Development of a High Speed Steel Vane with Sinter Hardening Technology in a Vacuum Furnace

摘要

P/M high-speed-steel has been used for metallic molds or tools due to its superior wear resistance and toughness. However, reduction in production cost for P/M high-speed-steel is required because the production cost for P/M high-speed-steel is much higher than that of general iron based P/M parts due to high cost powder. Hardening in a cooling chamber of a vacuum sintering furnace is investigated because each thermal history of sintering and hardening was very similar. Low cost sinter hardening process was developed by using a newly developed continuous vacuum sintering furnace with 3 independent chambers, i.e. a dewaxing chamber, vacuum sintering chamber and cooling chamber and by investigating appropriate cooling rate in the cooling chamber. Compared with conventional process, 50% elimination in energy consumption and 30% reduction in production cost are achieved by using newly developed continuous vacuum sintering furnace with 3 independent chambers.