272 Mamuyfacturing Processe

POwDERS

METAL
OF
PRODuCTION

of almost
almost all
7.2
7.2 consisti
sting of metal and
cturing proces sometime allinochude
ysyS ate
powders
of m e t a l
manufactu
The
A v a s t range

in powder
metallurgy.

metals as
well a s
self
gbearings
1f llubricating
are.
opper and udes
kel, stainless cs
cerami
utilized used
ofboth
powder
mixture

metallurgy,
the powders
commonly

les the powders of

includes
base and i
In powder the list and other ss sted,
base
materials.
However,

titanium
metals, alloys
of
aluminum

etc. Following
are the n refractory
chromium,
asbestos
and graphite
including these powders:
for producing
utilized
materials.ittle
for brittle materi

This process
is employed
ay be used for ied moving
1. Crushing:
hammers, jaw
crushers or
gyratory
c r u s h e d (may
be
mnay
crushers

ious ferrous.
vario
mataon-fe
shing bit ie
The
material being a Sufficiently brittle
materials.
to o b t a i n hatca
alloys) that
can be
heat treated
form. The powders
thus obtained by
Proess this process nbe
easily
crushed to a powder
are
ently reduced
subsequentiy powder the requirare
r e d u c e d to powder of
which
of angular shape,
fineness by milling
2. Machining: This method is mainly employed for producing
rate filings,
magnesi.
turnin and
sium
a and
the process is used to generate filines.
beryllium particles. Initially, pulverized by crushing and millinng. The
subsequently
chips etc which
are
this technique firregular
a r e of irregular shape. The me
The methoi
by
powder particles gernerated
finds limited applications.
being highly expensive,
is poured throuch,
molten metal
a fine stream of
3. Slotting: In this process, method is applicable to mos
water to produce spherical particles. The
sieve into Ihis may be followed by
of particles is usually large.
of the metals but the size The powders produced by this
mechanical m e a n s to
achieve finer particles.
lead and zinc.
method are of aluminium,
method widely used or
This is the most important
4. Mechanical pulverization: consists of breaking
of fineness. It
producing powders of the required grade and through ball mils,
down metal into small particles by crushing
impact
etc. It involves the application of impact force on the
crushers and stampers its
material being powdered. This process
is best suited for brittle materials.
finenes
with a degree of
also utilized for malleable and ductile metals. Particles
of the order of 0.001 mm can be generated with this method.
olyte
5. Electrolysis: In this technique, the metal plates are placed in a tank of e e h e
of an acid solution. These metals (whose powder is required) act asano ch
High
other metal plates are also placed in the same tank to act as cathoce
plates
electric current produces a powdery deposit on the cathodes. The catu tion
are taken
and out from
then dried. thedrying,
After tank, washed with is
the deposit water to remove
scraped the electrolyteso
off, milled and w d e d for
ized
rs for
of
rsof

grain size. The electrolysis process generates fine and the puiverycosty cOstly

metal like copper, silver, zinc, iron and titanium but the technique 1s V