HAT-SYS | HOT RUNNER FOR METAL
Hot runner systems for Zamak die casting and light alloys
Hot runner solutions engineered for metal die casting to reduce the solidified runner system, improve process efficiency, and integrate the feed system and mold within one technical project.
A familiar principle in a much more demanding environment
From a runner that solidifies to a feed path kept hot up to the gate
In a conventional die-casting process, the sprue and runners solidify together with the part and must then be separated, handled, and remelted. A metal hot runner system instead keeps the alloy molten — or thermally controlled — up to the cavity entrance, reducing or eliminating a significant portion of the solidified feed system.
Why consider it
Potential benefits of hot runner technology in die casting
Less return metal
Reducing solidified sprues and runners can lower the amount of alloy that must be separated, handled, and remelted after every shot.
Higher process efficiency
Where the conventional runner represents a substantial thermal mass, reducing it can help shorten the cycle and improve utilization of the machine’s shot capacity.
Greater gating freedom
Direct gating and multiple injection points can enable mold layouts and gate positions that are difficult to achieve with conventional runner systems.
More controlled filling
A shorter feed path can reduce the amount of air carried through the runner system and may contribute to improved repeatability, density, and surface quality in suitable applications.
Zamak: the most concrete starting point
A technology already used industrially in zinc die casting
Zamak is currently the most natural candidate for the development of metal hot runner systems. It operates at significantly lower temperatures than aluminum, and zinc die casting already includes documented industrial applications using direct gating and substantial reduction of the conventional runner system.
The potential becomes particularly interesting for small and medium-size components produced in high volumes, where runner weight can be significant compared with the finished part and where increasing the number of cavities can have a direct effect on unit cost.
Aluminum
Feasible in principle, but not simply “hotter Zamak”
Aluminum moves the project to a much higher technological level. Pouring temperatures are substantially higher, the machines are normally cold-chamber systems, pressures can be significantly greater, and molten aluminum is more aggressive toward ferrous materials.
Contact materials
Nozzles, liners, inserts, and coatings must be selected according to the alloy and the chemical and erosive aggressiveness of the molten metal.
Thermal management
Heating, insulation, sensors, and thermal transients must keep the metal within its process window while avoiding local freezing or overheating.
Sealing and gate control
The separation area must prevent molten metal leakage when the mold opens, using thermal or mechanical solutions specifically engineered for the application.
Machine interface
An aluminum solution must be engineered together with the die-casting machine and shot sleeve. It is not a simple adaptation of a system designed for plastics or Zamak.
Conversion of existing tooling
In some cases, the project can start from the mold and machine already in production
Converting from a conventional runner to a hot runner is not a standard modification. Before designing the system, part geometry, cavity layout, machine, alloy, gate locations, cooling, production volumes, and economic targets must all be assessed.
- Analysis of the existing mold and runner system
- Verification of available space and reusable mold plates
- Study of gates, manifold, nozzles, and thermal management
- Assessment of cycle time, return metal, and expected ROI
GDS + HAT-SYS
From feasibility study to the hot runner system and complete mold
GDS acts as the technical interface in Italy: it gathers the application data, coordinates the technical exchange with HAT-SYS, and follows the project through its development. HAT-SYS provides hot runner engineering, custom manifold and nozzle design, and, when required, development of the complete mold.
Application analysis
Part, alloy, machine, cavity count, volumes, cycle time, and quality requirements.
Feasibility study
Technical evaluation of the existing layout or the new solution.
Engineering
Hot runner, gate, thermal management, and integration with the mold.
Manufacturing and testing
Production of the components and project-specific checks.
Start-up and support
Technical coordination during process optimization and industrialization.
Technical insights
Two paths to go deeper
Hot runner for Zamak
State of the art, benefits, ideal components, direct gating, multi-cavity layouts, and the data required for a feasibility study.
Open the technical page →
Retrofit, conversion and aluminum
How to evaluate the conversion of an existing mold and why aluminum projects require higher-level materials, sealing, and thermal control.
Open the technical page →
Feasibility study
The first step is collecting the right data
Evaluating a metal hot runner requires much more than knowing the part weight. The more information is available at the beginning, the faster it is possible to understand whether the project is technically and economically attractive.
- 3D file / 2D drawing of the component
- Alloy and pouring temperature
- Die-casting machine make and model
- Number of cavities
- Mold layout and existing runner system
- Current cycle time and annual volumes
- Current scrap / return metal
- Surface and quality requirements
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about metal hot runner systems
Are “hot chamber” and “hot runner” the same thing?
No. In die casting, hot chamber describes the machine configuration, while hot runner describes the feed system inside the mold that keeps the metal molten or thermally controlled up to the gate.
Is hot runner technology already used industrially for Zamak?
Yes. Zinc die casting already includes documented industrial applications. The economic benefit and the actual configuration still have to be assessed case by case.
Can the same principle be applied to aluminum?
The principle is technically feasible, but the working environment is much more demanding. Temperature, pressure, corrosion, erosion, sealing, gate control, and machine interface require dedicated engineering and application-specific validation.
Can an existing mold be converted?
In some cases, yes. The mold, available space, machine, alloy, gating, and thermal management must first be assessed to determine which components can be reused and which must be redesigned.
Can GDS and HAT-SYS also support a complete mold project?
The project can include not only the hot runner system, but also its integration into the mold and, when included in the agreed technical and commercial scope, development of the complete mold.
What information is required for a first evaluation?
Part drawing, alloy, machine, cavity count, mold layout, current cycle time, production volumes, and quality requirements form the basis of a feasibility study.
Do you have a Zamak component or a special light-alloy project?
Send GDS the part drawing and the main process data. We will collect the information required and coordinate an initial technical evaluation with HAT-SYS for the hot runner system and, when requested, the mold itself.