Sintered Parts vs. Traditional Metal: What’s the Difference?

Introduction

Why should you consider Sintered Parts? You are going to need something small and precise.

In this blog, you will learn how Sintered Parts differ from traditional metals in strength, accuracy, and cost. Read through all of this and then figure out what you will want to use.

What Are The Sintered Parts?

Sintered parts are made by squeezing metal powders under high pressure. They run these parts to 2050°F to get them heated up quite a bit. We at JHMIM, maintain the heat just below its melting point.

That makes it easier for the powders to stick together and for the parts to be strong.

It could also be used to make gears, bearings, other filters. Sintering allows for one to save money and build strong complex parts. It works great for cars, machines and more. In fact, you can change the powders to make more interesting features, like more hardness!

 

How Sintered Parts Are Manufactured?

·        Powder Compaction

The first step is to squeeze powders to make parts. The pressure reaches 800 MPa in a press. At this step, that is called a “green part.” It gives you shapes like gears or filters. The powder is held in shape by the press. The compaction is always done at room temperature. Sintered parts start with this important process before heating.

·        Heat Treatment

Then, the part will get heated until the green part heats. It gets up to about 2050°F in the furnace. Bonds help metal particles heat together. They burn off the lubricants and the part get stronger.

We heat parts carefully at JH MIM to guarantee quality. Sintered parts are now ready to handle more stress. Parts are treated with heat just below the powder melting point in order to prevent melting.

·        Controlled Atmosphere

The furnace is surrounded with a special gas. This air keeps oxygen away. Oxygen can weaken the metal. Metal particles need help from gases like hydrogen in order to bond properly.

The elements are controlled within the furnace for moisture and oxygen. This is great for parts like bushings and gears which are made stronger. In oxygen free space parts are not damaged.

·        High-Pressure Sintering

Other parts need more pressure. Adding 100 MPa during heating, high-pressure sintering is applied. It tightened the powder packing and allow no air gaps. With high pressure dense materials like stainless steel, you can use. The company JH MIM makes very strong gears use high pressure.

Very strong parts may use hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Gears and superalloys are made much tougher than typical parts with this method.

·        Temperature Precision

Key is keeping the right temperature. The furnace is only slightly above the melting point. If this gets too hot, the part may melt. If you make it too cool, the powder won’t bond.

The temperature is watched closely by special sensors. For example, heat of 1200°C is required for steel powders. For best results, you will have to use much lower settings if you will be making stuff that are other metals like copper.

·        Particle Bonding

Then, when the part heats up, particles begin to bond. They stick together by forming tiny ‘necks’. These necks grow over time, that make the part stronger. They bond by diffusion.

When the part cools, the pores collapse. This step makes filters, gears, and whatnot. JH MIM manufactures metal parts with precise bonding for tough applications.

 

Aspect Powder Compaction Heat Treatment Controlled Atmosphere High-Pressure Sintering Temperature Precision Particle Bonding
Process Presses powder Heats parts Oxygen-free environment High pressure (100-1000 MPa) ±2°C control Metallurgical bonding
Temperature (°C) Room temp (25°C) 800-1300°C 600-1200°C 1000-1600°C ±1-5°C Above 600°C
Pressure (MPa) 200-600 MPa None None 50-1000 MPa N/A None
Main Goal Shape formation Increase strength Prevent oxidation Densification Uniform heat distribution Bonding particles
Time Required 1-5 minutes 30-120 minutes Continuous 1-4 hours N/A 30-90 minutes
Material Use Metal powders Pre-compacted parts Hydrogen, Nitrogen gases Compact parts Powdered materials Pre-heated components

Table on How Sintered Parts Are Manufactured!

 

Traditional Metal Fabrication Methods!

Traditional Metal Fabrication Methods

·        Melting Metals

You use heat over 1,300°C to melt metal. Metal helps it change into a liquid. Metal such as iron and copper are bonded small particle melted in a furnace. Sintered parts cool in special zones.

Pressure is controlled by the furnace. Strong sintered metals are heated used in cars and making tools. Never melt metals slow and cause breaking!

·        Mold Shaping

You press metal molds powder in. Up to 800 MPa the machine squeezes? The metal powders form what are called ‟green parts.” Gears are just one complex thing molds have shaped.

