds can be found and tracked in the system. Through digital process management, it reduces human omissions and improves delivery efficiency, and also helps to accurately locate later maintenance and re-repair.

Customized communication mechanism
At the beginning of the project, the company maintained close communication with customers and formulated exclusive mold plans based on different die casting structures and usage requirements. In the middle of the project, the progress and quality status of mold development will be continuously feedback through stage reports and sample analysis. This type of mechanism not only improves customer satisfaction, but also enhances the targetedness and adaptability of mold development.