Thixoforming Two Different Steels

Thixoforming involves shaping metal components in the semi-solid state. Two different steels have been thixoformed. Firstly, an M2 tool steel and secondly a high performance steel HP9/4/30. The M2 tool steel is supplied in the GFM hot forged state (with tempering at 700°C and annealing at 860°C). The HP9/4/30 is received as hot rolled ingot which has been subjected to a commercial heat treatment. In both cases, the steel is then directly thixoformed from the as-supplied state; there is no additional intermediate step to obtain a structure such that, in the semi-solid state, the microstructure will be spheroidal. In both cases, the material has been successfully thixoformed.