Proper Cleaning of Sintered or Porous Metal Parts

There are a lot of metal parts out there that have been maximised by a wide variety of industries. Some are made from newly extracted metal ore, while others are fabricated out of recycled metal sheets. Several manufacturing processes also use powder metals in creating parts and components.

Sintered metal parts are parts and components that are made from powder metals. These specific metal parts are created by numerous processes, allowing them to manifest some characteristics and properties that can be truly useful from specific applications.

Knowing Sintered Metal Parts

Powder metals undergo several procedures just to successfully create sintered metal parts that can be helpful in numerous situations and applications. These procedures are covered under the powder metallurgy process, which is a manufacturing process that involves powder metals.

Sintering is a powder metallurgy process that utilises small metal particles in creating sintered metal parts. The initial sintering phase starts by blending. It is performed to combine various powder metal materials, alloying elements, and additives, creating a uniform mixture that allows the final product to contain material properties and minimise friction during the subsequent phases.

Once the blending is done, the mixture will now undergo compaction. During this phase, the mixture is pressed by specific tools for it to produce a specific shape. The final dimensions of the sintered metal parts will only be obtained during the final phase, which is also known as sintering. The sintering phase is done by heating the blended powder mixture in the furnace so that its components can finally bond together. The mechanical properties and dimensions of the metal parts during sintering are improved.

Typical Cleaning Procedures

One great thing about the sintering process is that it provides great control over the porosity of a sintered metal part. Acquiring a material with high porosity can establish a porous filter, which is known to control the particles that will be eliminated from the fluid being filtered. Components that are not intended to be in a component can be easily filtered and trapped on porous metal parts.

But one aspect that should also be considered when it comes to porous metal parts is their cleaning procedures. Some porous metal parts can be cleaned easily, while others can pose serious challenges. In cleaning sintered or porous metal parts, ultrasonic cleaning can be effective all the time. However, to ensure that the parts will be thoroughly cleaned, more cleaning procedures must be done.

Letting the cleaning liquid pass through the porous metal parts must be done alongside the ultrasonic cleaning procedure. This additional process can effectively remove contaminants that are inside the metal parts since sprays, agitation, and ultrasonics can fail in reaching the interiors. Providing flow in a direction opposite to the metal parts can likewise be done to remove trapped particles. Cleaning with a vacuum can also help in cleaning sintered or porous metal parts.

Working with PM Distributors

If you want to gain access to porous or sintered metal parts, you can contact us at PM Distributors. Our wide range of stock allows you, the customer, a ready source of supply to meet your needs. For longer runs, ask us for a highly competitive quote.

 

The powder metallurgy process entails the production of parts and components out of metal powders. One main reason why this process is being utilised by many industries is that it reduces or even avoids the use of metal removal processes.

There are three major processing steps that are often carried out by powder metallurgy. The first step deals with the production of the metal powder. This specific material often comes from metal ore that is crushed and mixed with other elements. The second step of powder metallurgy would be the compaction and shaping of the powder. The final step of powder metallurgy is known as the consolidation or fusion of powder into a die. This step requires high temperature and pressure to effectively produce a great result.

Benefits of Powder Metallurgy Products

Industries such as automobile, food & drink, and electronics have enjoyed the presence of powdered metal or sintered metal parts since they bring numerous benefits to their respective applications. For one, powder metallurgy products are known to be long-lasting due to their good surface finish and controlled porosity. These products also have increased strength and respectable wear resistance.

Another great benefit of powder metallurgy products is that they minimise the consumption of resources. They even lessen scrap losses as powder metallurgy processes ensure that most raw materials will be used and maximised. Powder metallurgy products likewise require very little or no machining.

Important Factors in Making a Prototype

But to ensure that the whole powder metallurgy process can generate high-quality powdered metal or sintered metal parts, industries are recommended to create prototypes first. The creation of prototypes can give businesses a chance to evaluate their design before producing a massive volume of parts and components. To date, there are three factors that should be considered in making a prototype.

  1. Quantity of Prototypes: Prototypes are meant to be reviewed before the actual production. Hence, creating many prototype pieces can be done since it does not truly cost a lot. However, the number of prototypes would still depend on the volume of the desired powdered or sintered metal parts. If one intends to produce more than a hundred parts, it will certainly not benefit from prototypes anymore since building a set of production tools would be cheaper compared to producing prototypes.
  2. Overall Size: Another factor to consider in making a prototype is its overall size. The blank preparation for the prototype is normally done by slug moulding and sintering, machining to dimension, and secondary processes such as sintering. All these processes take time. If the size of the blank is somehow big, then expect some added days before one can check the prototype.
  3. Structural Properties: The structural properties of the prototype must also be considered if one wants to truly check the density and finishes of their desired products.

First Class Services of PM Distributors

If you want to obtain prototypes of powdered metal or sintered metal parts, then feel free to call us at PM Distributors. We are a company based in Dandenong South, Victoria, Australia, that is dedicated to providing first-class service and bearings for your place of business or establishment. We specialise in providing customised solutions to all our clients.