• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.114-125
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• 2002

As semi-solid forging (SSF) is compared with conventional easting such as gravity die-easting and squeeze casting, the product without inner defects can be obtained from semi-solid forming and globular microstructure as well. Generally speaking. SSF consists of reheating, forging, ejecting precesses. In the reheating process, the materials are heated up to the temperature between the solidus and liquidus line at which the materials exists in the form of liquid-solid mixture. The process variables such as reheating time, reheating temperature, reheating holding time, and induction heating power have much effect on the quality of the reheated billets. It is difficult to consider all the variables at the same time when predicting the quality. In this paper, Taguchi method, regression analysis and neural network were applied to analyze the relationship between processing conditions and solid fraction. A356 alloy was used for the present study, and the learning data were extracted by the reheating experiments. Results by neural network were on good agreement with those by experiment. Polynominal regression analysis was formulated by using the test data from neural network. Optimum processing condition was calculated to minimize the grain size, solid fraction standard deviation, otherwise, to maximize the specimen temperature average. In this time, discussion is liven about reheating process of row material and results are presented with regard to accurate process variables for proper solid fraction, specimen temperature and grain size.

• 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.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.374-381
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• 2004

In this study, the deformation behavior of semi-solid Al-Si alloy was investigated by nanoindenter as a part of the research on the surface crack behavior in thixoformed automobile component. The microstructure of semi-solid Al-Si alloy consists of primary and eutectic regions. In eutectic regions the crack initiation begins with initial fracture of the eutectic silicon particles and inside other intermetallic phases. Nano-deformation characteristics in the eutectic and primary phase of semi-solid aluminium alloy were investigated through the nano-indentation experiments and the AFM observation. In addition, mechanical properties of each region were investigated and compared with each other.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2006

Most of the work reported concerned the semi-solid processing of low melting point alloys, and in particular light alloys of aluminum and magnesium. The purpose of this paper is to develop a semi-solid microstructure of Cu alloys using electromagnetic stirring applicable for squirrel cage rotor of induction motor. The size of primary solid particle and the degree of sphericity as a function of the variation in cooling rate, stirring speed, and holding time were observed. By applying electromagnetic stirring, primary solid particles became finer and rounder relative to as-cast sample. As the input frequency increased from 30 to 40 Hz, particle size decreased. The size of primary solid particle was found to be decreased with increasing cooling rate. Also, it decreased with stirring up to 3 minutes but increased above that point. The degree of sphericity became closer to be 1 with hold time. Semi-solid microstructure of Cu alloys, one of the high melting point alloys, could be controlled by electromagnetic stirring.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.139-149
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• 1998

The technology of Semi-Solid Forging(SSF) has been actively developed to fabricate near net shape products using light and hardly formable materials. Generally the SSF process is composed of slug is compressed during a certain holding time in order to completely fill the die cavity and accelerate the solidification rate. The decision of compression time is important since it can affect microstructural characteristics, mechanical properties and shape of products.. In order to determine it proper overall heat transfer coefficient between the slug and dies should be investigated. This paper presents the procedure to find the overall heat transfer coefficient between the slug and dies by nonlinear optimization of temperature and solid fraction for a cylindrical slug at compression step in closed-die semi-solid forging. In finite ele-ment heat transfer analysis release of latent heat during solidification was considered. The influence of the predicted compression time on miscrostructural characteristics mechanimcal properties and shape of products is finally investigated by experiment.

• 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.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.373-382
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• 2001

Die design by computer simulation has some advantages compared with the conventional method which has performed by designer's experiences and trials and errors. The die filling and solidification process of thixoforming process were simulated by MAGMAsoft/thixo module. Furthermore, the die design for thixoforming was performed with the various geometry shape. The effect of designed gate dimension on filling phenomenon was estimated by filling simulation. The calculated results was compared with experimental data. The free surface phenomenon obtained by experiment have good agreement with computer simulation results. The solidification effect much as prosity and shrinkage for designed semi-solid forging die had been predicted by computer simulation. The designed die for semi-solid forging had been applied to produce of the frame part which is used to airconditious system.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.502-509
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• 1997

The mechanical behavior and microstructural evolution in the ignition-proof Mg-Zn-Ca-Zr alloy produced by the semisolid squeeze casting are clarified and the mechanical properties are also compared with those of squeeze cast Mg-Zn-Ca-Zr alloy. The tensile strength and elongation increase slightly as the solid fraction depending on temperature decreases, while the 0.2% proof stress decreases. The size of primary crystal increases with increasing holding time. The tensile strength and 0.2% proof stress of the semi-solid squeeze cast Mg-Zn-Ca-Zr alloy decrease as the size of primary crystal increases, indicating the dependence of strength on the size of primary crystal. The elongation of the semi-solid squeeze cast Mg-Zn-Ca-Zr alloy is two times as large as the squeeze cast Mg-Zn-Ca-Zr alloy and the tensile strength is unchanged despite the growth of primary crystal, resulting from the refining of the melted ${\alpha}Mg$ phase and the brittle eutectic compound as well as the reduction of solidification shrinkage and porosities.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.155-164
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• 2002

One of the important steps on semi-solid forming Is the reheating process of raw materials to the semi-solid state. This Process is not only necessary to achieve the required SSM billet state, but also to contro1 the microstructure of the billet. In reheating process, the globule size is determined by the holding time of last heating stage. Therefore, some experiments to investigate the relationship between the mechanical properties and the holding time in the last heating stage was performed. The alloys used in this experiment were 357, 319 and A390 alloys. The experiments of reheating were performed by using an Induction heating system with the capacity of 50kw. This paper shows the evolution of the microstructure according to the holding time of last reheating stage. Furthermore, to evaluate the effect of globule size controlled by holding time in last heating stage uniaxial tension test was performed. The strain-stress curves were plotted according to the holding time.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.94-101
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• 2003

For the optimal net shape forging of S semi-solid materials (SSM), it is important to predict the deformation behavior and defects of materials. Among these defects, liquid segregation is detrimental to produce products with good mechanical properties. Moreover, to apply a numerical method to thixoforging, it is very important to prevent a liquid segregation during forming process. The liquid segregation phenomena in deformation behavior of semi-solid material with variation of test specimen size were studied. The SSM compression tests were performed by dynamic material test system with a furnace. Stress-strain curves and microstructures of SSM were investigated, and Porosities were analyzed to evaluate the effects of experiment parameters on liquid segregation.