High Performance PM Benefits

The High Performance Powder Metal (PM) process offers benefits that are not readily available with other metal-working processes. Consequently, PM components are rapidly becoming an effective alternative to castings, forgings, and machined parts.

More specifically, engineers are able to design components with:

Material Efficiency
One of the cost advantages of the PM process is that the finished product uses virtually 100% of the metal powder consumed. This eliminates the waste found in the stamping, fineblanking, or machining processes when producing components with holes or varying thickness.

Intricate Shapes
With essentially no cost added, PM is easily able to provide internal or external splines, gears, knurls, or knobs. Features can be off-center or partially through, such as eccentric holes or hidden pockets.

Close Tolerances
High precision dies, punches, and core rods produce net shape components with closer tolerances than castings, forgings, and stampings. Components may be coined or machined if additional dimensional precision is required.

Unique Material Properties
Powder Metal offers a variety of standard alloys to suit a majority of requirements; however, custom blends of any size can easily be manufactured to meet specific material requirements.

Labor Efficiency
Automatic, rapid cycle presses produce PM components consistently. While intricate tooling set-ups may be somewhat lengthy, longer press runs and continuous sintering efficiently amortize this portion of the cost.

Reduced Assemblies
In many cases, functions that would require intricate multiple parts and assembly steps are consolidated into a single PM component that minimizes manufacturing steps and reduces cost.