Twin-screw rheomoulding is a new semisolid process for the near net shape production
of metal’s components. It includes the advantage combination in both die-casting and
injection moulding. In this unique process, a liquid alloy is fed into a twin-screw
extruder, where the alloy is intensively sheared and cooled into the interval of liquidus
and solidus to produce semisolid slurry with fine primary particles of pre-determined
volume fraction. The well-sheared semisolid slurry is then discharged into a shot
cylinder and subsequently injected into a mould cavity for component shaping. This
paper introduces the development of the prototype machine and the experimental work
carried out with industrial AZ91D magnesium alloy. The operating characteristics of the
newly developed machine, microstructures and mechanical properties of rheomoulded
AZ91D magnesium alloy will be reported