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Thixoforming : Semi-solid Metal Processing

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314j 9 Rheocasting of Aluminium Alloys and Thixocasting of Steels<br />

Another interesting method is the so-called cooling channel process [10], which<br />

will be presented in Section 9.4.1. The melt is poured on to an inclined channel just<br />

above liquidus and caught in an isolated ceramic container. The metal flow induces<br />

the heterogeneous nucleation of <strong>solid</strong> particles and the retarded cooling in the<br />

container promotes globular growth of the <strong>solid</strong> particles. After reaching the desired<br />

<strong>solid</strong> fraction, the slurry is tilted in the shot sleeve of the HPDC machine and formed.<br />

More complex conditions exist during the one-step process of semi-<strong>solid</strong> injection<br />

moulding or thixomoulding (Figure 9.2) where feedstock particulates of a specific<br />

nature are subjected to the simultaneous influence of the heat supplied from an<br />

external source and shear force imposed by the injection screw in a machine very<br />

similar to those used for the injection of thermoplastics [11]. This process is especially<br />

effective for processing magnesium alloys.<br />

9.2.1<br />

Developmental History of the Part Liquid Aluminium <strong>Processing</strong><br />

Numerous companies have utilized the advantages of the processing of semi-<strong>solid</strong><br />

materials for developing SSM technology since the 1990s. Table 9.1 gives the most<br />

important manufacturers of pre-material, users and international large academic<br />

facilities [6].<br />

Table 9.1 Relevant manufacturer and R&D facilities for Al thixocasting.<br />

Pre-material Producer R&D 1)<br />

Alcoa (Alumax) (Canada) AEMP (USA) Aachen RWTH (Germany)<br />

Algroup Alusuisse<br />

(Switzerland)<br />

Algroup Alusuisse (CH) Brunel University (UK)<br />

Hertwich Engineering<br />

(Austria)<br />

Aluthix (The Netherlands) ETH Z€urich (Switzerland)<br />

NorskHydro [F&E]<br />

(Norway)<br />

Audi [F&E 2) ] (Germany) FhG Bremen (Germany)<br />

Northwest (USA) B€uhler (Switzerland) INPG Grenoble (France)<br />

Ormet (USA) DaimlerChrysler [F&E 2) ]<br />

(Germany)<br />

LK Ranshofen (Austria)<br />

Pechiney (France) Form Cast (USA) MIT (USA)<br />

SAG Thixalloy (Austria) Honda Engineering (Japan) Osaka University (Japan)<br />

Hot <strong>Metal</strong> Molding (USA) Pusan University (South Korea)<br />

Madison Kipp (USA) SINTEF (Norway)<br />

SAG (Austria) (Germany) Ancona University (Italy)<br />

Stampal (Italy) Sheffield University (UK)<br />

UBE Industries (Japan) Stuttgart University (Germany)<br />

Volkswagen [F&E 2) ]<br />

(Germany)<br />

Weber & Broutin (Italy)<br />

WPI (USA)<br />

1) Research & Development.<br />

2) Forschung & Entwidclung.

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