Metal Powder Processing

ver. 1

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Powder Compaction and Sintering

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Powder-Metallurgy
gy
(a)

(b)

(c)

(a) Examples of typical parts made by powderpowder

metallurgy processes. (b) Upper trip lever for a
commercial irrigation sprinkler, made by P/M.
This part is made of unleaded brass alloy; it
replaces a die-cast part, with a 60% savings.
Source: Reproduced with permission from
Success Stories on P/M Parts, 1998. Metal
Powder Industries Federation, Princeton, New
Jersey, 1998. (c) Main-bearing powder metal
caps for 3.8 and 3.1 liter General Motors
automotive engines.
engines Source: Courtesy of Zenith
Sintered Products, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering
Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Typical Applications for Metal

Powders
Application
Abrasives
Aerospace
Automotive
Electrical/electronic
Heat treating
Joining
Lubrication
Magnetic
Manufacturing
Medical/dental
Metallurgical
Nuclear
Office equipment
Source: R. M. German.

Metals
Fe, Sn, Zn
Al, Be, Nb
Cu, Fe, W
Ag, Au, Mo
Mo, Pt, W
Cu, Fe, Sn
Cu,, Fe,, Zn
Co, Fe, Ni
Cu, Mn, W
Ag, Au, W
Al Ce,
Al,
Ce Si
Be, Ni, W
Al, Fe, Ti

Uses
Cleaning, abrasive wheels
Jet engines, heat shields
Valve inserts, bushings, gears
Contacts, diode heat sinks
Furnace elements, thermocouples
Solders, electrodes
Greases,, abradable seals
Relays, magnets
Dies, tools, bearings
Implants, amalgams
Metal recovery
recovery, alloying
Shielding, filters, reflectors
Electrostatic copiers, cams

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Making Powder-Metallurgy
Powder Metallurgy Parts

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Powder Processing
Cold compaction
p
and sintering
g
Pressing
Rolling
g
Extrusion
Injection molding
Isostatic pressing

Hot Isostatic Pressing

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Powder Pressing
g
Punch

Die

Part

Punch

Dual action press

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering
Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Compaction
p
(a) Compaction of metal powder
to form a bushing. The pressed
ppowder ppart is called ggreen
compact. (b) Typical tool and
die set for compacting a spur
gear. Source: Metal Powder
Industries Federation.

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Mechanical Press
A 7.3 MN (825 ton)
mechanical press for
compacting metal
powder. Source:
Courtesy of Cincinnati
Incorporated.

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Powder Rolling

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

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Powder Extrusion

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

11

Cold Isostatic Pressing

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

12

Hot Isostatic Pressing

g

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

13

Hot Isostatic Pressing

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

14

Particle Shapes
p in Metal Powders

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

15

Powder Particles
(a)

(b)

(a) Scanning-electron-microscopy
Scanning electron microscopy photograph of iron-powder
iron powder particles made by atomization.
atomization (b)
Nickel-based superalloy (Udimet 700) powder particles made by the rotating electrode process; see Fig.
17.5b. Source: Courtesy of P. G. Nash, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago.

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

16

Atomization and Mechanical Comminution

Methods
M
th d off metal-powder
t l
d
production by atomization; (a)
melt atomization; (b) atomization
with a rotating consumable
electrode.

Methods of mechanical
comminution, to obtain fine
particles: (a) roll crushing, (b) ball
mill, and (c) hammer milling.

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

17

Compacting Pressures for Various

Metal Powders
Metal
Aluminum
Brass
Bronze
Iron
Tantalum
Tungsten
Other materials
Aluminum oxide
Carbon
Cemented carbides
Ferrites

Pressure
P
(MPa)
70275
400700
200275
350800
70140
70 140
70140
110140
140165
140400
110165

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

18

Sintering
g
Schematic illustration of two mechanisms for sintering metal powders: (a) solid-state material
transport; (b) liquid-phase material transport. R = particle radius, r = neck radius, and = neck
profile radius.

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

19

Sintering
g

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

20

Sintering Temperature and Time for

Various Metals
Material
Copper, brass, and bronze
Iron and iron
iron-graphite
graphite
Nickel
Stainless steels
Alnico alloys
y
(for permanent magnets)
Ferrites
Tungsten carbide
M l bd
Molybdenum
Tungsten
Tantalum

Temperature
T
t
( C)
760900
1000 1150
10001150
10001150
11001290
12001300

Time
Ti
(Min)
1045
8 45
845
3045
3060
120150

12001500
14301500
2050
2350
2400

10600
2030
120
480
480

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

21

Sintering Problems
Voids

Incomplete fusion

vs.

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

22

Density Effects
(a) Density of copper- and iron-powder compacts as a function of compacting pressure. Density greatly
influences the mechanical and physical properties of P/M parts. Source: F. V. Lenel, Powder Metallurgy:
Principles and Applications.
Applications Princeton,
Princeton NJ; Metal Powder Industries Federation
Federation, 1980.
1980 (b) Effects of density
on tensile strength, elongation, and electrical conductivity of copper powder. IACS means International
Annealed Copper Standard for electrical conductivity.

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

23

Density Variations in
Dies
Density variation in compacting metal powders in various dies: (a) and (c) single-action press; (b) and (d)
d bl
double-action
ti press. N
Note
t in
i (d) th
the greater
t uniformity
if
it off ddensity,
it ffrom pressing
i with
ith two
t punches
h with
ith
separate movements, compared with (c). (e) Pressure contours in compacted copper powder in a singleaction press. Source: P. Duwez and L. Zwell.

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

24

Capabilities Available from P/M

Operations

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

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Mechanical Property Comparison for Ti-6Al-4V

Ti 6Al 4V

Yield
Ultimate
Density strength strength Elongation Reduction of
Process(*)
(%)
(MPa)
(MPa)
(%)
area (%)
Cast
100
840
930
7
15
Cast and forged
100
875
965
14
40
Blended elemental (P+S)
98
786
875
8
14
Blended elemental (HIP)
> 99
805
875
9
17
Prealloyed (HIP)
100
880
975
14
26
(*) P+S = pressed and sintered, HIP = hot isostatically pressed.
Source: R.M. German.

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

26

Rules for
P/M Parts

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

27

Forged and P/M Titanium Parts and

Potential Cost Saving
Weight (kg)
Part
F 14 Fuselage brace
F-14
F-18 Engine mount support
F-18 Arrestor hook support fitting
F-14 Nacelle frame

Forged
billet
28
2.8
7.7
79.4
143

P/M
11
1.1
2.5
25.0
82

Final
part
08
0.8
0.5
12.9
24.2

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Potential
cost
saving
(%)
50
20
25
50

28

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

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