Patent ID: 7240719

Claim:
A die-casting method comprising: clamping a pair of die inserts to a rack so that the die inserts protrude from the rack in opposite directions, wherein each die insert comprises a portion of a mold cavity; positioning the rack between a pair of separated body portions of an external die body so that each die insert aligns with an opening in a respective one of the body portions; moving the body portions toward each other so as to sandwich the rack therebetween so that die inserts are received within their respective openings; ejecting the die inserts from the rack; latching the die inserts to their respective body portions within their respective openings; moving the body portions apart; removing the rack from between the body portions; and butting the body portions together, wherein latching the die inserts to their respective body portions comprises engaging a lug of each of the die inserts with a latch of the respective one of the body portions.