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PM in China has a bright future
PM
TECHNOLOGY
TRENDS
Diverse applications for PM in India I n d i a h a s 20 p a r t s producers, 60 powder makers a n d 15 PM equipm e n t m a n u f a c t u r e r s . Its capabilities are being further strengthened t h r o u g h foreign cooperation. C u r r e n t powder production capacity is 52 000 t o n n e s a year of which 70% is iron a n d steel. Some 16 units produce 12 000 t o n n e s a year of iron powders, i n c l u d i n g t h e HSganfis sponge iron p l a n t which h a s a capacity of 6000 t o n n e s a n d proProfessor P. Ramakrishnan, president of the Powder Metallurgy Association of d u c e d 4 2 0 0 t o n n e s in India. 1992. Materials for bearings is also a n i m p o r t a n t n d i a n p o w d e r m e t a l l u r g y sector with some 5600 t o n n e s of I (PM) covers a wide spec- p o w d e r a y e a r b e i n g m a d e . t r u m of applications from A l u m i n i u m powder is p r o d u c e d m a c h i n e r y t h r o u g h cars a n d in 18 p l a n t s with a total capaappliances to electronics a n d city of 12 000 t o n n e s a year, a n d defence, says Professor P. Ra- zinc, lead a n d tin account for a m a k r i s h n a n , p r e s i d e n t of t h e f u r t h e r 9600 tonnes, 570 t o n n e s Powder Metallurgy Association a n d 300 t o n n e s respectively. of India (PMAI). Some 60 p l a n t s with a total
i'vt
71
N'A'S'H'V'I'L'L'E
capacity of 9000 t o n n e s a year make hardmetal powders. A r o u n d 4500 t o n n e s of ferrous p a r t s are c u r r e n t l y p r o d u c e d each year, a l t h o u g h capacity is in t h e region of 10 000 tonnes. Some 70% of p a r t s go into t h e automotive industry. Growth in vehicle p o p u l a t i o n in India was 314% between 1981 a n d 1991. A r o u n d 4.5 kg of PM is used in each car, c o m p a r e d with 1 kg in 1985. The heaviest PM p a r t is 1.1 kg. PM p l a n t also m a k e electrical contacts a n d b r u s h e s in tungsten, silver a n d copper. H a r d m e t a l c a p a c i t y is 900 tonnes, with 200 t o n n e s produced in 1992. There is also a p l a n t m a k i n g t u n g s t e n wires from powders with a production of 33 t o n n e s a year a n d m a n y u n i t s are producing wires from PM rods. Several factories produce ferrites a n d manufacture special p r o d u c t s such as those for the aerospace, defence a n d atomic energy industries. •
PM in China has a bright f u t u r e he i m p r o v e m e n t in living s t a n d a r d s in C h i n a in t h e 1980s will provide good o p p o r t u n i t i e s for t h e p o w d e r metallurgy (PM) industry, says Xiao-shan Li, p r e s i d e n t of t h e C h i n a General Machine Compon e n t s Industry Association. E q u i p m e n t h a s b e e n imp o r t e d from J a p a n , G e r m a n y a n d Australia by ten PM p a r t s producers, he says. This h a s led to improved quality a n d production efficiency. C h i n a currently h a s a r o u n d 200 PM companies. These include: 24 producers of iron a n d steel powder; 17 producers of c o p p e r powder; a n d 156 PM parts manufacturers. Some 31 000 t o n n e s of ferrous powd e r is p r o d u c e d e a c h year,
T
comprising 29 000 t o n n e s red u c e d a n d 2000 t o n n e s atomized. The m a j o r use of iron a n d steel powder is in s t r u c t u r a l parts, which accounts for 10 000 t o n n e s . Followed by b e a r i n g s w i t h 6000 t o n n e s . C o p p e r s t r u c t u r a l p a r t s consume 3600 t o n n e s a n d bearings 2000 tonnes. China's less developed automotive m a r k e t results in a r a t h e r different breakdown of applications t h a n t h a t found in most countries. Some 36.8% of PM p a r t s go into cars, 33.84% in agricultural m a c h i n e r y a n d 16.02% into a p p a r a t u s . The country's p a r t s producers have 1167 presses a n d 501 furnaces between them. But m u c h of this e q u i p m e n t is out
of date, p r o d u c t i o n efficiency is poor, a n d t h e ability to develop new p r o d u c t s is n o t availa b l e , says X i a o - s h a n . The Chinese PM industry m u s t overcome its weaknesses to progress, he says. If this can be achieved t h e country h a s a wide market and bright future for PM. To make t h e most of this o p p o r t u n i t y PM p a r t s p r o d u c t i o n m u s t be increased and developm e n t speeded up. One way in which C h i n a can do this is by cooperation with o t h e r countries -- a strategy it is looking to develop. •
Xiao-shan Li, president of the China General Machine Components Industry Association.
