Thixomolding

Thixomolding emerged as a novel technology for magnesium alloy die-casting in the 1990s, blending die-casting and injection processes. It leverages the rheological behavior of metals within specific temperature ranges. The method closely resembles injection molding.

Molding Process

Initially, magnesium alloy is finely cut into particles via a pellet machine. These particles are loaded into a hopper and propelled into a pellet cylinder. Within this cylinder, a rotating screw propels the magnesium alloy particles toward the mold. The heating component within the particle cylinder employs a combined resistance and induction heating process. The alloy particles are heated to temperatures ranging between 560 to 630°C, forming a thixotropic slurry in a partially molten state. Once the solid phase volume reaches 60%, Argon gas is introduced. The screw-driven alloy, characterized by a dendritic structure, forms a semi-solid alloy with a thixotropic structure. This semi-solid alloy flows under external force and, upon reaching a specific volume, is injected at high speed (approximately 5.5m/s) into a vacuum within the preheated mold cavity, resulting in net-shape or near-net-shape parts.

Advantages

In contrast to traditional cold and hot die casting, which yield a 50% product rate alongside waste and byproducts, thixoinjection molding fosters a worker and environment-friendly atmosphere. The production process is clean, safe, and energy-efficient. Gas entrainment during molding is significantly reduced, leading to part porosity of around 0.07%.

When compared to engineering plastics and die casting, magnesium alloy thixoforming excels in producing thinner, lighter, and stronger parts, substantially reducing raw material consumption per formed unit. Moreover, it offers considerable cost advantages.

Magnesium thixoforming has become the preferred technology for manufacturing a diverse array of products across various markets. The burgeoning demand for durable, lightweight products has fueled substantial growth in magnesium alloy thixoforming. It has become an ideal choice for producing automobile components, consumer goods, defense equipment, electronics, handheld devices, and sports equipment.

Thixoforming  Processes Innovation

Presently, widely utilized thixoforming processes encompass thixocasting, thixoforging, thixorolling, thixoextrusion, and thixoforming. These different processes present challenges such as microstructure evolution, heating, and exploratory studies on parameters like pouring temperature, mold temperature, mechanical properties, viscosity, and final product quality. Each process offers a diverse range of end product properties, thereby presenting numerous possibilities for component innovation.