Powder Forming
At the Industrial Materials Institute (IMI) of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC),
the Powder Forming Group working on the formulation and forming of materials using
metallic and ceramic powders, polymers and their composites is concentrating its efforts in
the following areas:
ƒ The development of new powder formulations in
order to develop new materials or materials that
offer better performance
ƒ The development or improvement of forming
processes for powder-based materials
ƒ The characterization of powders, powder mixes
and parts moulded from powders
The three primary steps in
powder metallurgy
Industrial Applications
Material forming processes based on powders, or
more specifically, powder metallurgy processes,
permit the production of finished products with the
minimum amount of steps, notably by limiting the
number of machining stages, which normally result
in lower production costs. These processes also
allow materials having unique properties to be
obtained, and which cannot be obtained from other
processes.
ƒ Powder metallurgy is used in various industrial
sectors:
ƒ Automobile industry (motors, gear assemblies,
brake pads)
ƒ Abrasives (polishing and grinding wheels)
ƒ Manufacturing (cutting and drilling tools)
ƒ Electric and magnetic devices (magnets, soft
magnetic cores)
ƒ Medical and dental (implants, prostheses,
amalgams)
ƒ Aerospace (motors, heat shields, structural parts)
ƒ Welding (solder, electrodes)
ƒ Energy (electrodes, fuel cells)
ƒ Other (porous filters, sporting goods)
Expertise
The Powder Forming Group is comprised of
researchers and technical officers who have
multidisciplinary expertise in metallurgy and
polymer engineering, as well as in chemistry
and applied physics.

Example of parts manufactured by powder metallurgy

a) steel gear and b) green machined steel sprockets
R&D Activities
Over the past few years, activities have been concentrated
on the formulation and forming of various types of materials intended
for a wide range of applications, such as metal parts (Fe, Al and stainless
steel) for the automobile industry, soft magnetic composites for the
manufacture of electromagnetic devices, diamond tools for drilling, brake
pads, etc. An important part of the activities are concentrated on the
development of metal powder mixes using additives, binders and lubricants
in order to improve the flow and limit powder segregation and dusting,
ease the forming process and improve the performance of parts formed
by compaction.
The group is also pursuing research on the formulation and forming of
metallic and ceramic parts based on powder injection and
microinjection moulding for applications in biomedical (implants and
medical devices) and other sectors.

The group has also

R&D activities on the
formulation and fabrication of
porous materials using a
patented innovative process for Aluminium powder mixture before and
the manufacture of low-density after agglomeration treatment
metallic foams, with open
porosity and high specific surface. These new materials are
primarily intended for the electrochemical industry (porous
electrodes, catalytic agent base, batteries, etc.), but also for the
manufacture of membrane supports, heat exchangers, sound
barrier structures, filters, and biomedical implants.

Moreover, the team helps companies working in the powder

metallurgy sector and start-up companies with their R&D
research projects.

Parts and microstructure of metallic foam

Facilities and Equipment
IMI has various types of equipment, some of which are
unique in Canada. Using this equipment, the team develops
new materials and perfects and develops powder forming
processes. Some of this equipment include:

ƒ Mixers, mixer-agitators, agglomerators and atomizer-

dryers

ƒ Powder characterization systems: flow, particle size,

apparent density, chemical and thermal analyses (TGA,
DSC and DTA), optical and electron microscopy

ƒ Instrumented laboratory compaction presses (cold

isostatic, 100 T hydraulic)

ƒ Instrumented 150T industrial mechanical press equipped

with a heating system for warm compaction, and an
automatic die wall lubrication system

ƒ Dynamic magnetic compaction press

ƒ Powder injection and microinjection moulding presses

ƒ Vacuum, hydrogen and tubular sintering

furnaces (T < 1,500ºC)
150 T fully instrumented industrial press
ƒ Mechanical characterization equipment
(tension, bending, compression, impact)

ƒ DC-AC low and high frequency magnetic characterization

equipment

ƒ Characterization equipment for electrical and thermal

properties

Microinjection moulding press

 Aerial view of the Industrial Materials Institute’s facilities at Boucherville, Quebec.

Collaborating with Industry Technology Transfer

IMI’s powder metallurgy facilities and equipment Through R&D projects and pre-competitive
includes some of the most unique industrial R&D research, IMI works with companies and helps
tools in Canada, and are available to conduct them in a progressive technology transfer process.
specialized service projects and research in To learn more about these and other technologies,
collaboration with industry partners. Basic and you are invited to contact IMI representatives.
applied studies can be conducted thanks to the
availability of equipment and the expertise of a
multidisciplinary team. The type of collaboration
available to partners is adapted to the special
operational conditions and technical risks
involved.

Industrial Materials Institute

National Research Council Canada
75 de Mortagne Blvd.
Boucherville, Québec, J4B 6Y4
Internet: www.imi.cnrc-nrc.gc.ca

Dr. Sylvain Pelletier

Group Leader, Powder Forming
Tel. : (450) 641-5239
Fax : (450) 641-5105
E-mail : Sylvain.Pelletier@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca

Ce document est également offert en français

May 31, 2005