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India's powder makers turn focus to PM
India’s powder makers turn focus to PM ndia boasts an abundance of metal powder producers, with more than 50 companies producing ferrous or nonferrous materials. Of course, most of these are small concerns and industries other than powder metallurgy (PM), such as fire works, paints and pigments, account for a substantial amount of the production. The current growth in the automotive sector, however, is focussing more attent,ion on the PM industry and is attracting a number of new entrants. For PM applications, India’s ferrous powder sector is dominated by Hogan&s India (see pages 40-42). In anticipation of the growth of the domestic industry, Hijganb has just completed an expansion of its atomization facilities and now has the capacity to produce 15 000 tonnes/year. It also has plans to boost its annealing capacity from 12000 to 21 000 tonnes by the turn of the century. Parts maker Sundaram Fasteners Ltd (see pages 3638), based in Bangalore, also has an iron powder production facility. The unit has an annual capacity of 2000 tonnes/year of water atomized powder, most of which is used for in-house parts production.
I
Two ambitious new entrants into the ferrous powder field for PM are Newatia Electra Metal Powders and P.P. Pate1 and Co. Newatia, based in Chaibasa, has recently established its powder production unit as a diversification programme from its limestone mining and mineral powder marketing activities. The company has installed a plant for the production of both reduced (10 tonnes/day) and electrolytic (1 tonne/day) grades of iron powder. The electrolytic powder is being produced using novel technology developed in India. The technique uses low cost sponge iron fines as the anode material in the process, rather than the conventional use of the metal in sheet form, with electrolysis taking place in a ferrous chloride bath. Newatia says the resulting iron powder is of high purity and possesses high compressibility and green strength. Additional benefits of the powder, according to the company, are higher die life resulting from the low acid insoluble content and low hydrogen loss favourable for absorbing carbon. Newatia currently employs 30 people in its iron powder operation and says it has received business enquiries from
FlGURE
22 MPR May 1997
1: P.P.
Pate/
& Co’s
domestic firms, as well as companies in Japan, Germany and the USA P.P. Pate1 & Co, meanwhile, has constructed a metal powder plant with the capacity to produce 3000 tonnes/year of ferrous and non-ferrous powders in Tamalwadi, India. The plant was opened by Dr Lothar AlbanoMiiller, president of the European Powder Metallurgy Association, in December, 1996. The plant has facilities for producing metal powders via chemical reduction, atomization and diffusion bonding processes. The company’s product range will include a large range of metal and alloy powders including iron, copper, Fe-C& tin, bronze, spherical bronze, nickel-steel, low alloy steel, silicon ferrite and stainless steel. P.P. Pate1 plans to supply the powder metallurgy (PM) industry, as well as provide products for metal cutting and welding applications. The plant was designed to the specifications of S.Mohanty & Co, a PM consultancy based in Solapur, India. Mohanty has also provided P.P. Pate1 with licenses for several of its patented production techniques, as well as several pieces of equipment and training.
newly
opened
plant
in
Tamalwadi.