Sintered parts need exact molds for smoothness. Additional alloying such as copper makes the parts stronger. No cracks or weak spots! That’s because you pressed carefully.

·        CNC Machining

Sintered metals are cut into CNC machines. You have sharp tools for those precise cuts. Spindles combined with machining tools form a tool, which shapes items.

Parts are smoother with high-speed cutting. Good results are with micron-level accuracy in machines. Temperatures below 1,200°C are kept. No errors are needed for the metal shapes to be safe!

·        Cooling Process

Metals are slow to cool after sintering. You break the heat, and then wait for room temperature. It prevents cracks. Parts cool fast with gas such as nitrogen.

Cool metal is what you need for strength! Steel cools better like metal in furnaces. Keeping parts strong requires cooling carefully. Metal becomes tough with slow cooling.

·        Post-Processing

When you grinding metal parts, you make them smooth. Post-processing helps sintered parts look good. At 900°C metals are made strong by heat treatment.

Parts benefit from the use of copper filling to make them tighter. There are machines that grind away at rough bits. The part is then coined and plated. Parts work better with metal treatments.

·        Tool Wear

High-speed pressing causes tool wear. It wears tools out over time. Carbide tools are hard metals like steel. Tools break faster when a heat over 500°C. It’s key to check tools regularly. Sintered parts need strong tools!

 

Key Differences Between Sintering And Traditional Metal Processes!

·        Structural Integrity

Sintered parts are very strong. Between 1300°C they heat powders for their strength. You can put these parts in cars. Pressing the powder at 600 MPa makes tough parts such as gears.

Sintered parts are almost 95% solid. Sintered parts hold well under heavy loads, making them great for big machines.

·        Porosity Control

Sintered parts can have tiny holes inside. These holes are called pores. Sintered parts use a 1000°C heat setting. This keeps porosity low. To minimize wear, oil could also be added to pores.

Sintered parts like bearings self-lubricate. This means they last longer and aren’t as prone to breaking.

·        Wear Resistance

Sintered parts handle friction well. They are hard in high temperature, say 1200°C. Some wear copper or nickel is added to help with. This is needed for car parts such as camshafts and gears. They function without damage. Parts have strong heat bonds that keep them tough over time.

·        Density Variation

Sintered parts can be thick or thin. To make them dense, we press the metal powders at 600 MPa. It reaches 1150°C. This affects how the parts are solid. Sintered steel parts are typically 95% to 98% dense. These parts are good for cars, planes, and machines. Density matters for strength.

·        Surface Finish

Sintered parts are smooth. For fine finish they heat up to 1200°C. This smooth surface reduces the wear. After, those parts like bearings, get polished. They become even smoother. The surface roughness is found to be 32 microns. Making smooth parts make machines work better.

·        Manufacturing Precision

Sintered parts are made to fit perfectly. When cooled they shrink by 20%. Parts can be small and exact if heated high, like 1250°C. At 600 MPa, they shape well. Sintered parts like sensors and connectors are accurate. After heating you need no extra work.

 

Benefits Of Sintered Parts!

Sintered Parts

·        Complex Geometries

Sintered parts are great for making tricky shapes. There are gears, bushings and even filters in there. High pressures are applied while the metal power is going to be pressed.

It forms special shapes. Nearly 90% of its melting point is heating. There can be hollow spaces in some parts. Sintered Parts work for car steering pumps and other precise things like that.

·        Material Efficiency

When making sintered parts, nothing gets wasted. Powder is saved for reuse. Iron, copper, or tungsten are the powder. In addition, it gets pressed into shapes like car gears. The most of the material becomes a part. Sintered Parts are made fast with nearly no extra stuff.

·        Mass Production Scalability

Sintered parts are made in big numbers. If you have molds, thousands of parts can come fast. Factories make them at 900°C. Nickel alloys and steel are used. You don’t cut parts again. This kind of mass production are for cars and machines.

·        Minimal Waste

The final part is made from nearly all of the powder. It’s used again. Less extra trimming is required for parts similar to bushings and spacers. This even saves strong metals such as tungsten and molybdenum. Making sintered parts leaves very little waste.

·        Enhanced Strength

The strength of sintered parts comes from bonding. Metal powder heats at an atomic level and sticks. Steel gears are one example. This heating renders them strong. Hardness adds to the material, parts last longer.

