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CIRP Encyclopedia of Production Engineering pp 1–5Cite as

Thixoforming

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Synonyms

Semisolid metal forming; Thixocasting; Thixoforging

Definition

Thixoforming concerns special (near-) net-shape metal forming processes performed at temperature levels between the solid and liquid state of processed metal alloys.

Theory and Application

Fundamentals

Thixoforming is specified as forming metal alloys at temperatures between the solid and liquid state. Depending on the required component complexity, a liquid phase fraction between 20% and 60% is adjusted within used raw material. This adjustment, i.e., the material heating from solid into a defined semisolid state, requires a very precise heating process (Kirkwood 1994; Hirt and Kopp 2009). The thixotropic flow behavior that is characteristic for semisolid metal alloys with globular microstructures is defined as a decrease in the material’s structural strength by increasing shear loadings and its complete reconstruction during the following relaxation phase (Spencer et al. 1972; Kaufmann et al. 2000). This...

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Metal Forming Technology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany

    Mathias Liewald & Kim Rouven Riedmüller

Authors
  1. Mathias Liewald
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  2. Kim Rouven Riedmüller
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mathias Liewald .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Engineering, paris, France

    The International Academy for Production

Section Editor information

  1. Institute of Forming Technology and Machines (IFUM), Leibniz Universität Hannover (LUH), Garbsen, Germany

    Bernd-Arno Behrens

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Liewald, M., Riedmüller, K.R. (2018). Thixoforming. In: The International Academy for Production (eds) CIRP Encyclopedia of Production Engineering. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35950-7_16853-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35950-7_16853-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-35950-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35950-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference EngineeringReference Module Computer Science and Engineering

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