Additive Manufactured inserts for Industry 4.0 HPDC Foundries

Researcher Emili Barbarias explains two case studies regarding advanced monitoring and control of High Pressure Die Casting (HPDC) process developed by means of Additive Manufacturing technologies:

1. CASE STUDY 1: Distributor built by Aditive Manufacturing: Thanks to an increased heat dissipation achived with the help of a distributor with improved characteristics cycle time was reduced by 3 seconds.
2. CASE STUDY 2: Improved solution for a sensorized insert created by aditive manufacturing technologies: Cooling channels were redesigned using flow, thermal and thermo-mechanical analysis. The result was a better thermal balanced design in temperature and stresses and, therefore, a longer life-time for the insert.

Also, the HPDC 4.0 architecture proposed by the team is presented by combining:

• Sensors, placed in relevant areas close to the phenomena to be measured.
• Signal processers by standardize monitoring systems.
• Centralized control (brain) that correlates data and sends messages and signals to workers and equipment to assure a correct performance and outcome.