Powder metallurgy can benefit very substantially from the growth in the automobile industry even in the future. However, in order to do this, it must prevail in competition with forgings and castings. This will be possible in the long term only if the component density is substantially increased and new alloying systems, such as chrome-iron, are used. This facts, however, result in more stringend requirements being placed on the sintering process. This is why the belt-conveyor and walking-beam furnaces used today will be only restrictedly suitable. By contrast, a newly developed roller furnace concept meets the most stringent requirements in relation to stable and pure sintering atmosphere. It is based on a modular roller furnace with multiple zones for process-oriented sinter heat treatment of PM parts. It allows high-temperature sintering up to 1,300°C and sinter hardening in one pass. The individual zones are designed as gas-tight, oxygen-free and inert gas-operated modules which, as separate function units, are based on the individual process steps. The design which is presented in detail has already proven successful several times in practice. For the rest, it meets both the most stringent technical demands and the most stringent economic demands.
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