Semi-solid moulding: Competition to cast and machine from forging in making automotive complex components

The very latest technique for impeller manufacture is called semi-solid moulding (SSM). Cummins Turbo Technologies Limited, together with Aluminum Complex Components Inc, developed SSM compressor wheels as a way of achieving cost and durability performance somewhere between that of cast and machined from solid (MFS) aluminium alloy wheels. Experimental results show SSM material has a superior microstructure and mechanical properties over cast and comparable to MFS materials. Component testing including durability testing, using accelerated speed cycle tests, proves SSM compressor wheels emerge as being significantly more durable than cast equivalents and approaching that of MFS impellers. Further challenges for semi-solid processing in manufacture of other complex components and other materials in automotive industry in terms of both cost and durability are also discussed.