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Semi-Solid Metal Forming Now Possible Due to Copper Rotor Die Technology
"Actually the original thrust of the work at MIT in the 1970s was directed more at high-temperature alloys such as copper and stainless steel, than aluminum,” Young explained of the history of the SSM process. “The drawback was not the SSM technology per se, but the lack of a suitable die material that could withstand the high casting temperatures. So, aluminum alloys, for which there already existed adequate die technology, became the first commercial application of SSM. The latest work by the Copper Development Association Inc. and the U.S. Department of Energy in developing nickel-based dies as part of the copper motor rotor project shows the potential to finally solve the die issue,” he said.
Young said that potential candidate parts for this process include those that are presently zinc die cast and then polished and plated to look like copper alloys and, also, steel parts that are either forged or machined. Young said studies show that “there is a large potential market for SSM copper alloys as well as SSM stainless steel. It appears that increasingly higher polishing standards and cost pressures even make some parts, such as those die cast and plated from zinc for things such as door handles and fittings, attractive considerations for an economical SSM copper alloy process. In steels, we saw a lot of interest in valve bodies, which today require a lot of machining.” The trials are currently focusing on both yellow and red brasses as well as aluminum-silicon bronze and alloy C90500, “which I found from our MIT work is a great model alloy with a clear microstructure enabling us to track technical progress in slurry making and part casting,” he explained. MORE >> |
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