PetroMat

The continuous increase in demand for light alloys in different applications involves manufacturing high integrity and superior performance components using cost-effective and safety processes. In this direction, the research communities together with manufacturing industries are focusing their attention to develop new products using innovative procedures, i.e., Semi-Solid Metal (SSM) processing routes. The central issue is the technological transfer to industry for affordable mass production.

In this paper characteristics of an AlMg/AlN composite produced "in-situ" and processed in a flowing N2 atmosphere is investigated. Some critical parameters such as the manufacturing process temperature, the percentage of the magnesium consumed, the flowing reactive gas flow and the time for completing the manufacturing are considered as variables for the parametric investigation. Moreover, the effect of different amount of Mg employed has been also investigated, since Mg acts as a catalyst at the surface both for the gas/liquid and solid/liquid systems.

Purpose: The main goal of this study is to develop and obtain some competitive products, with high added value. In particular, the attention will be focused on the possibility to obtain a new class of Cobalt based alloy by Ti addition. Design/methodology/approach: Modification of the composition by Ti addition can increase the corrosion resistance, processing and at the same time can improve the alloy biocompatibility. Findings: Addition of these elements has a positive effect on the alloy hardness.

Rapidly solidified Al100-x-Cux alloys (x=5, 10, 15, 25, 35wt%) were prepared and analyzed. High cooling rate increased the Cu solubility in α-Al matrix. The influence of the cooling rate on Cu solubility extension in Al was experimentally simulated. Thus the pouring was performed in metallic die and by melt spinning-low pressure (MS-LP) technique. Melt processing by liquid quenching was performed using a self-designed melt spinning set-up which combined the cooling technology of a melt jet on the spinning disc with the principle of the mold feeding from low pressure casting technology.

This paper concerns with the optimisation of the innovative rheocasting process to produce a new generation of brake callipers, characterised by very high reliability and strength. The attained very promising properties favoured their use on a very high performance car and the presented technique can be further extended for other important challenging applications. The prototype components are produced using T6 heat treated A357 alloy. Results on the samples machined directly from the produced callipers are in detail described and analysed.

Premature failure of dies is a critical problem of manufacturers in hot-working processes, e.g. metal die casting, hot extrusion and/or thixoextrusion of aluminium/magnesium or steel. Typically, die material has to be resistant to heat cycling or corrosion environment, to plastic deformation and wear, especially when exposed to high temperature during continuous working cycle. The resistance of dies could be increased by the modification of their surfaces, i.e. by the application of an adequate coating. An improvement of the resistance of H11 steel substrate will be presented and discussed.