Semisolid processing is now a commercially successful manufacturing route to produce net-shape parts in automotive industry. The conspicuous results of alloy optimization with thermodynamic simulations for semisolid processing of commercial AM60 alloy were present. The results indicate that the available processing temperature range of AM60 alloy is 170 ℃. The temperature sensitivity of solid fraction decreases with increasing solid fraction or with decreasing temperature above eutectic reaction temperature of AM60 alloy. When the solid fraction φs is 0.4, corresponding processing temperature is 603.8 ℃ and the sensitivity -dφs/dT is 0.0184. The effects of various alloying elements on the solidification behavior and SSM processability of AM60 alloy were calculated with Pandat software.
The billets of AM60 alloy, prepared with self-inoculation method, were partially remelted into semisolid state. Effects of process parameters on remelting microstructure of semisolid billet were investigated. Experimental results show that the solid particles obtained with self-inoculation method are in smaller grain size and globular shape after partial remelting, compared with those prepared with other casting methods. In the optimized process conditions, the average size of solid particles of partially remelted billet is 65 μm, and the shape factor is 1.12. The process parameters, i.e. pouting temperature, addition amount of self-inoculants, and the slope angle of multi-stream mixing cooling chalmel have influence on the microstructure of partially remelted billet. The optimized temperature is from 680 ℃ to 700 ℃, addition amount of self-inoculants is between 5% and 7% (mass fraction), slope angle of multi-stream mixing cooling channel is between 30° and 45°, with which the dendritic microstructure of as-cast billet can be avoided, and the size of solid particles ofremelted billet is reduced.