6.3 - FCA Hot Chamber Die Casting Cell

This project is sponsored by:

Since Fiat Chrysler is one of the largest manufacturers of die cast parts, they have a significant interest in the research and experimentation of improved practices and new techniques. In the one of the new buildings on Purdue’s campus, they would like to have a laboratory scale die casting setup with modern controls that can be used for research and experimentation. After speaking with Corey Vian, one of the client mentors from Fiat Chrysler, we will fix and modify an existing die casting machine to retrofit it with modern controls and automation. The main interest in the project from FCA comes from the prospect of being able to die cast aluminum with a hot chamber set up. However due to the high melting point of aluminum, it normally reacts with the gooseneck material causing it to break down and fail prematurely. The main goal of this project is to implement a PLC to control the system, as well as add several sensors to gather and analyze the data from the machine. Secondarily, we want to redesign the furnace and the gooseneck to allow it to be quickly interchangeable without having to disassemble the machine.

    While the overall problem statement above is still true of the overall goal FCA has for the die casting machine, and we will continue to keep this greater goal in mind, our problem has become much narrower, and the rest of the problem statement will be reserved for future groups as this will likely take many years to complete every change to the machine that FCA would like. For our current problem, we will focus on overhauling the controls and the sensing of the machine to be more modern. We will do this through PLC control and using high quality sensors that are widely used in industry.

 

Project Details

Problem Statement

The current hot chamber die casting machine in the State Farm building needs to be updated with modern controls.

Project Presentation Video

Project Demonstration Video

This project is sponsored by:

Since Fiat Chrysler is one of the largest manufacturers of die cast parts, they have a significant interest in the research and experimentation of improved practices and new techniques. In the one of the new buildings on Purdue’s campus, they would like to have a laboratory scale die casting setup with modern controls that can be used for research and experimentation. After speaking with Corey Vian, one of the client mentors from Fiat Chrysler, we will fix and modify an existing die casting machine to retrofit it with modern controls and automation. The main interest in the project from FCA comes from the prospect of being able to die cast aluminum with a hot chamber set up. However due to the high melting point of aluminum, it normally reacts with the gooseneck material causing it to break down and fail prematurely. The main goal of this project is to implement a PLC to control the system, as well as add several sensors to gather and analyze the data from the machine. Secondarily, we want to redesign the furnace and the gooseneck to allow it to be quickly interchangeable without having to disassemble the machine.

    While the overall problem statement above is still true of the overall goal FCA has for the die casting machine, and we will continue to keep this greater goal in mind, our problem has become much narrower, and the rest of the problem statement will be reserved for future groups as this will likely take many years to complete every change to the machine that FCA would like. For our current problem, we will focus on overhauling the controls and the sensing of the machine to be more modern. We will do this through PLC control and using high quality sensors that are widely used in industry.

 

Semester of Project: 

Spring 2021

Problem Statement/Summary: 

The current hot chamber die casting machine in the State Farm building needs to be updated with modern controls.

Project Department: 

SOET

Project Presentation Video Embed Code: