Method for producing fiber reinforced metal composition

A method of pressure casting a fiber reinforced metal composition, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a pre-assembly of a reinforcement fiber formed into a desired configuration;
• pre-heating said reinforcement fiber pre-assembly at a first temperature;
• pre-heating a cavity of a casting mold at a second temperature;
• setting said reinforcement fiber pre-assembly in said cavity of said casting mold;
• filling a molten metal matrix in said cavity of said casting mold;
• impregnating said molten metal matrix into said reinforcement fiber pre-assembly by exerting a first substantially constant pressure which pressure is selected at pressure close to an impregnation pressure;
• rapidly increasing pressure to a second maximum pressure;
• and
• pressure casting at the second maximum pressure for solidification of said metal matrix.

A method of producing a fiber reinforced metal composition, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a pre-assembly of a reinforcement fiber;
• setting the reinforcement fiber pre-assembly in a cavity of a casting mold;
• filling a molten metal matrix in the cavity of the casting mold;
• impregnating the molten metal matrix into the reinforcement fiber pre-assembly by exerting a first limited pressure;
• monitoring pressure of the molten metal during the impregnation process to detect an increase in the molten metal pressure above an impregnating pressure to detect completion of the impregnation process;
• rapidly increasing pressure to a second maximum pressure;
• and
• pressure casting at the second maximum pressure for solidification of said metal matrix.

An apparatus of pressure casting a fiber reinforced metal composition, comprising:

• a casting mold defining a desired configuration of a casting cavity, in which a said reinforcement fiber pre-assembly fabricated into a desired configuration is set and a molten metal matrix is filled;
• a pressure means for exerting a pressure on said molten metal for performing pressure casting, said pressure means varying pressure exerted on said molten metal;
• a pressure sensor means for monitoring molten metal matrix pressure to produce a pressure indicative signal;
• and
• means for controlling said pressure means for adjusting the pressure to be exerted on said molten metal matrix, said controlling means initially controlling said pressure means to exert a first limited pressure to said molten metal matrix and responsive to said pressure indicative signal representing the molten metal matrix pressure higher than a predetermined pressure to rapidly increase said pressure means to exert a maximum pressure.