·        Durability

Sintered parts last a long time. These parts won’t break, or last forever. Strong, long-lasting parts are formed of metals such as copper or nickel alloys. But some parts, such as car gears, can do the tough jobs because they’re so dense. And they get even tougher with surface treatments.

 

Applications Of Sintered Parts!

·        Automotive Gears

Sintered parts help cars move. They make gears strong. Gears must be tough to work. The 1,000 MPa pressure must be held by the gears. These parts have sintered parts to make driving smooth. Sintered gears are lightweight and long lasting. In cars, they turn fast and carry heavy loads. And the parts work so hard trying to move things around.

·        Medical Devices

Sintered parts go inside tools that help doctors. They can be small. A hip, for instance, is some parts of your body. That’s because they last. Metal is shaped though sintering these parts. This makes them very strong. Sintered parts are hard to break and stay in place well. Patients are kept healthy by them.

·        Bearings, Bushings

Sintered bearings spin fast. They don’t need much oil. A heavy load can be carried by these parts. They work inside engines. It’s strong and it lasts. The oil on the inside, these parts are the ones that make machines move. Bearings that are sintered do help reduce noise. They don’t break easily. They are found in cars and machines.

·        Electrical Components

Sintered parts are in wires. They make power flow. They can be copper or iron. These parts have to be cool. These fit into transformers powering machines. Fast, because the power is conducted by the tiny metal pieces. Sintered parts help motors spin. The metal becomes hot, but is still strong. These are parts that keep the lights on.

·        Filtration Materials

Sintered parts help clean. They filter air and water. These parts have small holes. The metal traps dirt. It is made of bronze or steel. The filters last long. Sintered parts work well in factories.

They keep systems clean. Filters are well built; they do not rust. They assist in ensuring that machines will run smoothly and safely.

·        Magnetic Assemblies

Sintered parts are in magnets. These parts help cars. They make motors run faster. Iron is used for making magnets. These parts hold energy. Sintered parts are strong. They fit in electric motors. These parts don’t lose energy in this process. They help electric cars move. The magnets are small, and mighty, saving space.

 

Sintering Vs. Traditional Metal: When To Choose Which?

sintering metal parts

·        High-Precision Needs

You can use sintered parts when you need small, precise things. Metal powder is used to create them, pressed into molds. Sintered parts get heated to 2350°F, making them strong.

Consequently, this process is perfect for the parts that required accuracy at 0.01 mm, such as gears. There’s no need for any extra fixing, as everything fits perfectly. Sintered parts save time and are very exact.

·        Cost Vs. Volume

If you need many parts, sintered parts are cheap. Almost 100% of the metal powder they use. When you have to buy large amounts, 10,000 pieces, the price really comes down quite a bit. Waste because machines make the parts. Bulk sintered bushings are also less expensive than casting.

·        Strength Vs. Flexibility

Sintered parts are very strong. They’re made by heating metals, things like iron or steel. They get close to 98% dense. This makes them hard. Some sintered parts go through more heat to get stronger. If you want tough parts, like for cars, sintered parts work well. Some parts are inflexible because of how they were made.

·        Large Vs. Small Parts

You should choose sintered parts for small things. Often, their mass is less than 5 kg, gears and brackets. Sintering consists of powdered metal pressed into shapes.

During sintering, larger parts may shrink too much. If your parts are too big, try something else. Small sintered parts save metal and stay the right size better than big parts.

·        Application-Specific Choices

Choose sintered parts for things that need to last. If you don’t want rust, you can pick a metallic skin such as stainless steel. For example, cars need stainless sintered parts for the exhaust.

Sintering also makes magnets. Use iron that is very soft for your magnetic parts. The thing is you can make parts that work well for the jobs they are supposed to do. Sintered parts are great for that.

·        Material Property Demands

Sintered parts can be strong and flexible. For parts that do not rust, you can add things such as chromium to stainless steel. Sintered steel is the way to go if your parts need to be smooth and tough.

Some sintered parts have oil inside for better movement. Sintered parts like these are useful in cars and airplanes where parts must stay strong.

 

Conclusion

Sintered Parts are perfect for accurate, strong, and cost-effective solutions. Many small, complex parts work well with them. Learn more about how these components can help your project at JHMIM.

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