Powder metallurgy Steps involved in PM technique

1. Preparation of powders: very fine powders are obtained using

• Powder Metallurgy (PM) is a process for fabricating various techniques.
components by compacting finely powdered metallic 2. Blending of powders: The fine powders are mixed along with a
or non metallic or both materials. lubricant .
3. Compacting: The blended powder is compacted in a mold or die.
• It is solid state fabrication technique.
4. Sintering: The compacted mass is sintered at a high temperature
• Two or more metallic and/or non metallic powders in a furnace in a controlled atmosphere.
are thoroughly blended together and then compacted 5. Repressing: To increase the strength and decrease the porosity
at very high pressure using a die. 6. Sizing: The sintered component is passed in a mold or dies to
• The compacted powder will be still in the green state trim the component and achieve high dimensional accuracy.
• The green compact is taken out of the die and 7. Machining: If required final machining is done on some specific
locations including drilling very small holes.
sintered at very high temperature to get a hardened
8. Treatment: Parts are subjected to other treatments like oil
mass having the desired configuration with enhanced impregnation etc.,
strength and other mechanical properties. 9. Inspection: Finally parts are inspected to check the quality .

Steps involved in PM technique Production of powders

The methods normally used for the production of
metal powder are:
• Atomization.
• Reduction
• Comminution
• Electrolytic deposition
• Pulverization
• Mechanical alloying

Step 1: Production of Powders

Atomization Atomization
• Here the liquid metal stream is produced through a
small orifice and the stream is broken by a jet of inert
gas/water/air.
• As the molten metal is entering the nozzle, inert gas is
forced through the annular space of the nozzle, this will
create a very fine spray of metal and fine particles.
• The size of the particle depends on the temperature of
the metal, flow rate, nozzle size & jet characteristics.
• A continuous uniform production of metal powders can
be obtained and they are collected in the chamber.
• Used for low melting point materials only.
 Reduction Electrolytic deposition
• Metal oxides are turned to pure metal powder when exposed to • Process is similar to electroplating.
below melting point gases results in a product of cake of sponge • For making copper powder, copper plates are placed
metal. as anode in the tank of electrolyte, whereas the
• The irregular sponge‐like particles are soft, readily aluminium plates are placed in the electrolyte to act
compressible, and give compacts of good pre‐sinter strength
• Used for iron, Cu, tungsten, molybdenum, Ni and Cobalt.
as cathode.
• When DC current is passed, the copper gets
Comminution deposited on cathode. The cathode plated are taken
• Granular material, which may be coarsely atomized powder, is out and powder is scrapped off. The powder is
fed in a stream of gas under pressure through a venturi and is washed, dried and pulverized to the desired grain
cooled there by embrittled by the adiabatic expansion of the gas size.
before impinging on a target on which the granules shatters
• Brittle materials such as inter‐metallic compounds, ferro‐alloys
• The cost of manufacturing is high.
i.e. ferro‐ chromium, ferro‐silicon are to be produced • The powder thus produced will be in its purest form.
• Used for iron, copper, silver

Pulverization Step 2. Blending of Metal powders

• In this method metals (brittle & less brittle) are crushed in a • Here powders of two or more metals having different
ball mill to produce small particles.
size & shapes are mixed to get a uniform mixture.
• In a ball mill, using rotating hollow cylinders, partly filled with
steel or white cast iron balls, the metals are crushed. • The ideal mixture consists of Particles having uniform
• Repeated rotation of hollow cylinder results in crushing of the distribution.
metal. Brittle metals will produce particles of angular shapes. • Powders of different metals are mixed to improve
• Ductile metal will produce flake particles. (Hence, not suitable physical & mechanical properties as required.
for powder metallurgy application). • To improve the flow characteristics, lubricants are mixed
with the metal powder. This will ensure proper filling of
Mechanical Alloy
the dies and improves the die life.
• In this method, powders of two or more metals are mixed in a
ball mill. • About 0.25 to 5% by weight of Zinc stearate or stearic
• Due to impact of hard balls, the powders undergo fracture and acid are used as lubricants.
weld together by diffusion, forming alloy powders. • Mixing of powder must be carried out under controlled
conditions to prevent contamination.

Using punch and a Die

3. Compaction of Powder
• Powder is pressed into a “green compact”
• 40 to 1650 MPa pressure (Depends on materials,
product complexity)
• Still very porous, ~70% density
• May be done cold or warm (higher density)

Methods of compaction
Powders are compacted by any one of the methods:
• Using a punch and a die.
• By Rolling.
• By Extrusion.
• By Injection moulding.
• By Isostatic pressing.
 Powder Rolling Powder Extrusion
• In powder rolling (powder compaction) the powder is fed into the roll gap • Powders can be compacted by extrusion.
in a two high rolling mill and is compacted into a continuous strip at speeds • The metal powder is encased in a container and
up to 0.5m/s.
• The process can be carried out at room temperature or at elevated
extruded.
temperatures. • After sintering, preformed PM parts may be rolled or
• Sheet metal for electrical and electronic components, coins can be made by forged in a closed die to their shape.
powder rolling.