Chief executive Jayesh R. Pate1 says that in addition to targeting its homtb market, P.P. Pate1 & Co is already looking to supply its non-ferrous powders to Europe. Hc says the company has the ability tea increase its production to 10 000 tonnes; year, as it has sL,rplus sponge iron capacity. In terms of non-ferrous materials, India’s largest producer of copper powder for the PM industry is Kandoi Metal Powders Manufacturing Co, based in Jaipur. The company was established in 1973 and currently produces ,500 tonnes/year (it has the capacity to produce 1000 tonnes/year ) of powder via both electrolyldc and reduction processes. IDirector N.K. Kandoi says the company serves around 8.5% of t.hc domestic market and has recently c>xpandrd into export sales. The company supplies powder for PM structural parts and bearings, as well as for friction materials. electric contacts, diamond grinding wheels, chemical applications and other uses. As well as continuing its export drive, Kancloi is planning
to start manufacturing other non-ferrous metal powders and to produce copper powders by other routes. SLM Metal (P) Ltd, based in Rourkela, is a new company with ambitious development plans. The company produces atomized and reduced copper powder, as well as ‘Paralloy Bronze’, a partially alloyed bronze powder. Formed in 1992, the company currently has a capacity of 60 tonnes/month, but will expand this to 100 tonnes/month in the near future. Managing director P.M. Agarwala says the company presently sells only in the domestic market, but is looking to expand into other countries. Another fast developing firm is Kamla Metal Processors, based in Parbhani. Commissioned in August 1993, the plant produces a wide variety of metal and alloy powders by both air atomization and chemical reduction, primarily for PM applications. Kamla produces approximately 10 tonnesimonth of atomized copper and 30 tonnes/month of reduced copper powders for PM structural parts and bearings, as well as filters and friction materials. It produces 5 tonnes/month
of atomized bronze powders fol similar uses and 2 tonnesimonth of tin and copper based alloys fat soldering and brazing applications. Kamla also produces other materials in smaller quantities such as lead, brass, nickel, silver, antimony and zinc powders. Kamla director Nilesh Pate1 is now planning to start a sister company, M.P. Pate1 hi Sons Metals Ltd, for the production of fine and ultrafine metal powders. Pate1 says the company intends to install a Nanovdl gas atomizing system (see Metal Pmcdrr Report, November 1996. pages 30X33) with a 100 kg melt facility. Pate1 says the unit will mainly be for the production of stainless steel powders for metal injection moulding (MIM) applications. Powders and alloys of cobalt, nickel, chromium and silver, however, will also be produced for a variety of applications and processes including MIM, hardmetals, magnets, welding rods, dry batteries and dent al alloys. Pate1 says the unit will have a capacity of 70 tonnes. month and should be ready to begin production in late 1997 or early 1998.
PRESS Powders into Profit
with PTX-Pentronix” Powder Compacting Equipment Automatic
Parts Loader
Multi-Loader
over. Electronics interface to press controls and computer. Completely portable.
Three-Mode
PentronixInc. 1737 Cicotte, Lincoln Park, MI 48146-1304 (313) 388-3100 . Telex: 230398 PTX.LIPK Facsimile: (313) 388-9171
Worldwide
Sales and
Service
Presses
Feature unprecendented versatility economy and precision of anvil pressing: the multilevel capability of conventional pressing; and the sharp edge accuracy of complex parts with mode
three, combined anvil and conventional pressing. Fully automatic, high speed operation, quick changeovers, single or multiple cavities, available in 6, 16 and 35-ton sizes. 92PTXl
MPR
May
1997
23
I
Two ambitious new entrants into the ferrous powder field for PM are Newatia Electra Metal Powders and P.P. Pate1 and Co. Newatia, based in Chaibasa, has recently established its powder production unit as a diversification programme from its limestone mining and mineral powder marketing activities. The company has installed a plant for the production of both reduced (10 tonnes/day) and electrolytic (1 tonne/day) grades of iron powder. The electrolytic powder is being produced using novel technology developed in India. The technique uses low cost sponge iron fines as the anode material in the process, rather than the conventional use of the metal in sheet form, with electrolysis taking place in a ferrous chloride bath. Newatia says the resulting iron powder is of high purity and possesses high compressibility and green strength. Additional benefits of the powder, according to the company, are higher die life resulting from the low acid insoluble content and low hydrogen loss favourable for absorbing carbon. Newatia currently employs 30 people in its iron powder operation and says it has received business enquiries from
FlGURE
22 MPR May 1997
1: P.P.
Pate/
& Co’s
domestic firms, as well as companies in Japan, Germany and the USA P.P. Pate1 & Co, meanwhile, has constructed a metal powder plant with the capacity to produce 3000 tonnes/year of ferrous and non-ferrous powders in Tamalwadi, India. The plant was opened by Dr Lothar AlbanoMiiller, president of the European Powder Metallurgy Association, in December, 1996. The plant has facilities for producing metal powders via chemical reduction, atomization and diffusion bonding processes. The company’s product range will include a large range of metal and alloy powders including iron, copper, Fe-C& tin, bronze, spherical bronze, nickel-steel, low alloy steel, silicon ferrite and stainless steel. P.P. Pate1 plans to supply the powder metallurgy (PM) industry, as well as provide products for metal cutting and welding applications. The plant was designed to the specifications of S.Mohanty & Co, a PM consultancy based in Solapur, India. Mohanty has also provided P.P. Pate1 with licenses for several of its patented production techniques, as well as several pieces of equipment and training.
newly
opened
plant
in
Tamalwadi.
