Die Design for Main Bearing Cap of Engine Block Based Semi-Solid Die Casting Process and the Comparison Analysis with Squeeze Casting Process

There are two new processes to development automobile structural components which have certain thickness. In the present paper, taking a main bearing cap product as an example, analyses die design by comparing the experimental and computational numerical simulation results. For the main bearing cap, product structure and mold design were designed to be suitable for characters of SSM die casting and squeeze process. Semi-solid slurry has significantly higher viscosity than liquid metal. This character of fluidity and solid fraction phase make the flow condition more laminar than liquid squeeze casting with the partial fill experiment. And compared with squeeze casting process, the globular shape grain size is smaller than dendritic structure. And mechanical property result shows that the elongation of SSM die casting can achieve more than twice than squeeze casting.