Proses Produksi

#7 POWDER METALLURGY

Rusnaldy, PhD
 Powder Metallurgy

1. What is Powder Metallurgy

2. Reasons for using PM
3. Powder Fabrication
4. Shaping and Compaction
5. Sintering
6. Compact Characterization
7. Finishing Operations
What is Powder Metallurgy?
 Definition of Powder Metallurgy
• Powder metallurgy may defined as, “the art
and science of producing metal powders and
utilizing them to make serviceable objects.”
OR
• It may also be defined as “material processing
technique used to consolidate particulate
matter i.e. powders both metal and/or non-
metals.”
 +-
• Earliest use of iron powder dates back to 3000 BC. Egyptians
used it for making tools
• Modern era of P/M began when W lamp filaments were
developed by Edison
• Components can be made from pure metals, alloys, or
mixture of metallic and non-metallic powders
• Commonly used materials are iron, copper, aluminium, nickel,
titanium, brass, bronze, steels and refractory metals
• Used widely for manufacturing gears, cams, bushings, cutting
tools, piston rings, connecting rods, impellers etc.
Example Parts
 Cermet cutting inserts for lathe
Powder Metallurgy:
Cermet cutting tools
(Ceramic-Metal composite)

www.kyocera-yashica.com.br

Cermet-tipped saw blade for long life

Microstructure: ceramic particles in metal matrix

www.moldmakingtechnology.com

www.toolbarn.com
 Metal filters

Powder Metallurgy:
Porous Metals

Oil-impregnated Porous Bronze Bearings

nic.sav.sk

www.ondrives.com

www.hd-bearing.com
Powder Metallurgy: Connecting Rods

www.dps-performance.com

Forged on left; P/M on right

Reasons for using Powder Metallurgy
 Why Powder Metallurgy is Important
• PM parts can be mass produced to net shape
or near net shape, eliminating or reducing the
need for subsequent machining
• PM process wastes very little material - ~ 97%
of starting powders are converted to product
• PM parts can be made with a specified level of
porosity, to produce porous metal parts
– Examples: filters, oil-impregnated bearings and gears

©2007 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

M P Groover, Fundamentals of
Modern Manufacturing 3/e
 More Reasons Why PM is Important
• Certain metals that are difficult to fabricate by
other methods can be shaped by powder
metallurgy
– Tungsten filaments for incandescent lamp bulbs are made by
PM
• Certain alloy combinations and cermets made by
PM cannot be produced in other ways
• PM compares favorably to most casting processes
in dimensional control
• PM production methods can be automated for
economical production
©2007 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
M P Groover, Fundamentals of
Modern Manufacturing 3/e
 Limitations and Disadvantages

• High tooling and equipment costs

• Metallic powders are expensive
• Problems in storing and handling metal
powders
– Degradation over time, fire hazards with certain metals
• Limitations on part geometry because metal
powders do not readily flow laterally in the
die during pressing
• Variations in density throughout part may be
a problem, especially for complex geometries

©2007 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

M P Groover, Fundamentals of
Modern Manufacturing 3/e
 PM Work Materials
• Largest tonnage of metals are alloys of iron,
steel, and aluminum
• Other PM metals include copper, nickel, and
refractory metals such as molybdenum and
tungsten
• Metallic carbides such as tungsten carbide are
often included within the scope of powder
metallurgy
©2007 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
M P Groover, Fundamentals of
Modern Manufacturing 3/e
 Powder Fabrication

Powder size: 0.1 to 1000 μm

 Production of Metallic Powders

• In general, producers of metallic powders are

not the same companies as those that make PM
parts
• Any metal can be made into powder form
• Three principal methods by which metallic
powders are commercially produced
1. Atomization
2. Chemical
3. Electrolytic
• In addition, mechanical methods are
occasionally used to reduce powder sizes
©2007 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
M P Groover, Fundamentals of
Modern Manufacturing 3/e
 Gas Atomization Method

High velocity gas stream flows through

expansion nozzle, siphoning molten metal
from below and spraying it into container

Figure 16.5 (a) gas

atomization method

©2007 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

M P Groover, Fundamentals of
Modern Manufacturing 3/e
 Mechanical Comminution to Obtain
Fine Particles

Figure 17.6 Methods of mechanical comminution to obtain fine particles: (a)

roll crushing, (b) ball mill, and (c) hammer milling.
Manufacturing, Engineering &
Technology, Fifth Edition, by
Serope Kalpakjian and Steven
R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006
Particle Shape
 Particle Size
The process of separating particles by size is called
classification
Shaping and Compaction
 Blending and Mixing
Blending
Combining powders of the same material but
possibly different particle sizes
Mixing
Combining powders of different materials
 Blending
• The ideal mix is one in which all the particles of each
material are distributed uniformly
• Powders of different metals and other materials may
be mixed in order to impart special physical and
mechanical properties
• Lubricants may be mixed with the powders to
improve their flow characteristics.
• Hazards: Over-mixing may wear particles or work-
harden them. High surface area to volume ratio –
susceptible to oxidation; and may explode!
 Conventional Pressing in PM

Figure 16.9 Pressing in PM:

(1) filling die cavity with
powder by automatic feeder;
(2) initial and (3) final
positions of upper and lower
punches during pressing, (4)
part ejection.

