International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation

Alumax, Inc.

James A Courtois

Robert Baker

Kenneth P Young

Lawrence J Pionke

Peter S Willcox

Curtis P Kyonka

Lester P Chin

Ralph M Sharp

Shaped metal parts are produced on a continuous basis from a semisolid metal preform. A plurality of freestanding metal preforms are sequentially heated in an induction heating zone to the semisolid level and transferred without substantial deformation or heat loss to a press where they are shaped in a semisolid state into a shaped metal part.

Apparatus and process for producing shaped metal parts

A fine grained metal composition suitable for forming in a partially solid, partially liquid condition. The composition is prepared by producing a solid metal composition having an essentially directional grain structure and heating the directional grain composition to a temperature above the solidus and below the liquidus to produce a partially solid, partially liquid mixture containing at least 0.05 volume fraction liquid. The composition, prior to heating, has a strain level introduced such that upon heating, the mixture comprises uniform discrete spheroidal particles contained within a lower melting matrix. The heated alloy is then solidified while in a partially solid, partially liquid condition, the solidified composition having a uniform, fine grained microstructure.

Fine grained metal composition

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Florissant, MO, United States of America

James A Courtois