10/8/2020
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UME 505: MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO
POWDER METALLURGY
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What is Powder Metallurgy
• Powder Metallurgy is the name given to a process where
metallic powders are heated below their melting temperatures
to achieve bonding.
• It involves that metal or alloy powders are compacted into
desired shape, and then heated in a controlled atmosphere at a
temperature below the melting point to achieve the bonding of
the particles to get the desired properties.
• This process enables to produce parts in their final shape
eliminating the need for additional machining. It is also
possible to produce parts with unique properties.
UME 505: MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
Introduction to Sintering
• Sintering is defined as “The thermal treatment of a powder or
compact at a temperature below the melting point of the main
constituent, for the purpose of increasing its strength by
bonding together of the particles”.
• Types of Sintering:
Solid state sintering: Only solid phases are present at
the sinter temperature.
Liquid phase sintering: Small amounts of liquid phase
are present during sintering.
Reactive sintering: Particles react with each other to
new product phases.
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Important Parameters in Sintering
• Powder preparation:
• Particle size
• Shape Some parameters, such as the
• Size distribution sintering temperature,
applied pressure, average
• Powder Consolidation: particle size and atmosphere
• Density can be controlled with
• Pore size distribution sufficient accuracy
Powder characteristics and
• Firing: particle packing are more
• Heating rate difficult to control but have a
• Temperature significant effect on sintering
• Applied pressure
• Atmosphere
UME 505: MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
Sintering by Powder Metallurgy Process
• Blending or mixing: This is done to make a homogeneous
mass with uniform distribution of particle size and
composition. Powders are made by different processes
generally have different sizes and shapes. Mixing is generally
carried out in air or inert gases to avoid oxidation.
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• Powder compaction: Application of high pressure to the
powder to bring them into the required shape. Powders are
pressed into the desired shape and size in dies using a hydraulic
or mechanical press. Pressed powder is known as “green
compact”.
• Sintering: Heat treatment to bond the metallic particles, thereby
increasing strength and hardness. Usually carried out at
between 70% and 90% of the metal's melting point (absolute
scale). Transforms compacted mechanical bonds to much
stronger metal bonds.
UME 505: MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
Fabrication of Pallets through Powder
Metallurgy
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Stages of Sintering
There are three distinguishable stages in sintering
• First Stage: After burn out of any organic additives, two things
happen to the powder particles when the mobility of the surface
atoms has become high enough; initially rough surface of the
particles is smoothed and neck formation occurs.
UME 505: MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
• Second Stage: Densification and pore
shrinkage. If grain boundaries are
formed after the first stage, these are
new source of atoms for filling up the
concave areas which diminishes the
outer surface of the particle.
• Third Stage: Grain growth takes
place, the pores break up and form
closed spherical bubbles.
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Mechanisms of Sintering
Six mechanisms can contribute to the sintering of a consolidated
mass of crystalline particles:
• Surface diffusion
• Lattice diffusion from the surface
• Vapor transport
• Grain boundary diffusion
• Lattice diffusion from the grain boundary
• Plastic flow
UME 505: MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
What Happens During Sintering?
• Atomic diffusion takes place and the welded areas formed during
compaction grow until eventually they may be lost completely.
• Recrystallisation and grain growth may follow, and the pores tend
to become rounded and the total porosity, as a percentage of the
whole volume tends to decrease.
• In the pressing operation the powder particles are brought
together and deformed at the points of contact.
• At elevated temperature, “the sintering temperature” the atoms
can move more easily and quickly migrate along the particle
surfaces (the technical term is Diffusion).
• At the sintering temperature, new crystallites form at the points of
contact so that the original inter-particle boundaries disappear, or
become recognizable merely as grain boundaries (This process is
called Recrystallisation).
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• The total internal surface area of the pressed body is
reduced by sintering. Neck-like junctions are formed
between adjacent particles as can be seen on the adjoining
scanning electron micrograph.
UME 505: MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
Advantages of Powder Metallurgy
• Virtually unlimited choice of alloys, composites, and
associated properties. Refractory materials are popular by this
process.
• Absence of segregated particles and inclusions (as often
occurs in melt processes).
• No requirement for deformation to produce directional
elongation of grains.
• Can be very economical at large run sizes (100,000 parts).
• Long term reliability through close control of dimensions and
physical properties.
• Wide latitude of shape and design
• Very good material utilization
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Limitations and Disadvantages
• High tooling and equipment costs.
• Metallic powders are expensive and also there are problems
in storing and handling metal powders.
• Degradation over time, fire hazards with certain metals
• Because of presence of residual porosity, mechanical
properties are inferior compared to casted parts.
• Limitations on part geometry because metal powders do not
readily flow laterally in the die during pressing.
• Variations in density throughout part may be a problem,
especially for complex geometries.
UME 505: MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
• Rao, P.N., Manufacturing Technology Volume 1, McGraw Hill
Education (India) Private Ltd.
• Groover, M.P., Principles of Modern Manufacturing, John Wiley
and Sons (2011).
• Kalpakjian, S. and Schmid, S.R., Manufacturing Engineering and
Technology, 4th ed., Pearson Education (2001).
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THANK YOU
UME 505: MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