©2007 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

M P Groover, Fundamentals of
Modern Manufacturing 3/e
Prepared by MetalKraft Industries
 Press for Conventional Pressing in PM

Figure 16.11 A 450 kN (50-ton)

hydraulic press for
compaction of PM parts
(photo courtesy of Dorst
America, Inc.).

©2007 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

M P Groover, Fundamentals of
Modern Manufacturing 3/e
 Press for
Compacting
Metal Powder
Figure 17.12 A 7.3-mn (825-ton)
mechanical press for compacting
metal powder. Source: Courtesy of
Cincinnati Incorporated.

Manufacturing, Engineering &

Technology, Fifth Edition, by
Serope Kalpakjian and Steven
R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006
Compacting Pressures for Various
Powders
• Increased compaction pressure
– Provides better packing of particles and leads to
↓ porosity
– ↑ localized deformation allowing new contacts to
be formed between particles
• At higher pressures, the green density approaches density of
the bulk metal
• Pressed density greater than 90% of the bulk density is
difficult to obtain
• Compaction pressure used depends on desired density
• Smaller particles provide greater strength mainly due to
reduction in porosity
• Size distribution of particles is very important. For same size
particles minimum porosity of 24% will always be there
– Box filled with tennis balls will always have open space between balls
– Introduction of finer particles will fill voids and result in↑ density
Sintering
 Sintering
• Parts are heated to ~80% of
melting temperature
• Transforms compacted
mechanical bonds to much
stronger metal bonds
• Many parts are done at this
stage. Some will require
additional processing
 Sintering
Heats the powder below the melting
point to allow solid-state diffusion and
bond the particles together
 SINTERING

• Green compact obtained after compaction is brittle and low in

strength
• Green compacts are heated in a controlled-atmosphere
furnace to allow packed metal powders to bond together
Carried out in three stages:

• First stage: Temperature is slowly increased so that all

volatile materials in the green compact that would interfere
with good bonding is removed
– Rapid heating in this stage may entrap gases and
produce high internal pressure which may fracture the
compact
Second stage: High temperature stage

• Promotes solid-state
bonding by diffusion.
• Diffusion is time-
temperature sensitive.
Needs sufficient time
•Promotes vapour-phase
transport
•Because material
heated very close to MP,
metal atoms will be
released in the vapour
phase from the particles
•Vapour phase
resolidifies at the
interface
Sintering Time and Temperature for Metals

Manufacturing, Engineering &

Technology, Fifth Edition, by
Serope Kalpakjian and Steven
R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006
• Third stage: Sintered product is cooled in a controlled
atmosphere
– Prevents oxidation and thermal shock

Gases commonly used for sintering:

• H2, N2, inert gases or vacuum
Liquid Phase Sintering

• During sintering a liquid phase, from the lower MP

component, may exist
• Alloying may take place at the particle-particle interface
• Molten component may surround the particle that has not
melted
• High compact density can be quickly attained
• Important variables:
– Nature of alloy, molten component/particle wetting,
capillary action of the liquid
Comparison of Properties of Wrought and Equivalent P/M Metals

Manufacturing, Engineering &

Technology, Fifth Edition, by
Serope Kalpakjian and Steven
R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006
 Poor and Good
Designs of P/M Parts

Figure 17.21 Examples of P/M parts

showing poor and good designs.
Note that sharp radii and reentry
corners should be avoided and that
threads and transverse holes have
to be produced separately by
additional machining operations.
Source: Courtesy of Metal Powder
Industries Federation.

Manufacturing, Engineering &

Technology, Fifth Edition, by
Serope Kalpakjian and Steven
R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006
 Design Features for Use with
Unsupported Flanges or Grooves

Figure 17.22 (a) Design features for use with unsupported flanges. (b) Design features for use
with grooves.
Manufacturing, Source:
Engineering & Courtesy of Metal Powder Industries Federation.
Technology, Fifth Edition, by
Serope Kalpakjian and Steven
R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006