Powder metal parts can cut costs, but (as with any material or process) it's important that there be a good match between the application and the material. The award-winning parts seem to be good examples of this.
Unfortunately, I've also seen examples of parts which never should have been powder metal. For example, I was once involved in a failure analysis for a mechanical brake actuator which consisted of a hub with a long shaft. Since the compaction direction was along the axis of the shaft, and the length of the shaft was more than twice the diameter of the hub, it was difficult to achieve a high density in the shaft. The shaft was subjected to torsion and bending loads. Depending on the exact size and location of porosity, fatigue cracks would initiate at the base of the shaft. With repeated actuations, the shaft would snap off, rendering the brake inoperable.
Making the part out of powder metal may have saved money in the short term, but this could have been a very expensive problem if anyone had been injured or any property had been damaged (fortunately, this never happened). As it was, a significant sum of money needed to be spent on this issue.
Of course, there are PM techniques which could have been used to solve this problem. For instance, double press / double sinter would have made it possible to achieve a higher density. Powder forging would have allowed an even higher density. But once the part was already in production, either of these options would have required significant new tooling expenditures. Ultimately, after examining a number of options, it was found that it was cheaper to machine this part from an inexpensive forging.
There are many applications for which PM is a great option. However, design engineers need to make sure that it is a good fit for the application. PM suppliers should also be careful to bring up any potential areas of concern during the design review process, so that any potential issues can be resolved before the part goes into production.
By experimenting with the photovoltaic reaction in solar cells, researchers at MIT have made a breakthrough in energy efficiency that significantly pushes the boundaries of current commercial cells on the market.
In a world that's going green, industrial operations have a problem: Their processes involve materials that are potentially toxic, flammable, corrosive, or reactive. If improperly managed, this can precipitate dangerous health and environmental consequences.
With LEDs dropping in price virtually every year, automakers have begun employing them, not only on luxury vehicles, but on entry-level models, as well.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 4
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
3 
