| CPC B22D 19/02 (2013.01) [B22D 18/02 (2013.01); B22D 19/0081 (2013.01); B22D 21/04 (2013.01)] | 6 Claims |

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1. A method for producing a metal matrix composite having a near-net shape, the method comprising:
molding a reinforcing material-molded or filled body having a near-net shape of the metal matrix composite and pores, in a metal mold having a cavity therein that corresponds to the near-net shape of the metal matrix composite, with a reinforcing material, the reinforcing material comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of ceramic particles, graphite particles, and metal particles, thereby forming a combined-use metal mold including the reinforcing material-molded or filled body;
pre-heating the combined-use metal mold including the reinforcing material-molded or filled body;
placing the pre-heated combined-use metal mold including the reinforcing material-molded or filled body in an outer shell metal mold; and
casting a matrix material and the reinforcing material by filling a molten matrix material into the pores of the reinforcing material-molded or filled body that is placed in the combined-use metal mold having a near-net shape and being placed in the outer shell metal mold, thereby obtaining the metal matrix composite as a resulting casted product, wherein the cavity of the mold having the near-net shape has a substantially same shape as a shape of the casted product, the molten matrix material being a pure metal or an alloy and being different from the reinforcing material, wherein the pure metal is aluminum and the alloy is an aluminum alloy,
wherein the metal mold having a near-net shape used in the molding of the reinforcing material-molded or filled body is further used as the combined-use metal mold, in the pre-heating, the placing, and the casting in the method.
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