Cold Isostatic Pressing (CIP) Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP)

• The powder is contained in a flexible mould made of • Is carried out at high temperature and pressure using a
rubber or some other elastomer material gas such as argon.
• The flexible mould is then pressurized by means of • The flexible mould is made of sheet metal. (Due to
high‐pressure water or oil. (same pressure in all high temperature) Compaction and sintering are
directions) completed simultaneously.
• No lubricant is needed • Used in the production of billets of super‐alloys, high‐
• High and uniform density can be achieved speed steels, titanium, ceramics, etc, where the
integrity of the materials is a prime consideration

Explosive compaction Pre ‐ Sintering

• High Energy Rate Forming (HERF) or Explosive • If a part made by PM needs some machining, it will
Forming of the metal powders at higher velocities be rather very difficult if the material is very hard
350 m/s than that of the usual speed of compaction and strong.
during the ordinary die compacting. • These machining operations are made easier by the
• Higher green densities pre‐ sintering operation which is done before
• Higher sintered strength sintering operation.
• More uniform density distribution
 Sintering Sequence of sintering process
• Sintering is a process wherein the compressed metal
powder is heated in a controlled atmosphere using a
furnace. The temperature of the furnace will be slightly
below melting point of the metal powder but above the
RCT.
• Sintering mechanisms are highly complex in nature &
depends on the composition of the metal powder and
the processing parameters.
• Normally at high temperatures the particles begins to
form a strong solid state bonding by diffusion. This
results in high strength, high density, high ductility and
other properties.
• During sintering the component undergoes shrinkage as
in castings, this needs to be taken care of.

Impregnation
Infiltration • Impregnation is similar to infiltration
• Component is dipped into a low melting • PM component is kept in an oil bath then the oil
temperature alloy liquid bath penetrates into the voids by capillary forces and
• The liquid would flow into the voids simply by remains there.
capillary action, thereby decreasing the porosity • The oil is used for lubrication of the component when
and improving the strength of the component. necessary.
• The process is used quite extensively with ferrous • During the actual service conditions, the oil is
parts using copper as an infiltrate but to avoid released slowly to provide the necessary lubrication.
erosion, an alloy of copper containing iron and • The components can absorb between 12% and 30%
manganese is often used. oil by volume.
• It is being used on P/M self‐lubricating bearing
components since the late 1920's.

Advantages
• Good tolerances and surface finish Disadvantages
• Highly complex shapes made quickly
• Can produce porous parts and hard to machine materials
• Metal powders deteriorate quickly when stored
(e.g. cemented oxides) improperly
• Surfaces can have high wear resistance • Fixed and setup costs are high
• Porosity can be controlled • Part size is limited by the press, and compression
• Low waste of the powder used.
• Automation is easy • Sharp corners and varying thickness can be hard
• Physical properties can be controlled
• No molten metals to produce
• No need for many/any finishing operations • Non‐moldable features are impossible to
• Permits high volume production of complex shapes produce.
• Allows non‐traditional alloy combinations
• Good control of final density
 Chapter 16
Applications Powder Metallurgy

• Gears, Cams, Sprockets, Cutting tools, Piston rings, Q.No. Ans

connecting rods and many house hold goods are 1 A
produced by PM technique 2 B
• Oil‐impregnated bearings made from either iron or 3 B

copper alloys for automotive applications 4 C

5 B
• P/M filters can be made with pores of almost any size.
6 A
• Pressure or flow regulators, small gears, cams etc. 7 C
• Products where the combined properties of two or 8 C
more metals (or both metals and nonmetals) are 9 B
desired. 10 D
• Cemented carbides are produced by the cold‐ 11 C
12 C
compaction of tungsten carbide powder in a binder,
13 C
such as cobalt ( 5 to 12%), followed by liquid‐phase
sintering.

Match List‐I (Components) with List‐II (Manufacturing IAS – 2007

Processes) and select the correct answer using the Consider the following basic steps involved in
codes given below the lists: the production of porous bearings:
List I List II
1)Sintering
A)Car body (metal) 1. Machining 2)Mixing
B)Clutch lining 2. Casting 3)Repressing
C)Gear 3. Sheet metal pressing 4)Impregnation
D)Engine block 4. Powder metallurgy 5)Cold‐die‐compaction
Which one of the following is the correct
sequence of the above steps?
A) 1-2-3-4-5 B) 2-5-1-3-4 C) 5-4-3-2-1
D) 4-3-5-1-2