Powder Metallurgy Titanium Trims Cost of Extrusion Billets for Making Applique Armor Attachments

摘要

Defense vehicle manufacturers use self-tapping threaded mechanical fasteners to mount various components onto the vehicle structure quickly. A new program focuses on a high volume-potential powder metallurgy manufacturing process to produce titanium alloy extrusion billets to make rod feedstock for threaded attachment inserts. Powder characterization, compaction and vacuum sintering processes are used to make cylinder preforms to manufacture bar stock from which inserts are fabricated. Processing factors and comparative performance testing of inserts made from conventional melt-formed industrial titanium stock vs. powder metallurgy titanium are discussed.