Chief executive Jayesh R. Pate1 says that in addition to targeting its homtb market, P.P. Pate1 & Co is already looking to supply its non-ferrous powders to Europe. Hc says the company has the ability tea increase its production to 10 000 tonnes; year, as it has sL,rplus sponge iron capacity. In terms of non-ferrous materials, India’s largest producer of copper powder for the PM industry is Kandoi Metal Powders Manufacturing Co, based in Jaipur. The company was established in 1973 and currently produces ,500 tonnes/year (it has the capacity to produce 1000 tonnes/year ) of powder via both electrolyldc and reduction processes. IDirector N.K. Kandoi says the company serves around 8.5% of t.hc domestic market and has recently c>xpandrd into export sales. The company supplies powder for PM structural parts and bearings, as well as for friction materials. electric contacts, diamond grinding wheels, chemical applications and other uses. As well as continuing its export drive, Kancloi is planning
to start manufacturing other non-ferrous metal powders and to produce copper powders by other routes. SLM Metal (P) Ltd, based in Rourkela, is a new company with ambitious development plans. The company produces atomized and reduced copper powder, as well as ‘Paralloy Bronze’, a partially alloyed bronze powder. Formed in 1992, the company currently has a capacity of 60 tonnes/month, but will expand this to 100 tonnes/month in the near future. Managing director P.M. Agarwala says the company presently sells only in the domestic market, but is looking to expand into other countries. Another fast developing firm is Kamla Metal Processors, based in Parbhani. Commissioned in August 1993, the plant produces a wide variety of metal and alloy powders by both air atomization and chemical reduction, primarily for PM applications. Kamla produces approximately 10 tonnesimonth of atomized copper and 30 tonnes/month of reduced copper powders for PM structural parts and bearings, as well as filters and friction materials. It produces 5 tonnes/month
of atomized bronze powders fol similar uses and 2 tonnesimonth of tin and copper based alloys fat soldering and brazing applications. Kamla also produces other materials in smaller quantities such as lead, brass, nickel, silver, antimony and zinc powders. Kamla director Nilesh Pate1 is now planning to start a sister company, M.P. Pate1 hi Sons Metals Ltd, for the production of fine and ultrafine metal powders. Pate1 says the company intends to install a Nanovdl gas atomizing system (see Metal Pmcdrr Report, November 1996. pages 30X33) with a 100 kg melt facility. Pate1 says the unit will mainly be for the production of stainless steel powders for metal injection moulding (MIM) applications. Powders and alloys of cobalt, nickel, chromium and silver, however, will also be produced for a variety of applications and processes including MIM, hardmetals, magnets, welding rods, dry batteries and dent al alloys. Pate1 says the unit will have a capacity of 70 tonnes. month and should be ready to begin production in late 1997 or early 1998.
PRESS Powders into Profit
with PTX-Pentronix” Powder Compacting Equipment Automatic
Parts Loader
Multi-Loader
over. Electronics interface to press controls and computer. Completely portable.
Three-Mode
PentronixInc. 1737 Cicotte, Lincoln Park, MI 48146-1304 (313) 388-3100 . Telex: 230398 PTX.LIPK Facsimile: (313) 388-9171
Worldwide
Sales and
Service
Presses
Feature unprecendented versatility economy and precision of anvil pressing: the multilevel capability of conventional pressing; and the sharp edge accuracy of complex parts with mode
three, combined anvil and conventional pressing. Fully automatic, high speed operation, quick changeovers, single or multiple cavities, available in 6, 16 and 35-ton sizes. 92PTXl
MPR
May
1997
23