Abstract
The semi-solid metal forming process has been applied to realize a near-net shape fabrication of a high speed tool steel. A complicatedly shaped part out of SKH51 was successfully manufactured by introducing pertinent materials, tooling and processing conditions. A SKH51 billet with globular grains was heated at temperatures between 1300 and $1350^{\circ}C$ using high frequency induction heater to get semi-solid microstructure before high rate injection of mushy metal into a die cavity for the forming process. It was necessary to control the preheating of dies between 300 and $400^{\circ}C$ to maintain the homogeneous microstructure during the semi-solid metal forming process. Significant defects such as pores, high fraction of liquid fraction and segregation could be removed from the part by using air vents.