Advantage Sintered Metal’s capabilities of secondary operations for powdered metal parts

Sometimes secondary operations are required to achieve the desired finished part. Advantage Sintered Metals performs secondary operations to accomplish:

  • Closer tolerances
  • Features not possible from compaction
  • Increased mechanical properties
  • Enhanced appearance
  • Surface protection

These operations can be classified into two basic categories:

  • Additional Processes
  • Secondary Operations

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Additional Processes

Vibratory De-Burring

Powdered metal parts are rolled in rotating barrels or agitated in vibrating tubs (usually with some form of abrasive media and water) for:

  • Cleaning
  • De-burring

Sizing And Re-Striking

Dimensional tolerance specified by the part designer may require additional sizing by re-striking:

  • When part design is too demanding for pressed and sintered part
  • To reduce dimensional variability
  • To increase density in selected region of a powdered metal part

Machining

Machining parameters for powdered metal parts are different from those used for castings or wrought components. The powdered metal material contains pores that can interrupt cutting tool performance. As the amount of porosity decreases, powdered metal parts machine more like cast or wrought parts with a similar microstructure.

Secondary Operations

Resin Impregnation

Resin impregnation is used to provide lubrication or to seal porosity:

  • Develops pressure tightness
  • Permits use of processing solutions that otherwise would be trapped in pores
  • Improves machinability

Oil Impregnation

Oil impregnation involves soaking parts in heated oil or using a vacuum process. Conventional powdered metal bearings can absorb oil from 10 to 30 percent by volume.

Heat Treatment

Heat treatment generally involves heating the powdered metal part to a temperature where the material is austenitic, followed by controlled cooling to achieve a desired microstructure.

Plating

All types of plating in general use including nickel, chromium, zinc, powder coating, and e-coating may be applied to powdered metal parts.

Steam Treatment

Steam treating forms an oxide coating (Fe3O4) on the part. It is used to improve the wear properties of ferrous powdered metal parts and to increase their corrosion resistance. The process closes some of the interconnected porosity and ALL surface porosity.

Brazing Powdered Metal Parts

Powdered metal parts are often joined by furnace brazing. Brazing allows parts fabricators to use existing equipment to join powdered metal parts to one another or to wrought or cast materials.