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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powder_metallurgy
Powder metallurgy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Powder metallurgy is the process of blending fine powdered materials, pressing them into a desired shape or form (compacting), and then heating the compressed material in a controlled atmosphere to bond the material (sintering). The powder metallurgy process generally consists of four basic steps: powder manufacture, powder blending, compacting, and sintering. Compacting is generally performed at room temperature, and the elevatedtemperature process of sintering is usually conducted at atmospheric pressure. Optional Iron powder secondary processing often follows to obtain special properties or enhanced precision.[1] The use of powder metal technology, bypasses the need manufacture the resulting products by metal removal processes thereby reducing costs. Two main techniques used to form and consolidate the powder are sintering and metal injection molding. Recent developments have made it possible to use rapid manufacturing techniques which use metal powder for the products. Because with this technique the powder is melted and not sintered, better mechanical strength can be accomplished.
Contents
1 History and capabilities 2 Powder production techniques 2.1 Sponge iron process 2.2 Atomization 2.3 Centrifugal disintegration 2.4 Other techniques 3 Powder compaction 3.1 Die Pressing 3.2 Design considerations 3.3 Isostatic pressing 4 Isostatic powder compacting 4.1 Equipment 4.2 Geometrical Possibilities 4.3 Tool style 4.4 Hot isostatic pressing 4.5 Cold isostatic pressing 4.6 Design Considerations 5 Sintering 6 Continuous powder processing 7 Shock (Dynamic) Consolidation 8 Special products 9 See also
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In tonnage terms, the production of iron powders for PM structural part production dwarfs the production of all of the non-ferrous metal powders combined. Virtually all iron powders are produced by one of two processes: The sponge Iron Process or Water Atomisation.
Atomization
Atomization is accomplished by forcing a molten metal stream through an orifice at moderate pressures. A gas is introduced into the metal stream just before it leaves the nozzle, serving to create turbulence as the entrained gas expands (due to heating) and exits into a large collection volume exterior to the orifice. The collection volume is filled with gas to promote further turbulence of the molten metal jet. On Earth, air and powder streams are segregated using gravity or cyclonic separation. Most atomised powders are annealed, which helps reduce the oxide and carbon content. The water atomized particles are smaller, cleaner, and nonporous and have a greater breadth of size, which allows better compacting.
Atomization are three types: 1.Liquid Atomization 2.Gas Atomization 3.Centrifugal Atomization
Simple atomization techniques are available in which liquid metal is forced through an orifice at a sufficiently high velocity to ensure turbulent flow. The usual performance index used is the Reynolds number R = fvd/n, where f = fluid density, v = velocity of the exit stream, d = diameter of the opening, and n = absolute viscosity. At low R the liquid jet oscillates, but at higher velocities the stream becomes turbulent and breaks into droplets. Pumping energy is applied to droplet formation with very low efficiency (on the order of 1%) and control over the size distribution of the metal particles produced is rather poor. Other techniques such as nozzle vibration, nozzle asymmetry, multiple impinging streams, or molten-metal injection into ambient gas are all available to increase atomization efficiency, produce finer grains, and to narrow the particle size distribution. Unfortunately, it is difficult to eject metals through orifices smaller than a few millimeters in diameter, which in practice limits the minimum size of powder grains to approximately 10 "m. Atomization also produces a wide spectrum of particle sizes, necessitating downstream classification
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Centrifugal disintegration
Centrifugal disintegration of molten particles offers one way around these problems. Extensive experience is available with iron, steel, and aluminium. Metal to be powdered is formed into a rod which is introduced into a chamber through a rapidly rotating spindle. Opposite the spindle tip is an electrode from which an arc is established which heats the metal rod. As the tip material fuses, the rapid rod rotation throws off tiny melt droplets which solidify before hitting the chamber walls. A circulating gas sweeps particles from the chamber. Similar techniques could be employed in space or on the Moon. The chamber wall could be rotated to force new powders into remote collection vessels,[6] and the electrode could be replaced by a solar mirror focused at the end of the rod. An alternative approach capable of producing a very narrow distribution of grain sizes but with low throughput consists of a rapidly spinning bowl heated to well above the melting point of the material to be powdered. Liquid metal, introduced onto the surface of the basin near the center at flow rates adjusted to permit a thin metal film to skim evenly up the walls and over the edge, breaks into droplets, each approximately the thickness of the film.[7]
Other techniques
Another powder-production technique involves a thin jet of liquid metal intersected by high-speed streams of atomized water which break the jet into drops and cool the powder before it reaches the bottom of the bin. In subsequent operations the powder is dried. This is called water atomisation. The advantage is that metal solidifies faster than by gas atomization since the heat capacity of water is some magnitudes higher, mainly a result of higher density. Since the solidification rate is inversely proportional to the particle size smaller particles can be made using water atomisation. The smaller the particles, the more homogeneous the micro structure will be. Notice that particles will have a more irregular shape and the particle size distribution will be wider. In addition, some surface contamination can occur by oxidation skin formation. Powder can be reduced by some kind of pre-consolidation treatment as annealing.used for ceramic tool.
