Testing of a novel CrNiCo alloy for tooling applications in semi-solid processing of steels

Semisolid processing which has become a well established manufacturing route for the production of intricate, thin-walled aluminium and magnesium parts with mechanical properties as good as forged grades, faces a major challenge in the case of steels. The tool materials must withstand the complex load profile and relatively higher forming temperatures which promote chemical interaction with steel slurries. Thixoforming tools ought to last thousands of forming cycles for industrial application to be attractive. Hot work tool steel dies proved to be entirely inadequate when thixoforming steels. In spite of extensive research on tool materials for the semisolid processing of steels, there is yet no material to fulfil this critical role. The present work was undertaken to explore the potential of a novel CrNiCo alloy as the tooling material in semisolid processing of steel.