The manufacture of electromagnetic components by the powder metallurgy process

The powder metallurgy process provides the ability to manufacture net shape parts from a variety of materials in a cost effective manner. A market segment that has exhibited the ability to take advantage of powder metallurgy's flexibility has been in electromagnetic applications. This area has shown significant growth in the past decade that should continue for the foreseeable future. This paper will discuss materials and processes that have proven successful in several electromagnetic applications. Both sintered materials for DC type applications and insulated materials for AC applications will be reviewed along with appropriate processing techniques for each. Specific applications for both materials will be presented.