A study on a thixoforming process using the thixotropic behavior of an aluminum alloy with an equiaxed microstructure

Alloys with an equiaxed microstructure exhibit significantly lower flow resistance in the semisolid state than alloys with a dendritic microstructure, Their thixotropic behavior (solidlike in the unperturbed state and liquidlike during shearing) has been the basis for a thixoforming process. It is accepted today that thixoforming is a new net-shaped manufacturing technology in which the billet is heated to the semisolid state with coexisting solid-liquid phases. The thixoforming process has some industrial advantages, such as the successful fabrication of high-quality components with fewer inner defects, suitable for less machining, high productivity comparable to high-pressure die casting, and being an energy-saving system without the conventional melting process. It consists of inductive coil design, a billet reheating process, billet handling, filling into the die cavity, and solidification of the thixoformed part. This work presents an overview of all the detailed stages in the thixoforming process to manufacture the net-shaped product with good mechanical properties. An air compressor part with high strength has been fabricated by the thixoforming process.