Study on objective functions for the slow shot phase in high-pressure die casting

High-pressure die casting is an important process in the field of aluminum processing. Especially during the slow shot phase, the process parameters immensely influence the cast part quality. At the current state of the art, the appropriate process parameters are identified based on running-in trials and significant experience. To translate this experience into a mathematical framework is the aim of this work. The idea is to shift the running-in trials to the computer—now in the form of a numerical optimization. In view of the optimization, this paper presents a selection of objective functions. These are assessed with the respect to (1) their suitability as an overall quality measure of the casting process and (2) the extent to which they reflect the goals of the casting process.