Tilt GravityDie Casting – Creative Alucast

Aluminium Casting · Creative Alucast

Tilt Gravity
Die Casting

A controlled-pour process where the die rotates as metal fills the
cavity — eliminating turbulence, reducing porosity, and producing
structural aluminium castings with superior and consistent
mechanical properties.

CT6–CT8 Tolerance

Ra 3.2–6.3 µm

0.05–50 kg

Heat Treatable

Low Porosity

Why Tilt?
Because Metal
Behaves Better

In conventional gravity die casting, metal falls vertically into the die — turbulence entraps air and oxide films, which remain locked in the solidified casting as porosity, cold shuts, and inclusions. Tilt GDC eliminates this.

The die and metal reservoir rotate together — the metal advances across the die face in a smooth, controlled front. No splash. No entrapment. The result is a denser, cleaner casting with mechanical properties significantly better than conventional gravity poured equivalents.

This matters most in structural and safety-critical applications — suspension components, brake housings, hydraulic bodies, and pressure-tight pump castings — where porosity is not a cosmetic issue but a structural and functional one.

Conventional GDC

Vertical pour — metal falls freely into die — turbulence entrapsair and oxides

Tilt GDC ◆

Die rotates as metal fills — controlled laminar flow — clean, dense solidification

The Tilt Advantage

Controlled
Pour. Zero
Turbulence.

Six Steps from
Melt to Part

The tilt GDC process sequence — from die preparation through controlled pour, solidification, and part extraction.

Step 01

Die Preparation & Pre-Heat

The permanent steel die is cleaned, coated with a release agent, and pre-heated to 200–250°C. Pre-heating prevents thermal shock and ensures consistent metal flow on first fill.

Step 02

Core Setting (Where Required)

Where the component has internal passages or undercuts, sand cores are set into the die before closing. The die is then clamped closed and tilted to the horizontal start position.

Step 03

Metal Charging

Molten aluminium at 700–750°C is charged into the pouring cup or ladle attached to the die. The correct alloy charge has been degassed and cleaned prior to pouring.

Step 04

Controlled Tilt Pour

The die rotates from horizontal to vertical — metal advances across the die face in a smooth, laminar front. This is the defining step: no turbulence, no oxide entrapment, no air pockets.

Step 05

Solidification

Metal solidifies under atmospheric pressure with directional cooling. Risers and feeders compensate for shrinkage. Solidification time is typically 60–300 seconds depending on section thickness.

Step 06

Extraction & Fettling

The die opens, the casting is extracted, runners and risers are removed, and the part is shot-blasted. Sand cores are shaken out at this stage. The casting proceeds to inspection or heat treatment.

Tilt GDC
Capability Data

Weight Range	0.05 kg – 50 kg
Dimensional Tolerance	CT6–CT8 (ISO 8062)
As-Cast Surface Finish	Ra 3.2–6.3 µm
Die Material	H13 / H11 tool steel
Pouring Temperature	700–750 °C
Die Pre-Heat Temperature	200–250 °C
Solidification Pressure	Atmospheric (gravity)
Core Options	Sand core · Dissolving-core
Heat Treatment	T4, T5, T6, T7 (alloy dependent)
Production Volume	Low to medium (50–10,000 ppa)

Post-Process
Capabilities

Heat Treatment (T5 / T6)

Precipitation hardening for LM25 and LM16 — achieving target UTS and yield strength for structural applications.

CNC Machining

Turning, milling, boring, drilling, and tapping to drawing dimensions — supplied as ready-to-assemble components.

Surface Coating

Hard anodise, powder coating, Alodine, or MoS₂ — applied after machining to drawing specification.

Pressure Testing

Hydraulic and pneumatic pressure testing for pump bodies, manifolds, and pressure-tight housings.

CMM Dimensional Inspection

First-article and in-process inspection against drawing — dimensional report supplied with batch.

Best Alloys for
Tilt GDC

LM25 is the dominant alloy for tilt GDC — its combination of castability, strength, and heat treatability makes it the standard choice for structural components. These alloys are all routinely cast by tilt GDC at Creative Alucast.

LM25

Al-Si7Mg · EN AC-42100

The primary structural casting alloy. Excellent fluidity, low shrinkage, T5/T6 heat treatable to ≥200 MPa UTS. The benchmark alloy for safety-critical GDC applications.

LM6

Al-Si12 · EN AC-44100

Eutectic alloy with outstanding fluidity and thin-section fill. Excellent corrosion resistance for marine and chemical environments. Not heat treatable.

LM4

Al-Si5Cu3 · EN AC-45000

General-purpose alloy for moderate-strength components. Good machinability, suitable for intricate castings requiring detail and good surface finish.

LM16

Al-Si5Cu1Mg · EN AC-43200

Premium structural alloy — good pressure tightness, heat treatable, lower Si content than LM25 gives better elongation and impact resistance.

LM9

Al-Si12Mg · EN AC-44200

Marine grade — combines the fluidity of LM6 with response to heat treatment. Good corrosion resistance with improved strength over standard eutectic alloys.

Not Sure Which Alloy?

We'll Advise Based on Your Application

Tell us the service environment, required strength, and any corrosion constraints — we’ll recommend the right grade.

Why Specify
Tilt GDC

Six reasons tilt GDC produces better castings than conventional gravity die, and why it is the right process for structural and pressure-tight aluminium components.

Minimal Turbulence

The defining advantage — metal advances in a smooth laminar flow rather than a turbulent fall. Oxide films and air are not mixed into the melt, producing a cleaner, denser casting.

