For a long time, engineers and potential buyers have been comparing powder metallurgy with competing processes. As for powder metal parts and forged parts, like any other comparison of manufacturing methods, it helps to understand the advantages and potential disadvantages of each process. Powder metallurgy (PM) offers many advantages that you should consider-some are obvious, some are not many. Of course, in some cases, forging may also be a good choice. Let's take a look at the ideal uses and applications of powder metal and forged parts:

1. Powder metal and forgings

Since becoming mainstream, powder metallurgy has become an obvious solution for producing small parts in many situations. At this point, you might argue that many castings that can be replaced by PM have been replaced. So, what is the next frontier for making full use of powdered metals? What about forged parts? The answer is very specific to your application. The relative properties of various forging materials (forgings are a part of them), and then show the position of powder metal suitable for the description. This laid the foundation for the current PM, and more importantly, the possible PM. Look at where 80% of the powder metal industry depends on cast iron, phosphor bronze, etc. However, powder metal parts now easily outperform cast iron products. In short, if you plan to use typical iron-copper-carbon to design components, then powder metallurgy may not be for you. However, if you research more advanced materials and processes, PM may provide the performance you need at a much lower cost than forgings.

2. Let's take a closer look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of powdered metal and forged parts:

A. Metal powder metallurgy parts

1. Advantages of powder metallurgy:

The parts can be produced with materials that can provide high-temperature service and high durability, and the cost is reduced. Think about stainless steel, which is subject to high temperatures in exhaust systems, etc.

Can maintain high productivity of parts, even complex parts.

Due to the net shapeability of powder metallurgy, most of them do not require machining. Less secondary processing means lower labor costs.

The use of metal powder and sintering can achieve a high level of control. This allows fine-tuning of electromagnetic properties, density, damping, toughness and hardness.

High temperature sintering greatly improves the tensile strength, bending fatigue strength and impact energy.

2. Disadvantages of powder metallurgy:

PM parts usually have size limitations, which can make certain designs impossible to produce. The largest press in this industry is about 1,500 tons. This limits the actual part size to a flat area of ​​about 40-50 square inches. More realistically, the average press size is within 500 tons, so please make a plan for your part development.

Parts with complex shapes may also be difficult to manufacture. However, highly skilled metal parts manufacturers can overcome this challenge and even help you design.

Parts are generally not as strong or stretchable as cast iron or forged parts.