A Personal View Of The Future Of Ferrous PM In Europe

摘要

The methods of making sintered components from iron- and steel powders have undergone a fantastic development since the first oil pump rotors and housings were made at General Motors in 1937. The present state of the art covers a wide range of materials - every one catering to its' special application. This has been made possible by new powder compositions with widely varying particle morphology. Further, the shaping capabilities of PM have been greatly improved by progress in tool-making and press design. Attention to the risk for segregation of powder mixes and improved sintering equipment have made it possible to achieve ever improved precision. I believe that the competitive advantage of ferrous PM in the future will be enhanced by several factors. Among the technical ones are the achievement of much improved precision by effectively eliminating segregation. This will result in greater precision with regards to the composition of the components which in turn gives less scattering of dimensions as well as closer control of mechanical properties. By using computer modelling and digitally controlled multi-axis presses it will further be possible to eliminate defects such as cracks - which have haunted the PM industry for generations. New applications will be developed - among the most interesting are the soft magnetic components for motors and other electric equipment. Finally the growth of the PM industry as such will result in improved economy - lower cost - simply by the economy of scale and by improvements in the manufacturing methods. In my forty-two years as PM engineer there has never been a lack of new challenges. It seems to me that there is room for many great achievements yet.