ISSN:
1662-9779
Source:
Scientific.Net: Materials Science & Technology / Trans Tech Publications Archiv 1984-2008
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
The birth of Semi-Solid Metal Forming (SSM) or as it has now come to be widely known,Thixoforming, is a typical case of development of a technological innovation. Serendipity, stroke ofluck, call it what you may, the beginning of SSM is based on an almost accidental discovery by astudent carrying out a series of meticulous experiments.On the one hand, some technological failures have contributed to the lack of success across the boardfor SSM technologies. On the other hand, the ‘long childhood’ of the resulting technology or theprocess of moving from ‘Innovative Idea to Market' has been largely the result of difficult and inhindsight sometimes wrong managerial decisions, occasional personality clashes, patent rights and attimes unavoidable all out business 'warfare'. Of course, hindsight is beautiful but unfortunately italways comes after the event. However, if one looks carefully at some of the notable successes ofSSM forming one can discern that the problems were more on the human scale; people failures ratherthan technology failures.This paper aims to bring out some of these points by outlining the historical development ofThixoforming
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://www.tib-hannover.de/fulltexts/2011/0528/02/24/transtech_doi~10.4028%252Fwww.scientific.net%252FSSP.141-143.1.pdf
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