Powder compaction
Powder compaction is the process of compacting metal powder in a die through the application of high pressures. Typically the tools are held in the vertical orientation with the punch tool forming the bottom of the cavity. The powder is then compacted into a shape and then ejected from the die cavity.[8] In a number of these applications the parts may require very little additional work for their intended use; making for very cost efficient manufacturing.
The density of the compacted powder is directly proportional to the amount of pressure applied. Typical pressures range from 80 psi to 1000 psi, pressures from 1000 psi to
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1,000,000 psi have been obtained. Pressure of 10 tons/in$ to 50 tons/in$ are commonly used for metal powder compaction. To attain the same compression ratio across a component with more than one level or height, it is necessary to work with multiple lower punches. A cylindrical workpiece is made by single-level tooling. A more complex shape can be made by the common multiple-level tooling. Production rates of 15 to 30 parts per minutes are common. There are four major classes of tool styles: single-action compaction, used for thin, flat components; opposed double-action with two punch motions, which accommodates thicker components; double-action with floating die; and double action withdrawal die. Double action classes give much better density distribution than single action. Tooling must be designed so that it will withstand the extreme pressure without deforming or bending. Tools must be made from materials that are polished and wear-resistant. Better workpiece materials can be obtained by repressing and re-sintering. Here is a table of some of the obtainable properties. Typical workpiece materials Workpiece material Iron Low alloy steel Alloyed steel Stainless steel Bronze Brass Density (grams/cc) 5.2 to 7.0 6.3 to 7.4 6.8 to 7.4 6.3 to 7.6 5.5 to 7.5 7.0 to 7.9 Yield strength (psi) 5.1*103 to 2.3*104 1.5*104 to 2.9*104 2.6*104 to 8.4*104 3.6*104 to 7.3*104 1.1*104 to 2.9*104 1.1*104 to 2.9*104 Tensile strength (psi) Hardness (HB)
2.9*104 to 9.4*104 60 and up 4.4*104 to 8.7*104 60 and up 1.5*104 to 4.4*104 50 to 70 1.6*104 to 3.5*104 60
Die Pressing
The dominant technology for the forming of products from powder materials, in terms of both tonnage quantities and numbers of parts produced, is Die Pressing. This forming technology involves a production cycle comprising: 1. Filling a die cavity with a known volume of the powder feedstock, delivered from a fill shoe 2. Compaction of the powder within the die with punches to form the compact. Generally, compaction pressure is applied through punches from both ends of the toolset in order to reduce the level of density gradient within the compact. 3. Ejection of the compact from the die, using the lower punch(es)
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4. Removal of the compact from the upper face of the die using the fill shoe in the fill stage of the next cycle. This cycle offers a readily automated and high production rate process.
Design considerations
Must be able to remove part from die. Maximum surface area below 20 square inches. Minimum wall thickness of 0.08 in. Sharp corners should be avoided. Should avoid height to diameter ratios greater than 7:1. Adjacent wall thickness ratios greater than 2.5 to 1 should be avoided. One of the major advantages of this process is its ability to produce complex geometries. Parts with undercuts and threads require a secondary machining operation. Typical part sizes range from 0.1 in$ to 20 in$. in area and from 0.1 A powder compacting press in. to 4 in. in length. However, it is possible to produce parts that are less than 0.1 in$. and larger than 25 in $. in area and from a fraction of an inch to approximately 8 in. in length.
Isostatic pressing
In some pressing operations, such as Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) compact formation and sintering occur simultaneously. This procedure, together with explosion-driven compressive techniques, is used extensively in the production of high-temperature and high-strength parts such as turbine blades for jet engines. In most applications of powder metallurgy the compact is hot-pressed, heated to a temperature above which the materials cannot remain work-hardened. Hot pressing lowers the pressures required to reduce porosity and speeds welding and grain deformation processes. It also permits better dimensional control of the product, lessens sensitivity to physical characteristics of starting materials, and allows powder to be compressed to higher densities than with cold pressing, resulting in higher strength. Negative aspects of hot pressing include shorter die life, slower throughput because of powder heating, and the frequent necessity for protective atmospheres during forming and cooling stages.
