Technical Papers and Discussions - Powder Metallurgy - Introduction to Seminar-Review of Literature on Pressing of Metal Powders (Metals Tech., Aug. 1947, T.P. 2236, with discussion)

The following review covers published information on pressing of metal powders at room temperature. Only those operations are considered which occur between the time the powder is filled into the cavity and the compact is ejected from the die. Thus, this review does not concern hot pressing, coining or sizing feed or flow problems, commercial presses nor designs. It was also necessary to disregard to a large extent the effect of pressing on subsequent operations and on properties after sintering. 'The pressing operation is considered independently in its function to compact loose metal powder into useful shapes which can subsequently be handled. There are some comments by the writer in connection with a few of the findings quoted in the literature in order to stimulate thought and discussion. The selection of references quoted in the text is in some cases arbitrary although an attempt was made to favor papers containing novel ideas, techniques or results which mag stimulate future research. In order to enable the reader to check further into the subjects mentioned, the original, rather extensive, bibliography is appended even though not all the references are touched on in the printed version of this review. The equipment used by various workers, for example a die design created by Bridgman,22 is very interesting. 'The die insert has a conical external surface. The vertical pressure exerted on the punch transmits itself to the die which in turn is pushed harder into its tapered retainer. Thus, the higher the pressure exerted on the punch, the higher also the pressure exerted inwards on the die inserts. Inasmuch as this pressure counteracts the internal pressure from the compact the two stresses balance each other so that it is possible to obtain tremendous pressures without breaking the die. The die collar was made from an oil hardening tool steel, heat treated to a tensile strength of some 300,000 psi. The die was closed at the bottom by a plug made from special tool steels. Bridgman found that there is no steel which will withstand a com-pressive stress of 700,000 psi without continuous slow flow or immediate fracture. Therefore, the only material suitable for use in the pressing punch was sintered carbide. In view of the ingenious design it was possible to use special tool steel as die material. Jones22 raises the question whether this method of pressing has practical application in powder metallurgy. Although these tremendous pressures cannot readily be utilized without many special precautions, the tapered die and retainer idea is believed to be useful even for lower pressures. Bridgman, himself," alls attention to the fact that the properties