Biscuit -- Excess of ladled metal remaining in the shot sleeve of a cold chamber die casting machine. It is part of the cast shot and is removed from the die with the casting.

Blister -- A surface bubble caused by gas expansion (usually from heating) which was trapped within the die casting or beneath the plating.

Blow holes -- Voids or pores which may occur due to entrapped gas or shrinkage during solidification, usually evident in heavy sections (see porosity).

Cavity -- The recess or impressions in a die in which the casting is formed.

Cold chamber machine -- A type of casting machine in which the metal injection mechanism is not submerged in molten metal.

Checking -- Fine cracks on the surface of a die which produce corresponding raised veins on die castings. Checking is caused by repeated heating of the die surface by injected molten alloys.

Creep -- Plastic deformation of metals held for long periods at stresses lower than yield strength.

Die lubricant -- Liquid formulations applied to the die to facilitate casting release and prevent soldering.

Dimensional stability -- Ability of a component to retain its shape and size over a long period in service.

Dowel pin -- A guide pin which assures registry between cavities in two die halves.

Draft -- The taper given to walls, cores and other parts of the die cavity to permit easy ejection of the casting.

Ejector marks -- Marks left on castings by ejector pins.

Ejector plate -- A plate to which ejector pins are attached and which actuates them.

Fillet -- Curved junction of two surfaces, e.g., walls which would meet at a sharp angle.

Flash -- A thin web or fin of metal on a casting which occurs at die partings, vents and around moveable cores. This excess metal is due to working and operating clearances in a die.

Gate -- Passage for molten metal which connects runner with die cavity. Also, the entire ejected content of a die, including castings, gates, runners, sprue (or biscuit) and flash.

Gooseneck -- Spout connecting a metal pot or chamber with a nozzle or sprue hole in the die and containing a passage through which molten metal is forced on its way to the die. It is the metal injection mechanism in a hot chamber type of die casting machine.

Heat checking -- (see checking)

Hot chamber machines -- Die casting machines which have the plunger, gooseneck (metal pressure chamber) immersed in molten metal in the holding furnace.

Hot short -- Term used to describe an alloy which is brittle or lacks strength at elevated temperatures.

Impact strength -- Ability to resist shock, as measured by a suitable testing machine.

Impression -- Cavity in a die. Also, the mark or recess left by a ball, or penetrator of a hardness tester.

Ingot -- Metal or alloy cast in a convenient shape for storage, shipping and remelting.

Injection -- The process of forcing molten metal into a die.

Insert -- A piece of material, usually metal, which is placed in a die before each shot. When molten metal is cast around it, it becomes an integral part of the die casting.

Intergranular corrosion -- A type of corrosion which preferentially attacks grain boundaries of metals or alloys, resulting in deep penetration.

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Metal saver -- Core used primarily to reduce amount of metal in a casting and to avoid sections of excessive thickness.

Multiple cavity die -- A die having more than one duplicate impression.

Nozzle -- Outlet end of a gooseneck or the tubular fitting which joins the gooseneck to the sprue hole.

Overflow-well -- A recess in a die connected to a die cavity by a gate to assist in proper venting.

Parting line -- A mark left on a die casting where the die halves meet; also, the mating surface of the cover and ejector portions of the die.

Plunger -- Ram or piston which forces molten metal into a die.

Port -- Opening through which molten metal enters the injection cylinder.

Porosity -- Voids or pores resulting from trapped gas, or shrinkage during solidification.

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Runner -- Die passage connecting sprue or plunger holes of a die to the gate where molten metal enters the cavity or cavities.

Shot -- The segment of the casting cycle in which molten metal is forced into the die.

Shrinkage, solidification -- Dimensional reduction that accompanies the freezing (solidification) of metal passing from the molten to the solid state.

Shrink mark -- A surface depression which sometimes occurs next to a heavy section that cools more slowly than adjacent areas.

Slide -- The portion of the die arranged to move parallel to die parting. The inner end forms a part of the die cavity wall that involves one or more undercuts and sometimes includes a core or cores.

Soldering -- Adherence of molten metal to portions of the die.

Split gate -- A gate of castings having the sprue or plunger axis in the die parting.

Sprue -- Metal that fills the conical passage (sprue hole) which connects the nozzle with runners.

Sprue pin -- A tapered pin with a rounded end projecting into a sprue hole and acting as a core which deflects metal and aids in the removal of the sprue.

Toggle -- Linkage employed to mechanically multiply pressure when locking the dies of a casting machine.

Trim die -- A die for shearing or shaving flash from a die casting.

Unit die -- A die interchangeable with others in a common holder.

Undercut -- Recess in the side wall or cored hole of a casting disposed so that a slide or special form of core (such as a knockout) is required to permit ejection of the casting from the die.

Vent -- Narrow passage at the die parting which permits air to escape from the die cavity as it is filled with molten metal.

Void -- A large pore or hole within the wall of a casting usually caused by entrapped gas. A blow hole.

Waterline -- A tube or passage through which water is circulated to cool a casting die.