Die-casting is widely used in the automotive industry, where complex parts can be made with high accuracy and efficiency. It is a process of producing metal parts by forcing molten metal under high pressure into a mold cavity. During manufacturing, these molds are subject to harsh working conditions, such as high temperature and high pressure, which may lead to defects, such as cracks, erosion, and dents.

These defects can affect the quality of the dies, whose shape and characteristics affect the features of the final product. Therefore, it is essential for manufacturers to detect and identify the problems of the molds in a timely and accurate manner.

However, traditional testing methods are inefficient, and it is hard for them to handle the complex structure, large size, and highly reflective surfaces of the molds. 3D laser scanners provide efficient and flexible solutions.

Problem: Inspecting die-casting molds of automotive parts

A leading die-casting enterprise from South China that specializes in R&D, production, and sales of automotive aluminum alloy castings has various manufacturing processes, such as high-pressure, low-pressure, and gravity die casting. The company used Scantech’s 3D inspection solutions to inspect the quality of a die-casting mold.

Goals and requirements for inspecting a mold:

• Quickly inspect the dimensions of the die-casting mold, which has a complex structure. A full-size inspection is needed for further machining.
• Measure the die on site because it is large and difficult to move.
• Cannot spray powders on the surface of the highly reflective die because it needs to be polished and machined further.
• To save time and improve detection efficiency, no-target 3D scanning is preferred.

Shortcomings of traditional measuring tools:

• The customer’s original portable 3D scanner could not scan the bright surface of the mold without spraying powder.
• Ordinary measuring equipment, which was easily affected by light, noise, vibration, and more, could not adapt to the complex workshop environment and failed to deliver accurate results.
• Traditional inspection methods could not provide inspection reports that could fully reflect the geometries and characteristics of the molds.

Solution: High-precision optical 3D measurement system TrackScan-P

TrackScan-P is an optical tracking 3D measurement system that consists of a tracker and a handheld 3D scanner. It has a scanning range of 4 m, suitable for large-scale parts, and can scan highly reflective surfaces without sticking targets. It comes with professional testing software to compare 3D data against CAD models and generate reports.

Fast and accurate 3D scanning: With intelligent optical tracking and measurement technology, TrackScan-P can track and measure objects from a long distance without sticking targets or compromising accuracy. It reduces the frequency of moving the tracker and is suitable for scanning highly reflective surfaces. It meets the high-precision inspection requirements of casting molds.

Portable 3D scanner and stable performance: The industrial 3D scanner is a lightweight device with a stable spherical shape that makes it easy to carry around the shop floor and measure parts in different positions. The system is not easily affected by factors such as vibration, high temperature, and noise in the workshop, which can ensure high-precision and high-stability operations.

Real-time and intuitive report: The software can compare and analyze the scanned 3D data with the original digital model and quickly generate intuitive quality inspection reports. The reports show the deviation on the mold surface, which provides good insight and greatly improves the efficiency of the subsequent mold correction.

The customer used Scantech’s TrackScan-P industrial 3D laser scanner to obtain the full-size and precise 3D data of the die-casting mold and generate the inspection report accordingly. The report provided important data guidance for further mold processing.

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