Patent ID: 7087202

Claim:
A method of forming a particulate reinforced aluminum-based composite component comprising the steps of: (1) according to a desired volume percentage of reinforced particles in an aluminum-based composite, determining a weight percentage of the required reinforced particles; (2) based on the required weight percentage of reinforced particles in the composite, determining a required weight of the reinforced particle and corresponding weight of an aluminum alloy powder; (3) loading required amounts of reinforced particles, Al-based alloy powder and steel balls into a balling drum of a high-energy ball-mill, then carrying out high-energy ball-milling to form a composite powder wherein the high-energy ball-milling is divided into a low speed stage wherein a rotational speed is 100–150 rpm for 10–40 minutes, and a high speed stage wherein a rotational speed is 150–300 rpm for 20–600 rpm; (4) adding liquid surfactant, and continuing with ball-milling; (5) molding the composite powder into a desired shape through cold isostatic pressing; (6) processing the cold isostatic pressed shape into a compact billet by means of vacuum sintering or vacuum hot-pressing; then (7) heating the compact billet, and undertaking semisolid die-cast forming to produce a near net shape composite component.