2008/09/30 Pressing & Sintering

Performance Characteristics of Cost Effective Sinter Hardening Materials

Sinter hardening of PM components is a well established and cost effective alternative to secondary heat treatment as one step in the manufacturing chain can be eliminated. However, during the last years alloys suitable for sinter hardening have been facing increased cost pressure due to increases and fluctuations in prices of nickel and molybdenum. Therefore, there is an increasing interest for availability of more cost effective low alloy steel powders that realize a compromise between compressibility and hardenability. The purpose of this paper is to present both static and dynamic properties achievable with a number of cost effective low alloy steel powders after sinter hardening.