Investigation on mechanical properties and wear behaviour of steel fibers wires and mesh reinforced aluminium alloy composites by squeeze casting

Abstract

Metal matrix composites have been widely used in aerospace, newlineautomobile, communication, transport, marine engineering and defence newlineapplications because of its high strength, better wear resistance, high stiffness newlineand stability at elevated temperatures. Industries have been focusing to use a newlinenovel material that offers high strength to weight ratio, high stiffness to newlineweight ratio with desirable wear resistance. newlineComposite material consists of two or more materials which are newlinecompletely different in chemical and physical properties. The major newlineconstituent is called as matrix and reinforcements have been added to newlineimprove the hardness, tensile strength and wear resistance of composites. newlineComposites have been manufactured by many production methods viz., newlinediffusion bonding, powder metallurgy, spray co-deposition, in-situ newlinesolidification and casting process. Out of these processes, casting method is newlineviable, economical, feasible and simple method to produce metal matrix newlinecomposites. In this casting process, a premeasured quantity of composite newlinemelt is poured into a die which produces the components with required size. newlineVarious casting processes viz., thixo casting, vortex method, newlinecompo casting and squeeze casting have been used in industries for newlineproducing components. Selection of manufacturing process depends on the newlinetype of reinforcement and required properties of castings. Among all casting newlineprocesses, squeeze casting is most attractive technique to near net shape newlinecomponents with good surface finish. In this process, a measured quantity of newlinemolten metal is poured into a preheated die and subsequently a constant newlinepressure is applied during solidification of castings. newline newline