Powder metallurgy is a forming and Fabrication technique consisting of three major processing steps- Powder preparation, Compaction and Sintering. This combination of steps allows for the economic and reliable manufacturing of parts to net shape or near net shape.
The advantages of powder metallurgy can be summarized as follows:
1. Ability to produce parts with complex geometries: Powder metallurgy can produce parts with intricate geometries and shapes that are hard to manufacture by other methods. Despite their complexity, these geometries can often be produced economically due to the low cost of producing and manipulating the powder.
2. Ability to use a variety of materials: The powder form of many materials can be used in powder metallurgy, including: ferrous, non-ferrous, metallic, non-metallic, ceramic and semiconductor materials. This is important for applications that require specialized properties or performance characteristics such as electrical conductivity or heat resistance.
3. Low costs: Powder metallurgy is a relatively low-cost process due to the lower cost of purchasing and manipulating powder-form materials compared to other processes such as casting. Additionally, powder metallurgy allows for less waste due to its ability to produce products to near net shape with only small amounts of machining required.
4. Versatile production runs: The equipment used for powder metallurgy is modular in design, allowing it to be adjusted to accommodate a variety of work pieces. Additionally, production runs can be scaled up or down to meet specific customer needs with minimal effort.
5. High strength and dimensional accuracy: Products produced through powder metallurgy often have better strength and dimensional accuracy than products produced by other processes due to their ability to be produced to near net shape or close tolerances. This makes powder metallurgy ideal for parts that require precise dimensions such as engine components and firearms.
6. High throughput: Powder metallurgy processes require less energy and fewer labor hours than comparable processes such as forgings or castings. This means that powder metallurgy can produce large quantities of parts quickly and economically.
7. Increased oxidation resistance: One of the most important advantages of powder metallurgy is that the texture and microstructure of powder metallurgical parts can be designed for increased oxidation resistance. This can be achieved by reducing the total surface area and by increasing the particle size of the powder used.
8. Improved thermal resistance: The homogenous nature of powder metallurgy parts results in improved thermal resistance. This is due to the even distribution of properties throughout the part, which prevents localized heat damage.
Powder metallurgy has become an indispensable forming and fabrication technique due to its ability to produce parts to almost any imaginable geometry with increased strength, dimensional accuracy, oxidation resistance, and thermal resistance. Additionally, it is an economical method of production due to its low costs, short production times and versatile production capabilities.
