Component Analysis

How Component Analysis Technology Works

Magnesium alloy granules are loaded, at room temperature, into a hopper placed on top of the machine. The granules are dosed at volumetric load in a small hopper in saturation of argon, used as an antioxidant covering gas, mounted directly on the cylinder inside which a screw is housed which, rotating doses the material over the entire length of the cylinder brought to temperature by electric heating bands.

The screw in the rotation phase produces a shear stress on the magnesium alloy, breaking the dentrites present in the liquid fraction thus generating spheroidal particles. The granules thus heated and subjected to shear forces, pass from a stationary semi-solid state to a thixotropic semi-solid state, which is handled by Component Analysis Technology.

The alloy in this condition is injected into a mold heated with a laminar flow similar to that of thermoplastics. Once the part solidifies, it is extracted and sliced. At the end of the solidification phase there is practically an equiaxial microstructure with respect to a dentritic microstructure; this results in better mechanical characteristics.

There are several advantages to benefit: a high process control, constancy in the parts produced; low porosity; ability to print parts with complex geometries, better surface finish; near-net-shape parts; thin wall molding and reduction/elimination of secondary operations.

Thixomolding offers an excellent alternative to traditional plastic injection molding and injection molding processes. Having great opportunities in a wide range of applications, it is an attractive solution to make optimized components thanks to Component Analysis Technology.

Compared to diecasting, the best characteristics of Thixomolding components derive from the process that uses magnesium alloys with a semi-solid laminar flow. The thixoformate parts are able to satisfy the most severe dimensional tolerances thanks to the help of lower and predictable shrinkage. Moreover, the laminar flow allows the elimination of the particles of air trapped in the mold, thus minimizing porosity.

Uniform filling in the Thixomolding process reduces shrinkage and porosity, allowing manufacturers to obtain net-shape components where secondary operations can be eliminated resulting in cost savings, with the ability to print thin walls and complicated shapes and with an improvement of mechanical properties. The process also allows for improvement in flatness and dimensional repeatability.

The Thixomolding process also makes use of the intrinsic properties of Magnesium such as lightness, rigideity, heat dissipation, EMI/RFI shielding, the ability to absorb and dampen vibrations, resistance to dents, etc.

Since the temperature at which magnesium is injected is lower than the die-casting process, the mold is less likely to be damaged due to heat.

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