ABSTRACT
The advanced squeeze casting process for fabricating metal matrix composites was first applied in 1976 by Howlett [1], who attempted to make carbon fibre reinforced aluminium. The process was applied to other metal matrix composite systems as newly developed reinforcements became available, such as carbon, silicon carbide and alumina fibres; and silicon carbide, silicon nitride, potassium titanate, aluminium borate whiskers and particles. The process has been applied to fabricate metal matrix composites all over the world, especially in Japan, by many academic researchers and materials engineers because the process can achieve high productivity with near-net shaping [2-4]. The conventional squeeze casting technique is now well established for the production of machine parts and components as shown in table 8.1.
