- Email: [email protected]
Linde finds slot in warm compaction market
Warm compaction L
production lines, which again were distributed across the globe (10 in North America, six in Europe and four in the Far East). The signs also point to further rapid uptake of the technology, 4th more than 20 companies currently testing the system that was first introduced in mid-1994 by Hcgan& and its North American counterpart Hoeganaes Corp. (Table 1).
-n-m
_U_
F
rom exciting concept to production reality, warm compaction is moving from the research laboratory to
the pipeline, signalling the growing commercial success of the technology. At the end of 1996, the powder maker HiiganSis AH estimated that there were already 38 parts in production - 20 in North America, three in Europe
and 15 in the Far East (including Japan). These were being produced on a total of 20
Production lines Parts in production Companies testing
USA
Europe
10 20 Several
6
4
3
15 10+
10+
Far East
Linde finds slat in warm compaction market
A
mong the first developers of equipment for warm compaction was Linde Metallteknik AEJ a faml&owned company located in Helsingborg, Sweden. The company works primarily in machine building and materials handling and has had a close association with H6ganSFsAH for many years.
These links resulted in the powder maker asking Linde if it was interested in producing and selling the powder heating system it had developed to promote the use of warm compaction. This in turn led to the development of Linde’s patented ‘Slot Heater’ (Figures 2 and 3). The company has now sold about 20 of these units, 60% in Europe and the rest in Asia. It
produces two models, the first capable of handling 4.5 kg/min and the second 10 kg/min, with both heating the powder to 130°C. Llnde’s biggest customer is currently the German press maker Dorst. Dorst sells the Slot Heater in conjunction with its presses and offers a support service to customers that ineludes help in die construction and development. n
PRESS
MULTICABLE FOR TERMOCOUPLES , MULTICABLE HEATING ., ,--I_
CONNECTION
FIGURE 2: The ‘Slot Heater’ warm compactfon powder heating system designed by L&d8 Metalfteknik.
10 MPR February 1997
FOR
BOX
NGURE 3: A schematic of Linde’s Slot Heater.
Technology Involving the preheating of both tooling and specific powder mixes, the warm compaction process can achieve uniform densities of up to 7.4 g/cm3 with single pressing and single sintering. The improved strength and even density of green compacts also permits green-state machining. Both factors offer PM producers potential production benefits and cost savings, and higher uniform density also extends the range of potential PM components. A range of applications are emerging for warm compaction, mostly in the automotive industry and usually taking advantage of the increased strength the process offers over traditional PM methods. These parts include helical gears, pump wheels, connecting rods, cams, chain wheels and synchronizing hubs (Table 2). The growing
market
for
warm compaction is also underlined by the increasing num-
Application
Benefit
Helical gears (power tools) Pump wheels
Increased strength Increased strength
Connecting rods Cams
Increased fatigue strength Reduced wear
Chain wheels Synchronizing hub Helical gears (transmission) Soft magnetic components
Increased machining strength Increased strength Increased bending fatigue strength Higher density
ber of powder
companies producing heating equipment for
use with the technology. USbased companies Wavemat Inc, Abbott Furnace Co and Microwave Materials Technologies, as well as Linde Metallteknik AB of Sweden (see box), are all producing retrofit powder heating systems, while CINCINNATI Inc produces a range of compacting presses with integrated warm capabilities.
compaction
n FIGURE 1: Safety locker parts for lifting equipment produced by warm compaction. (Photo courtesy of Kolsva Sinterteknikl.
Promote your company and save money by having reprints af an article w whole page advertisement that appears in this issue
For further details and quotations contact: The Advertising Saks Manager fkevier Advanced Technology PO Box lS0, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 IAS, UK Tel: 91865 843@9; Fax: 01865 843971
ELSEVIER ADVANCED TECllNOLOCY
MPR February 1997 11
production lines, which again were distributed across the globe (10 in North America, six in Europe and four in the Far East). The signs also point to further rapid uptake of the technology, 4th more than 20 companies currently testing the system that was first introduced in mid-1994 by Hcgan& and its North American counterpart Hoeganaes Corp. (Table 1).
-n-m
_U_
F
rom exciting concept to production reality, warm compaction is moving from the research laboratory to
the pipeline, signalling the growing commercial success of the technology. At the end of 1996, the powder maker HiiganSis AH estimated that there were already 38 parts in production - 20 in North America, three in Europe
and 15 in the Far East (including Japan). These were being produced on a total of 20
Production lines Parts in production Companies testing
USA
Europe
10 20 Several
6
4
3
15 10+
10+
Far East
Linde finds slat in warm compaction market
A
mong the first developers of equipment for warm compaction was Linde Metallteknik AEJ a faml&owned company located in Helsingborg, Sweden. The company works primarily in machine building and materials handling and has had a close association with H6ganSFsAH for many years.
These links resulted in the powder maker asking Linde if it was interested in producing and selling the powder heating system it had developed to promote the use of warm compaction. This in turn led to the development of Linde’s patented ‘Slot Heater’ (Figures 2 and 3). The company has now sold about 20 of these units, 60% in Europe and the rest in Asia. It
produces two models, the first capable of handling 4.5 kg/min and the second 10 kg/min, with both heating the powder to 130°C. Llnde’s biggest customer is currently the German press maker Dorst. Dorst sells the Slot Heater in conjunction with its presses and offers a support service to customers that ineludes help in die construction and development. n
PRESS
MULTICABLE FOR TERMOCOUPLES , MULTICABLE HEATING ., ,--I_
CONNECTION
FIGURE 2: The ‘Slot Heater’ warm compactfon powder heating system designed by L&d8 Metalfteknik.
10 MPR February 1997
FOR
BOX
NGURE 3: A schematic of Linde’s Slot Heater.
Technology Involving the preheating of both tooling and specific powder mixes, the warm compaction process can achieve uniform densities of up to 7.4 g/cm3 with single pressing and single sintering. The improved strength and even density of green compacts also permits green-state machining. Both factors offer PM producers potential production benefits and cost savings, and higher uniform density also extends the range of potential PM components. A range of applications are emerging for warm compaction, mostly in the automotive industry and usually taking advantage of the increased strength the process offers over traditional PM methods. These parts include helical gears, pump wheels, connecting rods, cams, chain wheels and synchronizing hubs (Table 2). The growing
market
for
warm compaction is also underlined by the increasing num-
Application
Benefit
Helical gears (power tools) Pump wheels
Increased strength Increased strength
Connecting rods Cams
Increased fatigue strength Reduced wear
Chain wheels Synchronizing hub Helical gears (transmission) Soft magnetic components
Increased machining strength Increased strength Increased bending fatigue strength Higher density
ber of powder
companies producing heating equipment for
use with the technology. USbased companies Wavemat Inc, Abbott Furnace Co and Microwave Materials Technologies, as well as Linde Metallteknik AB of Sweden (see box), are all producing retrofit powder heating systems, while CINCINNATI Inc produces a range of compacting presses with integrated warm capabilities.
compaction
n FIGURE 1: Safety locker parts for lifting equipment produced by warm compaction. (Photo courtesy of Kolsva Sinterteknikl.
Promote your company and save money by having reprints af an article w whole page advertisement that appears in this issue
For further details and quotations contact: The Advertising Saks Manager fkevier Advanced Technology PO Box lS0, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 IAS, UK Tel: 91865 843@9; Fax: 01865 843971
ELSEVIER ADVANCED TECllNOLOCY
MPR February 1997 11