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type of powder compacting.(The following subcategories are also from this reference.)[8] This operation is generally applicable on small production quantities, as it is more costly to run due to its slow operating speed and the need for expendable tooling.poda[9] Compacting pressures range from 15,000 psi (100,000 kPa) to 40,000 psi (280,000 kPa) for most metals and approximately 2,000 psi (14,000 kPa) to 10,000 psi (69,000 kPa) for non-metals. The density of isostatic compacted parts is 5% to 10% higher than with other powder metallurgy processes.
Equipment
There are many types of equipment used in Isostatic Powder Compacting. There is the mold, which is flexible, a pressure mold that contains the mold, and the machine delivering the pressure. There are also devices to control the amount of pressure and how long the pressure is held. The machines need to apply pressures from 15,000 psi to 40,000 psi for metals.
Geometrical Possibilities
Typical workpiece sizes range from 0.25 in (6.35 mm) to 0.75 in (19.05 mm) thick and 0.5 in (12.70 mm) to 10 in (254 mm) long. It is possible to compact workpieces that are between 0.0625 in (1.59 mm) and 5 in (127 mm) thick and 0.0625 in (1.59 mm) to 40 in (1,016 mm) long.
Tool style
Isostatic tools are available in three styles, free mold (wet-bag), coarse mold(damp-bag), and fixed mold (dry-bag). The free mold style is the traditional style of isostatic compaction and is not generally used for high production work. In free mold tooling the mold is removed and filled outside the canister. Damp bag is where the mold is located in the canister, yet filled outside. In fixed mold tooling, the mold is contained within the canister, which facilitates automation of the process.
Design Considerations
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Advantages over standard powder compaction are the possibility of thinner walls and larger workpieces. Height to diameter ratio has no limitation. No specific limitations exist in wall thickness variations, undercuts, reliefs, threads, and cross holes. No lubricants are need for isostatic powder compaction. The minimum wall thickness is 0.05 inches (1.27 mm) and the product can have a weight between 40 and 300 pounds (18 and 136 kg). There is 25 to 45% shrinkage of the powder after compacting.
Sintering
Main article: Sintering Solid state sintering is the process of taking metal in the form of a powder and placing it into a mold or die. Once compacted into the mold the material is placed under a high heat for a long period of time. Under heat, bonding takes place between the porous aggregate particles and once cooled the powder has bonded to form a solid piece. Sintering can be considered to proceed in three stages. During the first, neck growth proceeds rapidly but powder particles remain discrete. During the second, most densification occurs, the structure recrystallizes and particles diffuse into each other. During the third, isolated pores tend to become spheroidal and densification continues at a much lower rate. The words Solid State in Solid State Sintering simply refer to the state the material is in when it bonds, solid meaning the material was not turned molten to bond together as alloys are formed.[10] One recently developed technique for high-speed sintering involves passing high electrical current through a powder to preferentially heat the asperities. Most of the energy serves to melt that portion of the compact where migration is desirable for densification; comparatively little energy is absorbed by the bulk materials and forming machinery. Naturally, this technique is not applicable to electrically insulating powders. To allow efficient stacking of product in the furnace during sintering and prevent parts sticking together, many manufacturers separate ware using Ceramic Powder Separator Sheets. These sheets are available in various materials such as alumina, zirconia and magnesia. They are also available in fine medium and coarse particle sizes. By matching the material and particle size to the ware being sintered, surface damage and contamination can be reduced while maximizing furnace loading.
