Using proprietary electromagnetic continuous casting and induction-heated billets (2–5" diameter), Thixocast injects aluminum in a semi-solid state under ~170 MPa to form dense, porosity-free castings with forging-like properties. Near-net shapes achieve as-cast ±0.005" tolerances, minimizing secondary machining. The process supports heat-treatable alloys rarely feasible in conventional die casting, and fully integrates with Thixocast’s in-house heat treatment, CNC machining, and finishing services. AS9100D/ISO 9001 controls, real-time SPC, and multi-cavity tooling deliver cost-effective, high-integrity parts for automotive, aerospace, and medical applications.

Valve body produced via semi-solid aluminum thixocasting

Collar lock part manufactured using semi-solid aluminum thixocasting

Semi-Solid Aluminum Thixocasting is a casting process involving aluminum alloys partially solidified into a semi-solid slurry state. This slurry is then injected into a mold under pressure, producing components with superior mechanical properties, high density, minimal porosity, and precise near-net shapes. Ideal for lightweight structural, aerospace, automotive, and high-performance parts.

Semi-Solid Aluminum Thixocasting (SSM)

Heats aluminum billets in a multi-station induction carousel to the 50–60 % solid (semi-solid) range immediately prior to thixocasting injection.

Induction Slug Heating

Injects semi-solid slurry at low turbulence followed by ≈170 MPa hold pressure to densify parts and minimise porosity.

High-Pressure Squeeze Casting

Maintains dies in a narrow isothermal band with engineered gating and venting to ensure laminar fill and consistent solidification in semi-solid casting.

Die Thermal Management

Captures shot-by-shot process data and applies statistical process control to maintain CpK and PPAP quality targets in production.

Real-Time SPC

Semi-Solid Aluminum Thixocasting

Thixocast solution-treats, quenches, and ages aluminum castings on site using AMS 2750 Class 2 furnaces, an agitated water/glycol quench tank, and calibrated aging ovens. Because semi-solid castings are nearly free of entrapped gas, they remain blister-free during solution treatment and achieve uniform mechanical properties. With <10 s quench transfer preserving magnesium in solution, final hardness and tensile strength can increase by 30–50%. All heat-treat lots ship with AS9100D traceability, furnace charts, and load certifications—eliminating subcontract delays and property scatter. Periodic hardness checks and ASTM E8 tensile tests confirm target temper is achieved for critical applications.

Heat Treating involves controlled heating and cooling of materials to alter their physical and mechanical properties (e.g., strength, hardness) without changing the overall shape. Essential in tooling, automotive, and aerospace manufacturing.

Heat Treating

Heats aluminum alloy castings to 515 – 540 °C and soaks long enough to dissolve alloying constituents before quenching.

Solution Heat Treatment

Moves parts from the solution-heat-treat furnace to an agitated water/glycol tank in under 10 s to satisfy AMS 2770 cooling-rate curves.

Rapid Agitated Quench Transfer

Performs a 160 – 200 °C precipitation-hardening cycle after quench to attain T5/T6 tempers with stable mechanical properties.

Artificial Aging

Verifies each production lot’s strength through in-house Brinell/Rockwell hardness checks and outsourced tensile pulls on machined coupons.

Hardness & Tensile Coupon Testing

Compiles furnace charts, quench data, FAI results and AMS B917 property records into a complete certificate-of-conformance package.

Lot Traceability & Certification Pack

In-House Heat Treatment

Thixocast engineers and fabricates proprietary dies in-house for semi-solid aluminum casting, leveraging mold-flow simulation, globular-flow gating, and advanced EDM/HSM techniques to eliminate porosity and flash. Constructed from hardened H-13 or other specialized tool steels, multi-cavity tools up to 1 000 × 600 × 500 mm undergo precise CNC/EDM machining, polishing, and CMM validation. Optional nitriding or die coatings extend service life to 250 k–500 k shots. The entire design-to-production cycle, including try-outs, typically completes in 12–16 weeks, ensuring a robust, high-yield die optimized for Thixocast’s semi-solid process.

Thixocast Semi-Solid Aluminum Casting Die Design

Tooling Design involves engineering and developing specialized tools, molds, dies, and fixtures used in manufacturing processes to ensure precision, repeatability, and efficiency. High-quality tooling is crucial for achieving tight tolerances, consistent part quality, and optimized production efficiency across industries like automotive, aerospace, electronics, and medical devices.

Tooling Design

Uses 20 000 rpm spindles to rough and finish H13 semi-solid casting dies, achieving fine surface finish and tight cavity tolerances in hardened steel.

