Research progress of semi-solid processing in China

There have been five academic conferences organized by the chairman of semi-solid processing academic committee, Prof. Shoujing Luo, in China since 2000. Based on the achievements of the five academic conferences, six aspects of research progress of semi-solid processing in China will be discussed here by the authors, which includes the research on fundamental theories of semi-solid processing, that is, theories of high-pressure solidification, plastic deformation densification and rheological filling; the research on technological theories of semi-solid processing, that is, theories of preparation of semi-solid slurries or billets and their spheroidization, theories of thixoforging and controlling of technological parameters, theories of double controlling of semi-solid die casting and semi-solid die forging and their numerical simulation; the research on characterization of semi-solid metal and their design; the application present status and potential prediction of semi-solid processing; present status of academic organization, academic communication and cultivating persons and the differences between the other countries and China. The research results show that China is a large country for metal processing, but China isn't a strong in metal processing. As with other processing technologies, under the support the government foundations and other funds, more research work should be done in semi-solid processing and originality innovation and key technologies on preparation semi-solid slurries or billets and forming must be completely successfully in order to improve the competitive powder of semi-solid processing. It is should be noted that semi-solid processing will become a important forming method of simple, high efficient, low cost and good quality in the fields of materials processing.