Failures of dies for die-casting of aluminium alloys

Die-casting dies for casting of aluminum alloys fail because of a great number of different and simultaneously operating factors. Material selection, die design, and thermal stress fatigue generated by the cyclic working process (heat checking), as well as to low and inhomogeneous initial die temperature contribute to the failures and cracks formation on/in dies for die-casting of aluminium alloys. In the frame of the presented investigation work the intensity and homogeneity of the temperature fields on the working surface of the testing die were checked through thermographic measurements, and failures and cracks on the working surface of the die were analysed with non-destructive metallographic examination methods.