How Does Powder Metallurgy Contribute to a Sustainable Future?

December 1, 2022

Manufacturers rely on various processes to ensure that they can produce prototypes and products. They even allocate a huge amount of time and money to testing manufacturing processes so they can make their general production more cost-efficient in the long run.

But one process that is gaining popularity across manufacturers is powder metallurgy. Powder metallurgy is a manufacturing process that involves the use of metal powders in producing prototypes and products. It involves three major phases: the production of metal powder, the compaction and shaping of the said material, and the fusion of the powder into a solid metal component. The last phase takes advantage of high temperatures and pressure to make their final products or prototypes to be robust and long-lasting.

The popularity of powder metallurgy is even amplified nowadays as industries prioritise sustainability. The working principles of powder metallurgy make it a great contributor towards a sustainable future. Here are some ways powder metallurgy help achieve this kind of future.

Metal Powder Mostly Comes from Scrap

Many equipment, appliances, and other products today are made from metals that can be recycled once they become old or damaged. Once they are sent to recycling centres, the recycled metals can then be converted into metal powders, which can be used in carrying powder metallurgy. As more scraps are recycled, the powder metallurgy industry can continuously minimise the number of wastes in landfills. At the same time, the dependence on scraps eliminates the need for powder metallurgy to obtain metal powders from raw materials.

Lighter and More Compact Products

One astonishing benefit of powder metallurgy is it can produce parts with various shapes and dimensions without affecting their durability and longevity. Its flexibility when it comes to generating products out of metal powders allows manufacturers to create products that are lighter and more compact than those made from conventional manufacturing processes. As more sintered items are produced, the required energy just to transfer them to various places can be reduced significantly. It can also cut the amount of money needed in distributing them.

Harmful Emissions are Greatly Reduced

Powder metallurgy is not only effective in producing lighter and more compact products and prototypes. It can also be effective in reducing harmful emissions to the surroundings. As mentioned earlier, most metal powders are comprised of recycled scrap materials. Once the demand for raw metals cuts down, harmful emissions in the air are expected to be reduced significantly. Powder metallurgy can also minimise harmful emissions as it does not produce items with incorrect specifications or qualities that usually end up getting discarded.

Secondary Operations are Minimised

Most products being processed by manufacturers must go through secondary operations before they can obtain their desired specifications. As they undergo these operations, the amount of energy consumed by the manufacturers increases significantly. They can even produce tons of scraps. Powder metallurgy, alternatively, minimises energy consumption since it does not require secondary operations. Scrap is likewise minimised with powder metallurgy. Some machining operations that it can skip are shearing, annealing, boring, milling, and descaling.

Powder metallurgy is a crucial process in manufacturing items like washers, bearings, and many more. To purchase sintered items, you can contact us at PM Distributors.

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