• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.422-427
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• 2009

Computed tomography(CT) has been applied to measure micro-defects in the aluminum knuckle parts manufactured by the thixoforming process. 6061 aluminum alloys were used to form knuckle samples in the semi-solid temperature after the SIMA processing of billets. Tensile specimens were cut from the different locations in a thixoformed knuckle. The size and the distribution of forming defects in tensile specimens were analyzed using CT scanning and image analysis technology before tensile tests. It has been qualitatively shown that the stress-strain curves were significantly affected by the size and the distribution of forming defects although the defect sizes lie in the range of micro-meters.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.103-106
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• 2004

The new rheology fabrication process has been developed to rheo die casting and rheo forming process. Thixoforming process has disadvantages in terms of induction reheating process, scrap recycling, loss of raw material and cycle time. Therefore, to reduce the number of process, new rheology fabrication process with specially designed the rotational barrel type equipment has been proposed to apply in various part productions. The barrel type equipment, which could continuously fabricate the rheology materil, was specially designed to have a function to control cooling rate, shear rate and temperature. During the continuous rotation of barrel with a constant temperature, the shear rate is controlled with the rotation speed. The barrel surface has both the induction heating system and the cooling system to control the temperature of molten metal. By using this system, the effect of the rotation speed and the rotation time on the microstructure was widely examined. The possibility for the rheoforming process was investigated with microstructural characteristic.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.58-65
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• 2003

The conventional forming process such as squeeze casting or die casting for fabricating metal matrix composites products have a disadvantage such as non homogenous distribution of reinforcement, weak bonding between matrix and reinforcement and cost increase in parts fabrication. Thixoforming process has been accepted as a new method for fabricating the net shaped metal matrix composites with lightweight and wear resistance. In this paper, the effect of volume fraction and reinforcement sizes on mechanical properties in cylinder liner part of metal matrix composites has been investigated with processes parameters such as pressure and velocity. Moreover, the methods to obtain the thixoforged composites cylinder liner with high quality has been proposed. To evaluate the composites cylinder linear fabricated at the conditions proposed in this study, mechanical properties of fabricated composites cylinder linear were compared with those of commercial composites cylinder linear.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.450-461
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• 1998

The optimal reheating conditions to apply the thixoforging and semi-solid die casting process were investigated by changing the reheating time, the holding time, the reheating temperatures, the capacity of the induction heating system, and the adiabatic material size. In the case of solid fraction fs=50% (for semi-solid die casting), the microstructure of SSM (specimen size:$d76{\times}l90$) at the condition of the first elevating time of 4 min, holding time of 1 min and holding temperature of $350^{\circ}C$, the second elevating time of 3 min, holding time of 3 min and holding temperature of $575^{\circ}C$, the third elevating time of 1 min, holding time of 2 min and holding temperature of $584^{\circ}C$, capacity of Q=8.398KW is obtained with globular microstructure and finest. In addition, in the case of solid fraction fs=55% (for thixoforging), the SSM (specimen size:$d76{\times}l90$) at the condition of the first elevating time of 4 min, holding time of 1 min and holding temperature of $350^{\circ}C$, the second elevating time of 3 min, holding time of 3 min and holding temperature of $570^{\circ}C$, the third elevating time of 1 min, holding time of 2 min and holding temperature of $576^{\circ}C$, capacity of Q=12.04KW is obtained with the finest globular microstructure. We saw that the most important factor in a three-step reheating process is the final holding time.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.240-243
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• 2001

Recently, many automobile parts produced by semi-solid forming(SSF) process has been applied for improved weight reduction, better environmental protection and energy savings. SSF process was well developed for high volume production of light weight aluminum components. In this paper, knuckle has been manufactured with A357 by SSF and thor investigated for microstructures and mechanical properties followed by various heat-treatment conditions. It was found that the examined microstructure was equiaxed at the whole cross-section area and as a result, the mechanical properties were satisfied by 100MPa YS, 260MPa UTS and $14\%$ elongation.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.127-132
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• 2014

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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.178-184
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• 2000

To obtain high quality component with thixoforming process, it is important that the homegeneous distribution of solid particles without liquid segregation. In closed-die semi-solid forging process, liquid segregation is strongly affected by injection velocity than any other process variables because the material has to travel relatively long distance to fill the cavity through a narrow gate before solidification begins. The optimal injection velocity and die temperature were investigated to fabricate near-net-shape compressor component called Al frame.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.167-170
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• 1997

For the optimal net shape forging of semi-solid materials (SSM), it is important to predict the deformation for variation of strain rate. It should be necessruy to conduct a formation of stress-strain curve in semi-solid alloys for analysis of the thixoforming process. Particularly, important problem to application of computer aided engineering in SSM processing is to prevent a segregation of liquid component during compression process. The liquid segregation is studied as multistage change of the strain rate and test piece size to prevent the liquid segregation during the compression process. The compression test for semi-solid aluminium alloy with a controlled solid fraction is performed by dynamic material test system with a furnace. Moreover morphology of structure and fraction of pore are investigated through compression test.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.16-25
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• 2003

Recently, semi-solid forming (SSF) Process has been applied in many automobile parts for improved weight reduction, better environmental protection and energy savings. SSF process was well developed for high volume production of light weight aluminum components. In this paper, knuckle has been manufactured by SSF and then the microstructures and mechanical properties were investigated followed by various heat-treatment conditions. It was found that the examined microstructure was equiaxed at the whole cross-section area.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.131-134
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• 2007

A semi-solid forming technology has a lot of advantages compared to the die casting, squeeze casting and hot/cold forging, so semi-solid forming has been studied actively. Semi-solid forming has two methods. One is thixoforming with reheating of prepared billet, the other is rheoforming with cooled melt until semi-solid state. Thixoforging technology can produce non-dendritic alloys for semi-solid forming complex shaped parts in metal alloys. In this study, the thixoforging was experimented with made rheology materials by the spiral stirrer equipment. Rheology materials for forging were made by A356 casting aluminum alloy and A6061 wrought aluminum alloy. After experiment, forged samples were measured microstructure and were heat treated for high mechanical properties.