DEVELOPMENTS IN SINTERING INJECTION MOULDED PM PARTS.

Injection moulding of metal powders holds considerable promise for the development of a new range of highly complex PM components. However, one of the drawbacks of the process is that it takes many hours and even days to remove the binder used to assist moulding of parts, thereby adding to production costs. A new, one-step binder removal and sinter process has been developed based upon vacuum techniques. Both laboratory size and production size equipment has been developed in parallel. The result is a much shorter single cycle processing time for a range of parts, as well as good control of carbon levels. As the process, materials and equipment are further developed, a much wider range of cost-effective parts can be expected to appear in the marketplace.