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sheets using opposed hydraulic rams, although weakness lines across the sheet may arise during successive press operations. Powders can also be rolled to produce sheets. The powdered metal is fed into a two-high rolling mill and is compacted into strip at up to 100 feet per minute.[11] The strip is then sintered and subjected to another rolling and sintering.[12] Rolling is commonly used to produce sheet metal for electrical and electronic components as well as coins.[11] Considerable work also has been done on rolling multiple layers of different materials simultaneously into sheets. Extrusion processes are of two general types. In one type, the powder is mixed with a binder or plasticizer at room temperature; in the other, the powder is extruded at elevated temperatures without fortification. Extrusions with binders are used extensively in the preparation of tungsten-carbide composites. Tubes, complex sections, and spiral drill shapes are manufactured in extended lengths and diameters varying from 0.5&300 mm. Hard metal wires of 0.1 mm diameter have been drawn from powder stock. At the opposite extreme, large extrusions on a tonnage basis may be feasible. There appears to be no limitation to the variety of metals and alloys that can be extruded, provided the temperatures and pressures involved are within the capabilities of die materials. Extrusion lengths may range from 3&30 m and diameters from 0.2&1 m. Modern presses are largely automatic and operate at high speeds (on the order of m/s). Extrusion Temperatures Of Common Metals And Alloys Metals and alloys Temperature of extrusion, K C Aluminium and alloys Magnesium and alloys Copper Brasses Nickel brasses Cupro-nickel Nickel Monel Inconel Steels 673-773 573-673 1073&1153 923-1123 1023&1173 1173&1273 1383&1433 1373&1403 1443&1473 1323&1523 400-500 300-400 800-880 650-850 750-900 900-1000 1110&1160 1100&1130 1170&1200 1050&1250
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Special products
Many special products are possible with powder metallurgy technology. A nonexhaustive list includes Al 2O3 whiskers coated with very thin oxide layers for improved refractories; iron compacts with Al 2O3 coatings for improved high-temperature creep strength; light bulb filaments made with powder technology; linings for friction brakes; metal glasses for high-strength films and ribbons; heat shields for spacecraft reentry into Earth's atmosphere; electrical contacts for handling large current flows; magnets; microwave ferrites; filters for gases; and bearings which can be infiltrated with lubricants. Extremely thin films and tiny spheres exhibit high strength. One application of this observation is to coat brittle materials in whisker form with a submicrometre film of much softer metal (e.g., cobalt-coated tungsten). The surface strain of the thin layer places the harder metal under compression, so that when the entire composite is sintered the rupture strength increases markedly. With this method, strengths on the order of 2.8 GPa versus 550 MPa have been observed for, respectively, coated (25% Co) and uncoated tungsten carbides.
See also
Mechanical powder press Spray forming
References
1. ^ DeGarmo, p. 461 2. ^ DeGarmo, p. 460 3. ^ Sheasby, J. S. (Oct 1979). "Powder Metallurgy of Iron-Aluminum". Intern. J. Powder Metallurgy and Powder Tech. 15 (4): 301&305. 4. ^ Makhlouf, M. M.; Mould, A. M.; and Merchant, H. D. (July 1979). "Sintering of Chemically Preconditioned Tin Powder". Intern. J. Powder Metallurgy and Powder Tech. 15 (3): 231&237. 5. ^ Khan, M. K. (April 1980). "The Importance of Powder Particle Size and Flow Behavior in the Production of P/M Parts for Soft Magnetic Applications". Intern. J. Powder Metallurgy and Powder Tech. 16 (2): 123&130. 6. ^ DeGarmo, E. P. (1979). Materials and Processes in Manufacturing (5th ed.). New York: Macmillan. 7. ^ Jones, W. D. (1960). Fundamental Principles of Powder Metallurgy. London: Edward Arnold Ltd. 8. ^ a b Todd, Robert H., Allen, Dell K., Alting, Leo, "Manufacturing Processes Reference Guide", 1st Edition, Industrial Press Inc., New York 1994, ISBN 0-8311-3049-0 9. ^ http://www.pickpm.com/designcenter/isostatic.asp?locarr=2%7C1%7C2%7C2 10. ^ F. Thummler and W. Thomma, "The Sintering Process," Metallurgical Reviews No. 115, June (1967). 11. ^ a b Manufacturing Engineering and Technology fifth edition 12. ^ freepatentsonline.com 13. ^ T. Vreeland, Jr., P. Kasiraj, Thomas J. Ahrens, and R.B. Schwartz (1983). "Shock Consolidation of Poders--Theory and Experiment. Proc. 1983 Materials Research Society Meeting. 14. ^ M.A. Meyers and S.L. Wang (1988). "An Improved Method for Shock Consolidation of Powders." Acta Metall. Vol. 36 No. 4, pp 925-936.
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15. ^ Marius Vassiliou, C. G. Rhodes, M. R. Mitchell, and J. A. Graves (1989), Metastable Microstructure in Dynamically Consolidated g Titanium Aluminide,! Scripta Metallurgica 23, 1791-1794.
Further reading
An earlier version of this article was copied from Appendix 4C of Advanced Automation for Space Missions, a NASA report in the public domain. F. Thummler and R.Oberacker "An Introduction to Powder Metallurgy" The institute of Materials, London 1993
External links
Rapid manufacturing technique developed at the KU Leuven, Belgium (http://www.mech.kuleuven.be/pp/research/files /informatieblaadje_algemeen_eng.pdf) Slow motion video images of metal atomization at (http://www.ameslab.gov /mpc/video) the Ames Laboratory [1] (http://www.metal-powder.net) Metal Powder Report Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Powder_metallurgy& oldid=585961822" Categories: Metalworking Ceramic engineering This page was last modified on 13 December 2013 at 21:10. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia' is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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