Squeeze casting (also called liquid metal forging or low-speed/high-pressure die casting) is a casting-forging hybrid process. It involves shaping molten metal under high pressure with minor plastic deformation, which effectively reduces shrinkage cavities, enhances microstructural density, and boosts mechanical properties via heat treatment.
Squeeze casting is highly versatile, compatible with aluminum, zinc, copper, and other alloys. Given the author’s familiarity with aluminum, this article focuses on aluminum-based squeeze casting.
It is widely used in automotive, motorcycle, high-speed rail, communications, defense, aviation, and hardware industries. Currently, liquid metal forging is performed on squeeze casting machines (horizontal/vertical) or hydraulic presses, categorized into indirect and direct squeeze casting.
Its value lies in two core aspects:
With the implementation of Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality policies, traditional fuel-powered vehicles—known for high emissions—are losing favor, while new energy vehicles (NEVs) gain traction. However, NEVs’ limited range (a key barrier to replacing fuel cars) correlates with vehicle weight: lighter bodies extend range. This drives demand for replacing steel parts with aluminum alloys and integrating components to reduce weight. Squeeze casting perfectly supports this “lightweighting” goal, explaining its rapid growth in recent years.
While other processes (e.g., low-pressure die casting, forging, gravity casting) can achieve lightweighting, they have drawbacks: low efficiency (forging/low-pressure casting) or poor airtightness/yield (some casting methods). Squeeze casting is a cast-forging integrated process:
It eliminates common casting defects (porosity, shrinkage) and produces dense microstructures, with mechanical properties comparable to forgings.
It maintains casting’s high efficiency and low cost.
This dual advantage makes it a rising star in the casting industry.
Compared to traditional die castings, squeeze-cast parts have fewer porosity/shrinkage defects, denser/uniform microstructures, and better airtightness. They can be heat-treated to further enhance mechanical properties—matching forging quality. Additionally, they offer clearer contours and higher dimensional accuracy (though unsuitable for thin-walled parts).
Squeeze casting is easy to scale, supports mechanization, has short production cycles, high yield rates, and produces more parts per unit time—dramatically improving efficiency.
Direct squeeze casting eliminates gating systems, saving >10% alloy liquid, reducing melting energy/time, and cutting costs. Higher yield rates further minimize material waste. Faster production also increases profit margins.
The complete workflow:
Metal Melting → Purification → Mold Preparation → Pouring → Mold Closing & Pressing → Squeezing → Casting Ejection → Sawing & Grinding → Heat Treatment → X-Ray Inspection → Shot Blasting → CNC Machining → Inspection & Packaging
Squeeze casting has vast potential in NEVs, with promising market prospects. However, challenges remain:
Improving post-heat-treatment yield rates.
Developing heat treatment-free alloys.
Reducing costs.
Advancing mold design for squeeze casting.
Enhancing product density with squeeze casting release agents (e.g., ultra-low-speed die casting release agents).
Progress requires coordinated industry efforts (e.g., heat treatment-free aluminum alloys, mold design, release agent R&D). Kezhiying’s squeeze casting release agent forms a high-temperature film on molds, preventing rapid aluminum solidification (and cold shuts) via prolonged heat retention. It also improves airtightness—supporting better product quality.
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