Facts about Powdered Metal Blending
The powder metallurgy requires access to a source of properly blended raw material. These are the mixed powders that mingle with alloying additives and lubricants. the powered metal industrial machinery breaks from its normal linear processing configuration. In the production run, the operation uses a dual-action sequence to really shake up the freshly atomized metal.
Powdered Metal Processing
Within the powder pulverizing station, the fine-grained mountain of metal enters a mixing chamber. To one side, the feed line is open. Another feed channel is located on the other side of the chamber. From here, the homogenized mass receives a second ingredient, which is usually where a waxy, powdered lubricant enters the mix. Mechanically spun and rotated at speed, the blended load distributes that oily discharge. The lubricant and metal merge as a thoroughly intermingled mass of powder.
An In-Depth Process Review
Look closer, this isn’t a plain mixing chamber. It has multi-axis turn points, plus internally mounted baffles. The drum is rotating on one axis, then it’s spinning on a second axis. Meanwhile, inside the hollow drum, blades are maximizing the blending action. There are compaction binders and secondary lubricants in that carefully blended mass. They expedite the mixing operation and stop in-process die friction. This is the place for that metal mix to form. In fact, metal-to-metal amalgamates form here that don’t normally occur in traditional alloy manufacturing science.
Looking at the Entire Process
Small quantities of zinc stearate overcome die friction. Mixed with this process lubricant, binding agents assure a solid product takes form during the compaction and sintering stage. There’s even a de-flocculant in the blended material load, an ingredient that’s there to inhibit the clumping effect that can plague some powder metal mixes. Finally, one or more alloys combines with a primary lubricant inside the mixing drum. That churning mix combines with the additives, and the pulverized mixture speeds on towards the compaction stage.
Ruling the blending stage, that all-important sealed drum guarantees a homogenized compound. Powder metallurgy science absolutely relies on a high degree of mixing excellence. Like a precisely controlled recipe, the ingredients must be portioned correctly and mixed wholly if the product is to pass through the sintering stage the right way.