MPR September 1993 27
TECHNOLOGY
TRENDS
Diverse applications for PM in India I n d i a h a s 20 p a r t s producers, 60 powder makers a n d 15 PM equipm e n t m a n u f a c t u r e r s . Its capabilities are being further strengthened t h r o u g h foreign cooperation. C u r r e n t powder production capacity is 52 000 t o n n e s a year of which 70% is iron a n d steel. Some 16 units produce 12 000 t o n n e s a year of iron powders, i n c l u d i n g t h e HSganfis sponge iron p l a n t which h a s a capacity of 6000 t o n n e s a n d proProfessor P. Ramakrishnan, president of the Powder Metallurgy Association of d u c e d 4 2 0 0 t o n n e s in India. 1992. Materials for bearings is also a n i m p o r t a n t n d i a n p o w d e r m e t a l l u r g y sector with some 5600 t o n n e s of I (PM) covers a wide spec- p o w d e r a y e a r b e i n g m a d e . t r u m of applications from A l u m i n i u m powder is p r o d u c e d m a c h i n e r y t h r o u g h cars a n d in 18 p l a n t s with a total capaappliances to electronics a n d city of 12 000 t o n n e s a year, a n d defence, says Professor P. Ra- zinc, lead a n d tin account for a m a k r i s h n a n , p r e s i d e n t of t h e f u r t h e r 9600 tonnes, 570 t o n n e s Powder Metallurgy Association a n d 300 t o n n e s respectively. of India (PMAI). Some 60 p l a n t s with a total
i'vt
71
N'A'S'H'V'I'L'L'E
capacity of 9000 t o n n e s a year make hardmetal powders. A r o u n d 4500 t o n n e s of ferrous p a r t s are c u r r e n t l y p r o d u c e d each year, a l t h o u g h capacity is in t h e region of 10 000 tonnes. Some 70% of p a r t s go into t h e automotive industry. Growth in vehicle p o p u l a t i o n in India was 314% between 1981 a n d 1991. A r o u n d 4.5 kg of PM is used in each car, c o m p a r e d with 1 kg in 1985. The heaviest PM p a r t is 1.1 kg. PM p l a n t also m a k e electrical contacts a n d b r u s h e s in tungsten, silver a n d copper. H a r d m e t a l c a p a c i t y is 900 tonnes, with 200 t o n n e s produced in 1992. There is also a p l a n t m a k i n g t u n g s t e n wires from powders with a production of 33 t o n n e s a year a n d m a n y u n i t s are producing wires from PM rods. Several factories produce ferrites a n d manufacture special p r o d u c t s such as those for the aerospace, defence a n d atomic energy industries. •
PM in China has a bright f u t u r e he i m p r o v e m e n t in living s t a n d a r d s in C h i n a in t h e 1980s will provide good o p p o r t u n i t i e s for t h e p o w d e r metallurgy (PM) industry, says Xiao-shan Li, p r e s i d e n t of t h e C h i n a General Machine Compon e n t s Industry Association. E q u i p m e n t h a s b e e n imp o r t e d from J a p a n , G e r m a n y a n d Australia by ten PM p a r t s producers, he says. This h a s led to improved quality a n d production efficiency. C h i n a currently h a s a r o u n d 200 PM companies. These include: 24 producers of iron a n d steel powder; 17 producers of c o p p e r powder; a n d 156 PM parts manufacturers. Some 31 000 t o n n e s of ferrous powd e r is p r o d u c e d e a c h year,
T
comprising 29 000 t o n n e s red u c e d a n d 2000 t o n n e s atomized. The m a j o r use of iron a n d steel powder is in s t r u c t u r a l parts, which accounts for 10 000 t o n n e s . Followed by b e a r i n g s w i t h 6000 t o n n e s . C o p p e r s t r u c t u r a l p a r t s consume 3600 t o n n e s a n d bearings 2000 tonnes. China's less developed automotive m a r k e t results in a r a t h e r different breakdown of applications t h a n t h a t found in most countries. Some 36.8% of PM p a r t s go into cars, 33.84% in agricultural m a c h i n e r y a n d 16.02% into a p p a r a t u s . The country's p a r t s producers have 1167 presses a n d 501 furnaces between them. But m u c h of this e q u i p m e n t is out
of date, p r o d u c t i o n efficiency is poor, a n d t h e ability to develop new p r o d u c t s is n o t availa b l e , says X i a o - s h a n . The Chinese PM industry m u s t overcome its weaknesses to progress, he says. If this can be achieved t h e country h a s a wide market and bright future for PM. To make t h e most of this o p p o r t u n i t y PM p a r t s p r o d u c t i o n m u s t be increased and developm e n t speeded up. One way in which C h i n a can do this is by cooperation with o t h e r countries -- a strategy it is looking to develop. •
Xiao-shan Li, president of the China General Machine Components Industry Association.
MPR September 1993 27