POWDER METALLURGY

ABHISHEK MISHRA
2018UME4019

INTRODUCTION
Powder metallurgy may be described as an art of manufacturing commercial products from
powdered metals and alloys. It is also the technique by which finely divided metals and alloys are
compressed into a finished product, individual particles being welded together by sintering.
Products made this way exhibit properties which cannot be produced by any other way. Simple-
shaped parts can be made to size with high precision (about 0.1 mm), without waste, and
completely or almost ready for installation.

The powder metallurgy processes have provided a practical solution to the problem of producing
refractory metals, which have now become the basis of making heat-resistant materials and
cutting tools of extreme hardness.

Modern technology is inconceivable without powder metallurgy products, the various fields of
application of which expand every year.

The essence of powder metallurgy is that a mixture, composed of specially selected and
prepared powders, is compressed in dies. The half-finished object obtained has a strength which,
although insufficient for the article to be used, permits transportation to the next technological
operation. The final mechanical strength of the material is achieved only as a result of a high
temperature treatment (sintering), which is conducted below the melting point of the basic
metal which goes into the mixture.

As a result of this technique, the particles in powder materials are always in contact with each
other, but the nature of this contact is different from that between the grains in continuous
bodies. In a continuous metal, the area of contact is almost independent of outside pressure,
whilst in powders the area of contact surface increases in proportion to pressure applied.

The increase of contact area can be accomplished by changing the shape of the particles by the
action of external forces, i.e., by pressing and sizing, or by drawing the atoms in the metals
towards the contact regions, a phenomenon which is caused by the movement of atoms at an
elevated temperature. As a result of the increase in contact surface, the bonding between the
particles grows. Consequently, the strength of the products is raised and their properties are
altered.

MANUFACTURE OF METAL POWDERS

A wide range of metal powders comprising of almost all metals and alloys are used in powder
metallurgy. Sometimes, the manufacturing process includes powder mixture of both metals and
non-metals. It may be noted that the use of powder metallurgy depends on the production of
metal powders of required degree of fineness and purity. The powders commonly used are
copper-base and iron-base materials, stainless steel, nickel, aluminium alloys, chromium,
titanium metal powders and other refractory materials including asbestos, graphite etc.

The powdered metals are produced by mechanical, physical and chemical means depending
upon the particular application involved.

OPERATIONS
After preparing the powders, they must be stored under dry conditions before use. All the
processes required for manufacturing parts through powder metallurgy are divided into the
following two groups –

1. Primary processes

a. Blending or mixing: The blending or mixing of powders is the first step in the forming of
the powder metal parts. The various powders are weighed in the correct proportions
and mixed wet or dry. The wet mixing with water or an organic solvent is done to
ensure better mixing, prevent surface oxidation and keep dust to a minimum. The
blending or mixing results in uniformity of particle size and shape throughout a large
amount powder and ensures better control of subsequent operations. In order to
reduce friction and easy ejection of pressed parts, lubricants are added during
blending. No blending is needed, if one metal powder of correct particle size is used in
forming parts.
 b. Briquetting or compacting: The process of converting loose powder into a green
compact of accurate size and shape is known as briquetting or compacting. This
process is carried out at room temperature in steel dies and punches. During the
process, the metal powder is poured into the cavity of die having the shape of the
desired part to be produced. Usually two punches (upper and lower) are used to
compress the metal powder properly. This process may be carried out either
mechanically or hydraulically.
c. Pre-sintering: The process of heating the green compact to a temperature below the
sintering temperature is called pre-sintering. This is necessary to remove the lubricants
and binders added during blending and to increase the strength of the green compact.
This process is not applied to all metals.
d. Sintering: The process of heating the briquetted component at an elevated
temperature in a furnace under controlled atmospheric conditions is known as
sintering. The sintering temperature is kept below the melting point of the major
constituent in the components. Sometimes a component with a lower melting point
will become liquid. During the sintering process, bonding of the individual powder
particles takes place in any of the following three ways –
 Melting of a minor constituent
 Diffusion
 Mechanical bonding or entrapment of non-metal particles within a
diffused metal matrix

The atmospheric control is necessary to prevent oxidation.

2. Secondary processes

a. Hot pressing: To combine the pressing and sintering operations, a new process known
as hot pressing is evolved. This method can produce compact products with improved
strength and hardness, greater accuracy, and higher densities than the products
obtained by usual methods. The use of this method is limited by the cost of dies,
difficulties in heating and controlling atmosphere as well as operating time cycle.
b. Sizing: The sintered parts are placed in a die to bring it to the required size and to
correct dimensions.
c. Coining: It is similar to sizing but the object of coining is to increase the density by
closing the pores and to give additional strength to the part.
 d. Machining: Most of the parts produced through powder metallurgy are finished to
required dimensions and tolerances and no further machining is required. But to
obtain very close tolerances and to produce small holes, grooves, undercuts and
threads which cannot be obtained through powder metallurgy, machining has to be
done.
e. Impregnation: In order to provide self-lubricating properties to the sintered parts, they
are impregnated with oil, grease, etc. The parts are placed in a tank of lubricant and
heated to about 95°C for about 20 minutes. The lubricant enters in the part by
capillary action.
f. Infiltration: It consists of introducing the molten metal to close voids in the sintered
part, by capillary action. The metal used for infiltration should have lower melting
point than the part and the operation should be quick. The process results in increased
strength, hardness and density of the part.
g. Plating: Plating is done for pleasing appearance and protection from corrosion.
h. Heat treatment: In order to improve hardness, strength and grain structure of powder
metal parts, heat treatment is done.

