Semisolid metal processing offers many advantages over the other casting methods, such as less porosity and shrinkage; therefore, better mechanical properties, longer life time for the die, and less machining necessary for the final parts. In the semisolid process which can be classified as being between solid forging and liquid casting, the raw material is first heated above its melting temperature, and then allowed to cool and solidify. During solidification the dendrites are broken into small parts by using either mechanical or electromagnetic method. The slurry is either injected into a die (rheocasting) or solidified in billet form for later processing. Reheating of the semisolid material billets is done in different stages which go from a faster heating to a slower heating in order to obtain the required temperature and to distribute the heat more evenly. Acoustic excitation can possibly be used to produce semisolid slurries because as the waves of the sound travel through the medium, they cause the particles to vibrate producing changes in density and pressure along the direction of the motion of the waves. The focus of the experiment is to prove that the power of sound can distribute the dendrites of the medium and let them be affected by the acoustic excitation of a transducer.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Shaul, Lenny

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 99B013M

Advisor

• Alexandrou, Andreas N.
• Thompson, Robert W.

Year

• 1999

Date created

• 1999-01-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Chemical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright