In the metalworking industry Die Castings are among the highest volume, mass-produced items manufactured.  Die Castings are used in many components in thousands of consumer and industrial products such as household appliances, recreation, automobiles, farm, garden equipment, electrical products, general hardware, power tools, computers and other business equipment, instruments, toys, novelties, hobby and leisure-time products and many others . Die Castings have greater utility and are used in much more applications compared to other metal forming processes.

The history of Die Casting using the pressure injected molten metal method (as opposed to casting by gravity pressure) is believed to have begun sometime during the middle of the 19^th century. According to records, the first manually operated machine for casting printing type was patented in 1849 by Sturges. The process was extended towards casting other shapes 20 years later. This plus other patents which followed eventually led to the development of the linotype machine by Ottmar Mergenthaler.

Some of the earliest applications for Commercial Die Castings were in 1892 when die cast parts were produced for phonographs and cash registers.  H.H. Franklin company further encouraged mass production when they began Die Casting babbitt alloy bearings for automobile connecting rods shortly after the turn of the century.

Some of the first Die Casting alloys were compositions of tin and lead. The use of tin and lead however quickly declined when zinc alloys were introduced prior to the First World War. Commercial use for Die Casting Aluminum alloys came in at a later date in 1914. Many of the alloys we know today became available during the 1930’s.

The cold chamber machine is used primarily to die cast aluminum, magnesium, and copper alloys. In the cold chamber machine the charge is supplied by ladle or feed system from an external furnace source from a holding shot at end of machine. The feed system components are not submerged in the molten metal. The charge is poured ahead of the plunger tip through a pour hole in the shot sleeve. As the plunger advances it closes the pour hole and drives the molten metal into the die. Injection pressures may range from 10,000 sq inch for aluminum and magnesium, although some machines can still provide greater pressures. After the metal and the die solidifies and the die halves are separating, the plunger thrusts forward extending the plunger tip past the cover die. This pushes the biscuit that solidifies at the end of the shot sleeve assisting diecast part release.