Magnesium powder metallurgy: Process and materials opportunities

The major efforts in magnesium alloy development for automotive applications have concentrated on creep resistant alloys produced by permanent mould and high-pressure die casting routes. While large components, such as crankcases, will never be produced by powder metallurgy, there are smaller components in and around the powertrain which could be fabricated from powder precursors. This article will explore the potential of some of the more recent powder compaction developments, and discuss the alloy development strategies that emerge for magnesium-based components as a consequence of these process developments. In particular, the viability of direct powder extrusion of semi-finished product, using conventional extrusion or equal channel angular processing, combined with T6 heat treatments, will be considered.