Influence of Sintering Conditions on Dimensional Precision for Different PM Steels
Many new applications utilize the unique possibilities of PM to achieve high strength in combination with close dimensional tolerances and a minimum of manufacturing operations. However, there are many factors from the process, including materials, compaction and sintering, that influence the dimensional tolerances. The sintering process is one of the main factors, including sintering temperature, time, atmosphere and cooling rate. It has in many cases been overlooked or not seen as the primary focus for enabling higher quality PM component manufacturing. The need for a better understanding of the influence of sintering conditions on sinter-hardening materials is becoming more important for cost-effective manufacturing of PM components that combine high mechanical properties with high dimensional precision.
In this paper, different low alloy PM materials sintered at different temperatures and cooling rates will be described. The influence of these sintering conditions on dimensional precision of a prototype gear will also be presented.