Abstract
The squeeze infiltration process is potentially of considerable industrial importance. The performance enhancements resulting from incorporation of short alumina fiber into aluminum are well documented. These are particularly significant for certain automobile components. Aluminum matrix composite automotive parts, such as diesel engine pistons or engine blocks are produced using squeeze casting apparatus or pressure die-casting apparatus. But the solidification process gets complicated with manufacturing parameters and the factors for porosity formation have not fully understood yet. In this study the formation of porosity during squeeze infiltration has been studied experimentally to achieve an improved understanding of the squeeze infiltration process for manufacture of short-fiber-reinforced components, particularly the mechanism of porosity formation. Al-based MMCs produced under a range of conditions were examined metallographically and the porosity characterised;a kind of matrix, an initial temperature of melt, and a volume fraction of reinforcement. The densimetry and the microscopic image analysis were done to measure the amount of porosity. A correlation between manufacturing parameters and defects was investigated through these.