OTHER PRESSING AND SINTERING

METHODS FOR METALLIC POWDER

ALTERNATIVES TO PRESSING AND SINTERING

■ Conventional press and sinter sequence is the most widely used

shaping technology in powder metallurgy

■ Additional methods for processing PM parts include:

■ Slip Casting
■ Cold Isostatic Pressing
■ Hot Isostatic Pressing
■ Powder Extrusion
■ Injection Molding
■ Powder Rolling
SLIP CASTING
SLIP CASTING
 SLIP CASTING

■ Green compacts of tungsten, molybdenum, are made by this

process.

■ A slurry mixture with metal powder is made.

■ Plaster of Paris is poured.

■ As mold is porous so the liquid drains off leaving a solid layer of

material on the surface.

■ For hollow objects, upon drying green compacts are sintered.

 ISOSTATIC PRESSING

■ High pressures are used during compacting.

■ Isostatic pressing means the pressure exerted is constant.

■ Hydrostatic pressing means the pressure exerting medium is liquid.

■ In Isostatic pressing, the powder is sealed in an elastic mould and is

subjected to the hydrostatic pressure.

■ Two types of Isostatic molding are there

❑ (A) Cold Isostatic Pressing

❑ (B) Hot Isostatic Pressing
 COLD ISOSTATIC PRESSING

■ The powder is enclosed in a flexible container around a solid core

rod. Pressure is applied iso-statically to the assembly inside a
high-pressure chamber.
COLD ISOSTATIC PRESSING
COLD ISOSTATIC PRESSING
 COLD ISOSTATIC PRESSING (CIP)

■ CIP is a process in which powder materials are pressed at room

temperature.

■ It is the most important compaction method in powder metallurgy.

■ Metal powder is placed in a rubber mold.

■ It is then pressurized hydrostatically in a chamber with pressure up

to 400 MPa & then sintered.
 HOT ISOSTATIC PRESSING

■ The sintered (but still porous) part is then pressed Isostatically at high
temperature without any can (mold).
 HOT ISOSTATIC PRESSING

■ Schematic illustration of hot isostatic pressing. The pressure and

temperature variation vs.time are shown in the diagram
HOT ISOSTATIC PRESSING
 HOT ISOSTATIC PRESSING
■ HIP involves Isostatic pressing at elevated temperatures.

■ As a pressure medium a gas (Argon) is used.

■ The work pressures, which are applied in the hot Isostatic pressing
method, are commonly b/w 100 MPa to 300 MPa.

■ HIP combines pressing and sintering, causing consolidation of powder

particles, healing voids and pores.

■ The part shrinks and densifies, forming sound high strength structure.
ISOSTATIC PRESS
 ISOSTATIC PRESSING SUMMARY
■ Cold Isostatic Pressing - Compaction performed at room
temperature
■ Hot Isostatic Pressing - Performed at high temperatures and
pressures
POWDER METALLURGY MANUFACTURING
SUMMARY USING HOT ISOSTATIC PROCESS
 POWDER EXTRUSION
■ Powders are placed in vacuum tight sheet can, heated and extruded
with container
 POWDER EXTRUSION
■ The powder can be extruded within a container or after being formed
into billets using conventional compaction and sintering
 POWDER ROLLING

■ Powder is compressed in a rolling mill to form a strip

POWDER ROLLING
 METAL INJECTION MOLDING
■ The powder is mixed with a binder and molded, and the binder is
removed before sintering
 METAL INJECTION MOLDING
■ The processing technology comprises the following stages:
■ Mixing the fine metallic powder with 30% - 40% of a binder – low melt
polymer.

■ Injection of the warm powder with molten binder into the mold by means of
the screw.

■ Removal of the part from the mold after cooling down of the mixture.

■ De-binding – removal of the binder. There are two de-binding methods:

❑ solvent debinding – the binder is dissolved by a solvent or by water;

❑ thermal debinding – the binder is heated above the volatilization

temperature.

■ Sintering the “green” compact

 FINISHING OPERATIONS

Finishing operations include:

■ Machining

■ Heat Treatment

■ Calibration

■ Infiltration

■ Oil Impregnation

■ Sizing and Coining

■ Joining
 MACHINING
■ Wherever possible final machining operations are avoided to reduce
costs.

■ However there are features, such as re-entrant angles and cross holes,
that cannot be developed in the pressed component and must be
produced by machining, usually after final sintering.