MERITS OF POWDER METALLURGY

 Although the first cost of metal powder is high, there is no loss of material. The
components can be produced clean and bright, ready to use.
 The composition of the product can be controlled. Besides, the material does not run the
risk of contamination with any unwanted substance.
 Close dimensional tolerances can be maintained especially if a sizing operation is used.
 Non-metallic substances can be introduced as required and in any proportion to get the
desired properties.
 A wide range of properties such as density, porosity and particle size can be obtained for
particular application.
 It makes it possible to unite materials that cannot be alloyed in the usual sense or would
not yield the desired characteristics if they were joined mechanically.
 A considerable decrease in production time and high production rate can be achieved
since this is automated.
 Highly skilled labor is not required.
 Composition, structure and properties can be controlled more easily and closely than any
other fabricating processes.
DEMERITS OF POWDER METALLURGY
 The metal powders are expensive to produce. This is especially so since in the
manufacture of articles from metal powders, the impurities contained in them go over
into the article, and therefore it is necessary to use powders of highest purity.
 The size of parts produced is limited because of the large presses needed to obtain the
compressing pressures resulting in increased tool and press costs.
 The lack of simple methods of obtaining alloy powders of steels, bronzes, brasses, etc.
 The strength properties of the finished article are usually lower than those of a similar
article produced by conventional means.
 Articles made out of metal powder possess as a result of their porosity, an increased
tendency to oxidation throughout the whole body and not only on the surface.
 Powder metallurgy products possess comparatively poor plastic properties (impact
strength, elongation).
 Die design limitations limit the type of shapes that can be produced.

APPLICATIONS OF POWDER METALLURGY

1. Automotive applications

In motor car industry, porous bearings are used for starters, wipers, sliding doors, dynamos,
clutches and brakes of cars, buses, trucks and tractors. Electrical contacts, crank shaft drive,
piston rings, connecting rods and brake linings are other powder metallurgy parts. Sintered
friction materials are used for brakes in cars, trucks, aircraft and similar application.

2. Defense applications

Metal powders play an important role in military and national defense systems. These
powders find use in rockets, missiles, cartridge cases, bullets, and military pyrotechnics such
as tracers etc.

3. High temperature applications

Components made of W, Mo, and Ta by powder metallurgy are widely used in the electric
light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, radio valves , mercury arc rectifiers and X-ray tubes in the form
 of filament, cathode, anode, screen and control grids. Refractory metal carbides are used for
dies, rolls, cutting tools, etc. at high temperatures.

4. Aerospace applications

Metal powders play an important role in rockets, missile, satellites and space vehicles. Metal
powder of Be, Al, Mg and Zr are used as solid fuels in rockets and missiles. Tungsten parts
with uniform distribution of porosity are used in plasma jet engines and ion engines which
are operated at about 1800°C. Bronze bearings, filters, ferrite cores for transformers and
inductor coils and alnico magnetic materials in communication systems are used in various
space satellites and vehicles.

5. Other applications

 Parts in clocks and timing devices, typewriters, adding machines, calculators,

permanent magnets and laminated bimetallic strips.
 The manufacture of some of the components such as sintered porous bearings,
cemented carbides, refractory metals, etc.

RECENT ADVANCEMENTS IN POWDER METALLURGY TECHNIQUE

Powder Metallurgy has grown with the expansion of various industries since 1950s. The
expansion of the automotive industry has been a great influence. Over 90% of powder
metallurgy products are used in the transportation market.

The automotive industry, due to environmental concerns, is now looking for new technologies to
reduce fuel consumption through lightweight technology and engine downsizing for
environmental friendly vehicles. To achieve this reduction, powder metallurgy products are also
required to have higher performance. Further, the development of new field products like
magnetic materials is expected to meet new trends of the automotive industry, electric and
hybrid vehicles.

To support greater fuel efficiency and acceleration in greening of technology, powder metallurgy
requires focusing on:

 making parts thinner and lighter

 inhibiting degradation in dimensional precision with sintering and thermal processing
 replacing thermal processing with sinter-hardening
  increasing cost performance by actively using low cost chromium as an element for
strengthening powder metallurgy products

New applications of magnetic materials to support the expected growth in the demand for
electric cars need to be pioneered. The improvement in magnetic properties and advancing the
development of new shaping methods in order to produce cores that are relatively more difficult
to form, need to be emphasized on.

In recent years, the demand for miniaturization and thinner component parts has been growing,
corresponding to the increase of miniaturized and multi-functional digital home appliances or
advanced medical equipment. However, conventional die compacting method by free falling raw
powders into die cavities cannot meet the demands for smaller and thinner parts due to effects
including frictional resistance and Van der Waals force produced between particles and dies and
the effects of air.

The Metal Injection Molding (MIM) of raw materials, which are superior for molding parts with
complex shapes, will be focused on. The new powder compacting methods by using flow
molding, that utilizes the plasticity of the binder inside a heated die will be resorted to.

The futuristic trends in compacting, and material technologies in powder metallurgy include
microscopic metallic powder, nano powder flow molding, etc. By combining the technologies
with micro-die manufacturing technologies and nano crystal powder, high performance
properties, such as super high strengthening are anticipated.

FUTURE OF POWDER METALLURGY

The inherent qualities of powder metallurgy are expanding the application scope of powder
metallurgy beyond the conventional automotive market. Future growth in the market is forecast
to come from new emerging applications in aerospace, construction, and mechanical
engineering. The rapid rate of advancements in electronic and computer components is likely to
generate demand growth for aluminium and titanium-based powder metals. Additionally,
increased investments in renewable energy and the resulting increase in production of solar
panels and wind turbines offer lucrative growth potential for powder metallurgy. Although
currently in the experimental phase, nano-ceramic powders are expected to play a significant
role in future powder metallurgy applications.