Objective
Objectives and content
Thixoforming means the material deformation in the semisolid state, where the material is partially molten and
the solid particles are surrounded by the liquid phase.
Therefore the process can be classified between casting
and massive metal forming and enables the manufacture of
complex shaped parts with very small forming forces.
Current works mainly focus on the processing of light
metals, like aluminium alloys, and have lead to the
manufacture of application parts.
Due to the superior technical properties of steels,
Thixoforming of these materials is of high economical
interest and will create new markets: steels can
substitute light metals in many constructions, since
thixoformed parts of steel have equal complex shapes,
however superior strength properties and therefore can be
designed smaller in dimension. Furthermore, due to the
strongly increased deformability of the material in the
semi-solid state, thixoformed parts can be manufactured
in one forming operation at low forming forces, therefore
less forming tools are required, less material is
utilised and less energy is consumed.
Until today, no comprehensive basic data for the
Thixoforming processing of steels exists and therefore
prevents the realisation of industrial applications. It
is not known,
Which steels of industrial relevance can be used for
Thixoforming?
How suitable starting materials can be manufactured?
How a heating process in the semi-solid state is to be
designed?
Which deformation parameters must be used for the
forming process?
This data is required, if an industrial application of
Thixoforming of steels shall be realised. This data
shall be provided within this Basic Research project and
will be the basis for future developments to transfer the
project results to industrial applications.
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
57301 AY SUR MOSELLE
France