High-Speed Die Machining

Creates deep core details, ejector slots, and sharp interior corners in die steel by spark-erosion where conventional milling cannot reach.

Sinker EDM

Cuts precise slide lugs, gate inserts, and other through-features in die components using continuous wire spark-erosion for ±0.005 mm accuracy.

Wire EDM

Schedules preventive die inspections, core replacement, and surface re-polishing between production runs to maximise tool life and part quality.

Tooling Maintenance & Refurbishment

Provides proprietary gate, runner, and vent design guidance to optimise flow and fill quality for semi-solid metal casting tools.

Die Design Consulting

Tooling & Die Design

Thixocast’s dedicated CNC department transforms near-net thixocast blanks and other aluminum forms into fully finished components in a single facility. By leveraging minimal machining stock from the semi-solid casting process, cycle times and tooling wear are significantly reduced. Nine high-speed 3-/4-axis mills with rotary tables, through-spindle coolant, Renishaw probing, and automated pallet changers hold ±0.025 mm true-position and 0.8 µm Ra finishes. Lights-out scheduling and real-time SPC compress cast-to-machined lead time to 1–2 weeks for aerospace and medical customers. All machining data is recorded in an AS9100D-compliant MES, ensuring full traceability for PPAP/FAI and seamless integration with Thixocast’s end-to-end manufacturing solutions.

Machining encompasses a variety of manufacturing processes aimed at shaping and removing material from a workpiece. This includes both computer-controlled processes, such as CNC milling, turning, and routing, as well as non-traditional methods like Electrochemical, Chemical, and Photochemical Machining.

CNC Machining

Scalable for long-term programs up to 500 k parts/year.

Performs simultaneous rotary-axis milling to trim complex cast-part geometries in a single setup, improving accuracy and cycle time.

4th-Axis Milling

Employs pallet changers and queued job scheduling for lights-out milling of high-volume cast-part trimming operations.

Automated Pallet Machining

Uses Renishaw touch probes to verify datums in-cycle and streams dimensional data for CpK/SPC analysis during machining.

In-Process Probing & SPC Capture

Precision CNC Machining

Thixocast provides a single-source solution for post-processing and final assembly of aluminum castings. In-house capabilities include bead-blasting, vibratory deburring, ultrasonic DI cleaning, and dimensionally controlled assembly benches. NADCAP-approved coating partners extend the range of finishes: anodizing, chromating, powder coating, e-coating, and plating. Parts requiring hardware insertion, helium leak tests, or torque verification can be completed on dedicated assembly lines, then packaged with full AS9100D traceability. This integrated approach cuts total lead time to 1–3 weeks, delivering turnkey, ready-to-install parts under a single purchase order.

Post-Processing refers to a range of operations that give manufactured parts their final functional and aesthetic qualities. After the primary shaping and machining, these processes, which can include surface finishing, heat treatments, painting, and plating, provide the necessary characteristics for performance, durability, and visual appeal. They ensure parts meet the stringent requirements of industries such as aerospace, automotive, medical, and consumer electronics, where the final product's finish is just as critical as its dimensions and material properties.

Post-Processing

Installs PEM inserts, Helicoils, bushings, and similar hardware so parts ship assembly-ready.

Light Mechanical Assembly

Integrates sensors, PCBs, and wiring with mechanical housings and performs basic functional tests.

Electromechanical Assembly

Uses helium mass-spectrometer methods to confirm hermetic or pressure-tight assemblies meet specified leak-rate limits.

Helium Leak Testing

Calibrated benches tighten and verify threaded fasteners within ±4 % torque accuracy in compliance with ISO 6789.

Torque Verification (ISO 6789)

Provides ESD-safe or rust-inhibitor packaging, bar-code labelling, and lot traceability documentation at final pack-out.

ESD Packaging & Traceability

Finishing, Coating & Assembly

Membership in NADCA—the primary North-American trade association dedicated to advancing the die-casting industry—grants companies and individuals access to technical resources, workforce training, industry standards, advocacy, and a network of die-casting peers that help solve operational and business challenges.

North American Die Casting Association (NADCA) Membership

AS9100D is the 2016 revision of the aerospace Quality Management System (QMS) standard. It augments ISO 9001:2015 with aerospace-specific requirements for risk-based thinking, product safety, counterfeit-parts prevention, configuration management, and stringent supplier controls to ensure the safety and reliability of aviation, space, and defense products and services.

