Supersolidus liquid phase sintering of moulded metal components

摘要

The influence of supersolidus liquid phase sintering (SLPS) on the density of sintered components manufactured using a Ni-base superalloy powder (N18) has been studied. A compression moulding technique was employed to simulate the metal injection moulding (MIM) process using coarse N18 powder, with a particle size distribution of 40-63 mu m, as opposed to fine powders of less than in mu m normally used in conventional MIM. The study has demonstrated how the problem of low sintered density, encountered in solid-state sintering using coarse powders, can been overcome by SLPS and that the sintered densities of the N18 powder via the moulding process route were comparable with those produced by conventional die pressing and sintering. (C) 1998 Kluwer Academic Publishers. [References: 8]