Manufacturing

Overview

Highly developed method of manufacturing precision metal parts made by mixing elemental or alloy powders, then compacting the mixture in a die. The resulting shape is sintered in an atmosphere controlled furnace to convert mechanical bonds into metallurgical bonds. Basically a "chip-less" process, P/M uses roughly 97% of the starting material in the finished part.

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Molding Presses

Capacity of presses range from 12-ton to 550-ton single level and multi-action presses allowing up to a 7 level part.

Secondary Operations

• Vibratory deburring.
• Turning.
• Grinding.
• Plating, Heat treating, Steam treating, Vacuum impregnating.
• Assembling finished product.

Is your part a candidate for P/M?

Size

• Does the component have a footprint surface area equal to or less than 12 square inches and a height typically less than 3"?

Shape

• Does the part have wall thickness > 0.060" and aspect ratio of < 12 (aspect ratio defined as the height to wall thickness ratio)?
• Does the part have < 4 levels?

Tolerances

• Does the application require precise tolerances on this component?
• +/- 0.0015 per inch of diameter in the lateral direction (die controlled); applies to outside diameter, inside diameter and other features.
• +/- 0.003 in the height direction (press controlled).

Volume

• Is your annual volume approximately 10,000 pieces or more?

Material

• Is the component made of low carbon steel, low alloy steel, bronze, brass, aluminum or stainless steel?
• Is the density of 80% to 92% of theoretical density acceptable for the application?