Ceramic-Reinforced MMC Fabricated by Squeeze Casting

Abstract

Squeeze casting is a well-developed process used to make low cost, high quality parts in almost any material. It has now been shown that it is feasible to insert ceramic reinforcement during casting that will substantially improve the properties of the finished casting. In addition, metal inserts may also be placed in desired locations and a designer using a computer-aided design approach has the flexibility to design castings with specific properties in different areas of the casting. This method of fabricating metal matrix composites should be low cost and well suited to existing industrial methods using conventional manufacturing equipment. It is also amenable to automatic diagnostic quality control procedures. Concepts are tested on a track shoe component (Figure 1)