Semi-Solid Forging of 100Cr6 and X210CrW12 Steel

Semi-solid forging of the steel grades 100Cr6 and X210CrW12 reveals advantages compared to conventional manufacturing process technologies like casting and forging. These advantages result from the thixotropic flow behaviour prevailing when the material condition is varied. Two different strategies to generate a semi-solid precursor material are investigated. With the first strategy conventional rod material is inductively heated into the desired state and subsequently forged. For this purpose a fully automated semi-solid forging plant has been developed. The second strategy consists of producing the semi-solid precursor material directly from a slightly overheated melt with subsequent forced nucleation by means of a cooling slope. The results of the experimental work are presented and an outlook to both process variants is given.