AS9100D

A global standard for quality management systems focusing on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

ISO 9001:2015

The design, manufacturing, and integration of high‐precision components, systems, and subsystems for commercial aircraft and military platforms, with emphasis on meeting stringent certifications such as AS9100, ITAR, and MIL‐STD. Priorities include advanced materials, rigorous quality assurance, and robust engineering to ensure reliability in mission‐critical applications.

Aerospace & Defense

Thixocast, Inc. manufactures high-precision, lightweight aluminum components using semi-solid thixocasting and heat treatment for aerospace and defense applications, including aircraft structural parts and engine components, ensuring compliance with AS9100:D standards for mission-critical performance.

The design, manufacturing, and assembly of components and systems for passenger cars, commercial and off-highway vehicles, rail rolling stock, and emerging electric/Autonomous mobility platforms. High-volume production, IATF 16949 compliance, JIT supply chains, and continuous innovation ensure reliable powertrains, safety-critical systems, and cost-efficient delivery across a broad transportation landscape.

Automotive & Transportation

Thixocast, Inc. produces durable, near-net shape aluminum parts with integrated CNC machining for automotive and transportation sectors, such as EV inverter housings, suspension knuckles, and battery enclosures, enhancing vehicle performance and efficiency through lightweight design.

The development, manufacturing, and supply of precision-engineered medical systems, devices, and critical components, including diagnostic equipment, surgical instruments, implantable devices, laboratory systems, and precision medical components. Emphasizes adherence to ISO 13485 and FDA QSR standards, traceability requirements, sterile processing, rigorous validation, and use of biocompatible materials such as titanium, stainless steel, and medical-grade polymers to ensure patient safety and clinical effectiveness across global healthcare settings.

Medical Devices & Healthcare Equipment

Thixocast, Inc. supplies precision-machined aluminum components for medical devices and healthcare equipment, including surgical instruments and diagnostic systems, leveraging biocompatible materials and stringent quality controls to meet industry standards.

The design and production of large‐scale machinery, automation systems, and heavy equipment for industrial applications, where reliability and performance are paramount. Adherence to ISO, ANSI, and other applicable standards supports continuous operation under high‐stress conditions, with custom‐engineered systems often required.

Industrial Machinery & Heavy Equipment

Thixocast, Inc. fabricates robust, high-integrity aluminum parts for industrial machinery and heavy equipment, utilizing semi-solid thixocasting and precision machining to deliver components such as housings and brackets that withstand harsh operational environments.

The fabrication, assembly, and outfitting of marine‐grade components and integrated systems for commercial vessels, naval ships, ferries, and offshore platforms. Emphasis is placed on advanced welding, corrosion‐resistant materials, and propulsion solutions that comply with certifications such as ABS and DNV, ensuring performance in demanding maritime environments.

Marine & Shipbuilding

Thixocast, Inc. manufactures corrosion-resistant, precision aluminum components for marine and shipbuilding applications, including engine parts and structural fittings, ensuring durability and performance in challenging saltwater environments.

The design, fabrication, and assembly of diverse products across multiple end‐use industries or specialized, project‐based needs. Emphasis is on versatility, custom solutions, and broad expertise to handle unique or varied manufacturing projects outside of more narrowly defined sectors.

General Manufacturing

Thixocast, Inc. offers versatile design, fabrication, and assembly services for a broad range of manufacturing projects, delivering custom semi-solid thixocast aluminum parts with integrated machining and finishing to meet diverse client specifications.

Thixocast’s semi-solid aluminum thixocasting line combines in-house billet casting, four 400-ton cells, T6 solution-aging furnaces, and 3/4-axis CNC machining to deliver pore-free, near-net parts that outperform high-pressure die casting (HPDC). From its 31 000-ft² Lakewood, CO plant—certified to AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015—Thixocast supplies aerospace, defense, EV, medical, marine, and industrial OEMs. Integrated DFM support, on-site tooling, and managed anodize, powder-coat, and plating services provide turnkey, ready-to-install components with repeat-order lead times of just four weeks.

The 31,000-ft Lakewood headquarters integrates billet casting, four semi-solid die-casting presses, CNC machining, heat-treat furnaces, and AS9100-certified inspection, ½ mile from I-70 and 30 min to Denver International Airport, enabling rapid inbound materials and outbound shipments.

Lakewood Headquarters & Plant

AS9100D-certified semi-solid aluminum thixocasting with in-house billet casting, heat treatment, CNC machining, and turnkey finishing for aerospace, EV, medical, and industrial OEMs.

Thixocast

Semi-Solid Aluminum Thixocasting & Machining

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