Metal Powder Key Terms

Understand the ABCs of metal powder technology

The applications of metal powders are quite extensive. In addition to their use in powder metallurgy, you can use them in various products, such as paint pigments, explosives, rocket fuels, printing inks and catalysts. If you want to use metal powder in your business to enhance the production quality, you will need to understand the key concepts of this technology. This guide explains some of the common terms in the powder industry, including the electrolytic method, atomization process and powder forging.

 

Powder Metallurgy

Powder metallurgy is the process of forming metal parts by heating compacted metal powders to just below their melting points.
Try: Malvern Instruments Ltd, a provider of analytical solutions for powder metallurgy products, offers detailed information about the powder metallurgy process and its applications.

Atomization

Atomization refers to the process of breaking liquid metal into individual parts by introducing a gas into the metal stream as it leaves a nozzle.
Try: Metal Powder Industries Federation has information on the atomization process of manufacturing metal powders.

Sintering

Sintering is a process of placing the metal powder into a mold. Once firm, the material is subject to high heat. Under heat, bonding takes place between the porous particles. Once it cools down, the powder bonds into a solid piece.
Try: For detailed information about the sintering process, visit AZoM, an online information resource.

Hot forging, or powder forging

In hot forging, or powder forging, you heat a sintered component to a forging temperature significantly below the usual sintering temperature of the material and then place it in a closed die. This produces a fully dense component with the shape of the forging die and appropriate mechanical properties.
Try: To learn more about the powder forging technique and its application, you can refer to Hoeganaes Corporation, a powder metallurgy solutions provider.

Metal injection molding, or MIM, process

The metal injection molding (MIM) process utilizes fine custom-made metal powders. The metal powder is granulated and then fed into multiple cavities of a conventional injection molding machine.
Try: GKN SINTER METALS, a producer of powder metal components, explains the advantages of the MIM process.

Electrolytic process

The electrolytic process breaks metal down into particles (the smallest unit of the powder). In this process, a current is passed through an electrolytic cell and an oxidation (or sometimes reduction) reaction occurs.
Try: Electrochemistry Encyclopedia explains the electrolytic method of production of metal powders.

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