Superior Mechanical Properties

Lower porosity and cleaner solidification translate directly to higher UTS, yield strength, and elongation — particularly important for T6 heat-treated LM25 components.

Pressure Tightness

The low-porosity structure makes tilt GDC castings inherently more pressure-tight than conventionally poured gravity die — critical for pump bodies, valve housings, and hydraulic components.

Heat Treatable

Compatible with T5, T6, and T7 heat treatment — the clean solidification structure responds fully to precipitation hardening, achieving the designed strength in the finished component.

Good Dimensional Consistency

Permanent die tooling and controlled process parameters deliver consistent dimensions batch-to-batch — CT6–CT8 tolerance with less scatter than sand casting.

Good Surface Finish

The permanent steel die produces Ra 3.2–6.3 µm as-cast — significantly better than sand casting — reducing post-cast machining requirements on non-critical faces.

What Gets Cast
by Tilt GDC

Tilt GDC is most often specified for structural, pressure-tight, and safety-critical aluminium components where conventional gravity die or sand casting cannot reliably achieve the required mechanical properties.

Automotive

Suspension & Steering Components

Knuckles, control arm brackets, steering column housings — structural castings where fatigue life and dimensional consistency are safety requirements.

Power & Energy

Generator End-Shields & Housings

Alternator housings, terminal boxes, and end-cap structures requiring tight bearing-seat dimensions and heat treatability.

Pump & Valves

Pump Bodies & Valve Housings

Pressure-tight pump casings, impeller housings, and valve bodies — where porosity-free walls are essential for hydraulic integrity.

Electrical

Motor Frames & End-Caps

Electric motor frames, heat sink structures, and encoder housings — combining dimensional accuracy with heat treatability for bearing fits.

Medical

Device Frames & Structural Housings

Medical equipment structural castings where anodisability, tight tolerance, and clean surface finish are required alongside structural integrity.

Fire Equipment

Valve Bodies & Pressure Components

Fire suppression valve bodies, nozzle housings, and pressure-rated components — where material integrity and pressure certification are non-negotiable.

Need Internal Channels
or Blind Undercuts
in Your GDC Part?

Tilt GDC uses sand cores to produce internal passages — but there are geometries that no conventional core and extraction method can achieve: blind undercuts, crossing internal channels, hollow one-piece structures, and deep cavities that sliders cannot reach.

Creative Alucast’s dissolving-core casting is compatible with the GDC process — the expendable core is placed in the die before the tilt pour, aluminium is cast around it, and the core is removed cleanly by water dissolution after solidification. The result is a one-piece casting with internal geometry that was previously impossible.

Blind undercuts and internal channels — castable in a single shot
No secondary machining or assembly for hollow features
Core dissolves completely in water — zero residue
Compatible with LM25, LM6, LM4, and other GDC alloys
Available in India — Rajkot, Gujarat

Automotive Application

Oil & Coolant Channels in One Casting

Complex internal flow geometry — oil channels, coolant passages, EGR mixer bores — cast in a single GDC piece. No multi-part assembly. No sealing joints. No leakage risk.

Pump & Industrial

Multi-Directional Internal Passages

Pump bodies and hydraulic manifolds with crossing or blind internal bores — where no slider or sand core can be reliably extracted — produced as one complete casting.

EV & E-Mobility

Motor Housings with Integrated Cooling

Hollow lightweight one-piece GDC structures with internal cooling passages for next-generation electric motor and battery enclosure applications.

The Key Question

Can Your Multi-Piece Assembly Become One Casting?

If your component is currently welded, bolted, or sealed from multiple pieces to create an internal geometry — ask us about dissolving-core GDC casting.

Tilt GDC
Questions

Common engineering questions about the tilt GDC process, alloy selection, tolerances, and geometry capability.

What is tilt gravity die casting?

Tilt GDC is a controlled-pour process where the die and metal reservoir rotate together from horizontal to vertical as metal fills the cavity. This eliminates the turbulence of a conventional vertical pour — dramatically reducing oxide entrapment, cold shuts, and gas porosity, and producing denser, more mechanically uniform castings.

What tolerances does tilt GDC achieve?

Tilt GDC achieves CT6–CT8 dimensional tolerances with surface finishes of Ra 3.2–6.3 µm in the as-cast condition. Machined features can be held to tighter tolerances depending on the alloy and geometry.

Which alloys are best for tilt GDC?

LM25 (Al-Si7Mg) is the preferred alloy — its excellent fluidity, low shrinkage, and response to T5 and T6 heat treatment make it ideal for structural castings. LM6, LM4, LM16, and LM9 are also routinely cast by tilt GDC depending on the application requirements.

Can tilt GDC produce complex internal geometries?

Conventional tilt GDC uses sand cores for internal passages but has limitations with blind undercuts and complex hollow geometries. For components requiring internal channels, crossing passages, or deep undercuts that conventional cores cannot produce, Creative Alucast’s dissolving-core casting — compatible with GDC — enables one-piece hollow castings previously impossible by conventional means.

What weight range does tilt GDC cover?

Tilt GDC at Creative Alucast covers components from approximately 0.05 kg to 50 kg — suitable for small bracket castings through to large pump housings and motor end-caps.

Start Your
Tilt GDC Project

Send us your drawing — we’ll review alloy suitability, tool design, and process parameters, and provide a complete casting-to-finish quotation.

Aluminium Casting · Creative Alucast