Press forming method for a semi-solid metal material and press forming apparatus for a semi-solid metal material

A press forming method for a semi-solid metal material, comprising:

• a semi-solid metal material carrying step of carrying a semi-solid metal material, which is manufactured from molten metal of a metal material into an axially symmetric shape, into a recessed portion of a lower die, the recessed portion conforming to a shape of a press-formed product;
• a first press forming step of regulating, under a Z-direction regulation state in which, among a dimension of the carried semi-solid metal material in an X direction, a dimension of the carried semi-solid metal material in a Y direction, and 3-dimension of the carried semi-solid metal material in a Z direction, a change in the dimension of the semi-solid metal material in the Z direction corresponding to a pressing direction is regulated by bringing the semi-solid metal material into abutment on an upper die, a change in one of the dimension of the semi-solid metal material in the X direction and the dimension of the semi-solid metal material in the Y direction by compressing the semi-solid metal material with a transverse punch so that the one of the dimension of the semi-solid metal material in the X direction and the dimension of the semi-solid metal material in the Y direction becomes equal to a dimension of the press-formed product, and then stopping the transverse punch at a position of the compression;
• and
• a second press forming step of moving, under a state in which the change in the one of the dimension of the semi-solid metal material in the X direction and the dimension of the semi-solid metal material in the Y direction is regulated in the first press forming step, the upper die in the pressing direction to compress the semi-solid metal material so that the dimension of the semi-solid metal material in the Z direction becomes equal to the dimension of the press-formed product.