Abstract: A metal alloy is heated to a molten state and then poured into a shallow shot chamber defined by a shot sleeve and a shot piston of a vertical die cast press. A homogenizing member having L-shape arms projecting outwardly from a vertical shaft is inserted into the molten metal, and the shaft and arms are simultaneously rotated and orbited by a six axes robot for moving more solidified semi-solid metal cooled by the shot sleeve and shot piston into a more liquified semi-solid metal within a central portion of the shot chamber to form a homogenizing slurry. The force required to move the homogenizing member is used to determine the solid fraction of the slurry and to stop the homogenizing process after a predetermined force is detected. A hydraulic cylinder actuates the piston to transfer the semi-solid slurry upwardly from the shot chamber into a die cavity.

Abstract: High frequency vibrations of a boring bar cutting tip are minimized by use of a damping sandwich of plural layers of steel and plural alternate layers of viscoelastic solid material. This damping sandwich is placed at a joint in the machine tool between the cutting tip and a tool mounting area, and is shown as being provided between a mounting face of a tool mounting block and a mounting area. The damping sandwich permits greater depth of cut, with greater inches per revolution of chip removal without any chatter for improved metal removal.