■ In some cases, where the fully sintered material is too strong to

machine economically, the part is pre-sintered to give some strength,
machined and then fully sintered to fully develop the properties.

■ Where possible the material composition is altered to enhance its

machine ability.
 HEAT TREATMENT

■ Powder metallurgy components are usually heat treated, to develop

the desired mechanical properties.

■ However, it is important to remember that there is interconnected

porosity in the components and that any gaseous process could well
affect the core of the material as well as the external surface.

■ The usual processes of carburizing, nitro-carburizing, carbo-nitriding,

etc can be carried out to provide hardened surfaces.

■ Heat treatment induces considerable corrosion resistance, increased

hardness, increased resistance to compressive strength, and
improved wear resistance.
 CALIBRATION

■ During calibration the sintered component is repressed in a calibration

tool similar to the pressing tool at pressures of 60 to 80 kN/cm2.

■ This improves the mechanical properties through strain hardening, in

addition to the dimensional accuracy and surface quality.

■ Especially softer materials can be improved significantly through

calibration.
 INFILTRATION

■ Infiltration is a secondary process step used to either improve

strength or seal parts and make them gas- or liquid-tight. e.g.
copper-based alloys infiltrate ferrous parts, usually during the
sintering phase.

■ Infiltration makes the components impermeable and there is some

increase in mechanical properties, but at expense of dimensional
accuracy.

■ Infiltration simplifies some heat treatments.

■ For instance, it is easier to obtain a defined case depth without

interconnected porosity.
 OIL IMPREGNATION

■ Sintered parts achieve greater protection against corrosion by being

impregnated by oil or other non-metallic material.

■ Self-lubricating bearings are manufactured by impregnating porous

sintered bearings with lubricants and these bearings can only be
produced by powder metallurgy.

■ Through oil impregnation, used on PM self-lubricating bearing

components, components can absorb 12% –30% oil by volume.

■ Oil impregnation can also be performed on PM components to

improve machine ability or to prepare the surface for plating.
 Metal
OIL IMPREGNATED PRODUCTS filters

Oil-impregnated Porous Bronze

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Bearings

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 SIZING AND COINING

■ Sizing and coining are additional press operations after sintering.

■ The main objective is to improve the dimensional accuracy, but the

surface finish is also normally improved.

■ Quite moderate pressures are normally required for sizing, since only
a slight plastic deformation is necessary.

■ Coining has a double purpose.

■ Not only is dimensional accuracy improved, but the use of higher

pressures also increases the density of the part.

■ Normally, a press tool specific to the task of sizing or coining is used.

FINISHING OPERATIONS SUMMARY
 PRODUCTION/ECONOMIC GUIDELINES FOR PM
■ Economics usually require large quantities to justify cost of
equipment and special tooling
❑ Minimum quantities of 10,000 units are suggested

■ PM is unique in its capability to fabricate parts with a controlled level

of porosity
❑ Porosities up to 50% are possible

■ PM can be used to make parts out of unusual metals and alloys ‑

materials that are difficult if not impossible to produce by other
means
 DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR PM PARTS -
■ Part geometry must permit ejection from die

❑ Part must have vertical or near vertical sides, although steps are
allowed

❑ Design features like holes and undercuts on part sides must be

avoided

❑ Vertical undercuts and holes are permissible because they do not

interfere with ejection

❑ Vertical holes can have cross-sectional shapes other than round

without significant difficulty
 SIDE HOLES AND UNDERCUTS

■ Part features to be avoided in PM: side holes and (b) side

undercuts since part ejection is impossible.
 CHAMFERS AND CORNER RADII

■ Chamfers and corner radii are accomplished but certain rules

should be observed: (a) avoid acute angles; (b) larger angles
preferred for punch rigidity; (c) inside radius is desirable; (d) avoid
full outside corner radius because punch is fragile at edge; (e)
problem solved by combining radius and chamfer.
PM COMPARISON WITH OTHER MANUFACTURING
PROCESS
POWDER METALLURGY: CONNECTING RODS

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Forged on left; P/M on right

POWDER METALLURGY: TRANSMISSION GEAR

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▪ Warm compaction method with 1650-ton press
▪ Teeth are molded net shape: No machining
▪ UTS = 155,000 psi
▪ 30% cost savings over the original forged part
POWDER METALLURGY: TURBINE BLADE-DISK
PM SUMMARY