Semi-solid metal (SSM) processing has emerged as a preferred manufacturing method due to the superior quality associated with semi-solid castings. In recent years, the driving force to reduce process cost has led to the development of a few rheocasting (also termed slurry-on-demand) processes. These include UBE's New Rheocasting (NRC) process [1], Idra Prince's Semi-Solid Rheocasting (SSR) process [2], and THT's Sub-Liquidus Casting (SLC®) process [3]. A novel slurry-making SSM process developed at ACRC/MPI, termed the ""Continuous Rheoconversion Process"" (CRP), is a passive liquid mixing technique in which the nucleation and growth of the primary phase are controlled using a specially designed ""reactor"". The reactor provides heat extraction, copious nucleation and forced convection during the initial stage of solidification, leading to the formation of thixotropic structures. In these studies, the critical issues/challenges to optimize the CRP for industrial applications have been addressed through validation experiments and pre-industrial trials.

Creator

• Bernard, III, William J.

Contributors

• Apelian, Diran

Degree

• MS

Unit

• Materials Science & Engineering

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Language

• English

Identifier

• etd-082305-102150

Keyword

• thixocasting
• semisolid
• rheocasting
• CRP

Advisor

• Apelian, Diran

Defense date

• 2005-08-04

Year

• 2005

Date created

• 2005-08-23

Resource type

• Thesis

Rights statement

• In Copyright