Objective Objectives and content Thixoforging is carried out in the melting-interval of the material, where a defined fraction of globular solid particles are surrounded by the liquid phase. Therefore it can be classified between casting and massive metal forming. Since a thixotropic material behaves like a viscous liquid, the process 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, thixoforging of these materials is of high economical interest and will create new markets: thixoforged steels can resubstitute light metals in light weight constructions, since the steel-parts will have equal complex shapes, however superior strength properties and therefore can be designed smaller in dimension. Furthermore, thixoforged parts can be manufactured in one forming operation at very low forming forces. Classical fundamental process-limitations of forging, like "forming in multiple steps," high number and costs for the forging tools, "high material and energy consumption during the process can be avoided. Until today, no data either for the processing for thixoforging of steels nor for requirements for the involved machines of the process-chain exist and therefore prevent the realisation of industrial applications. In this project, data will be developed and provided: How globular microstructure is achieved for an industrial relevant steel-alloy for mass production How the requirements for handling, heating and forging can be determined How conventional equipment (inductive heating and hydraulic press) can be retrofitted for the purpose of thixoforging What tool material has to be used and What process parameters are needed for the forgingoperation and how they can be monitored. The results of this project will help to introduce this innovative technology to the European steel manufacturing- and forming industry and their suppliers and to strengthen the competitiveness of Europe. In long term the results make the production of steel-parts of different alloys and geometries possible for European steel-manufacturing and forming companies. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrypost-transition metalsnatural sciencesmathematicspure mathematicsgeometry Programme(s) FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 0201 - Materials engineering Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator BEW Umformtechnik Westheim GmbH Address 1,neue strasse 74538 Rosengarten-westheim Germany See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all AP&T Lagan AB Sweden EU contribution € 0,00 Address 6,industrigatan 340 14 Lagan See on map ASCOMETAL S.A. France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 57301 Ay sur moselle See on map Cerametal SARL Luxembourg EU contribution € 0,00 Address 101,route de holzem 8201 Mamer See on map Institut de Recherches de la Sidérurgie Française France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 57283 Maizières les metz See on map SOCIETA APPLICAZIONI ELETTROTERMICHE SPA Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Via torino 213 10040 Leini See on map UNIVERSITAET HANNOVER Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address 1a,welfengarten 1 30167 Hannover See on map UNIVERSITE DE LIEGE*ULG Belgium EU contribution € 0,00 Address 10,grande traverse 10, institut montefiore b28 4000 Liege See on map
