Glossary

Die-less process that allows for unique shaping of plastic, metal, or other materials. 3D printing can be achieved in the industrial world using metal in powder form, somewhat similar to the process used by powder metallurgy companies. 

Sharp-edged or roughly polyhedral

Die-less process that uses powder to create a part in a way that resembles an inkjet printer. Also known as 3D printing.

Several particles adhering together

Metal powder consisting of two or more materials that are partially or completely alloyed with each other.

Basal angle of a pile formed by a powder when freely poured on to a horizontal surface

Weight per unit volume of loose, dry powder, usually expressed in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cc). The terms "apparent density" and "bulk density" are often used interchangeably.

Powder produced by disintegration of molten metals or alloys into droplets, which solidify into individual particles.

A statistical diameter and a function of the method of determination. It is often calculated from particle-size distribution, powder permeability, or gas-absorption measurements.

Shows the relationship between magnetic flux density (B) and magnetic field strength (H).

Substance added to a powder to increase the green strength of a compact to prevent demixing and dusting of the powder or to plasticize a powder and which is expelled before or during sintering

Powder made by blending powders of the same nominal composition

Thorough intermingling of powders of the same nominal composition

Coalesced mass of unpressed metal powder

Powder produced by the thermal decomposition of a metal carbonyl

Production of a carbide due to a reaction between carbon and metal or carbon and metal oxide

Sintered material containing at least one metallic phase and at least one non-metallic phase which is generally of a ceramic nature

Process for producing rapidly solidified powders by cooling a thin layer of molten material on a solid substrate

Powder produced by chopping material such as sheet, ribbon, fibre or filament

Separation of powder into fractions according to particle size

Powder consisting of particles having a surface layer of different composition

Isostatic pressing at ambient temperature, the pressure-transmitting medium normally being a liquid

Pressing of a powder, normally uniaxially, at ambient temperature

Powder produced by mechanical disintegration of solid metal

Ability of a powder to be pressed into a shape which maintains its integrity during subsequent processing

Using high pressure to compact metal powder in a die.

Alloyed powder in which each powder particle has a homogeneous chemical composition being that of the entire powder

Powder in which each particle consists of two or more different constituents

Capacity of a powder to be compacted and densified under pressure.

Ratio of the volume of un-compacted powder to the volume of the compact, measured after ejection from the die

Process in which a powder or compact is densified

Process for the production of a solid object by atomizing a molten or partially molten metallic stream which, before solidification, impinges on a substrate, where solidification subsequently occurs

Dissipation of energy in a magnetic core during its magnetization/demagnetization cycle.

A measure of the area which can be covered by a unit weight of powder spread as a continuous film on a water surface.

Fraction of a powder nominally within stated particle size limits

A dangerous good (also known as hazardous material or hazmat) is any substance or material that is capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce. Identifying dangerous goods is the first step to reduce the risks posed by the product with proper packaging, communication, handling, and stowage

Powder made by removal of hydrogen from metal hydride

Of branched shape

Mass per unit volume of a substance. Powder metallurgy is a great tool for producing high-density components.

Metal block used in forming materials. Like molds, they’re generally customized to the component you’re building.

Partially alloyed powder produced by means of a thermal process

Substance added in small quantity to a metallic powder to prevent or control recrystallization or grain growth either during sintering or during use of the resultant sintered object

Measurement of how much deformation a material can sustain before tensile fracturing occurs.

Ability of the edges of a compact to resist damage

Powder produced by an electrolytic process

Anything that describes electric currents or fields and magnetic fields. Refers to a type of physical interaction between electrically charged particles.

How much a workpiece stretches before it breaks (similar to a rubber band). PM is inferior to forged materials in this trait, but engineers often over specify and use forging when elongation isn’t even necessary for their project.

Classification of a powder through movement of the particles through a fluid medium

Enclosing a powder or a compact in a thin-walled container

High-energy consolidation by means of a detonation wave

Plasticized powder used as raw material for injection moulding or powder extrusion

When a component or material is iron-based and therefore has a high susceptibility to magnetization, which may persist after removal of the applied field.

A type of metal containing or consisting of iron.

Having the appearance of regularly or irregularly shaped threads

In uniaxial pressing, the ratio of the height to which a powder fills a die to the height of the compact, measured after ejection from the die

Fraction of a powder that passes through the smallest sieve size used in the sieve analysis

A particle (usually produced by milling atomized powders) which is much greater in length and breadth than in thickness.

Flaked, plate like

The temperature at which a particular organic compound gives off sufficient vapor to ignite in air.

Time required for a standard quantity of powder to flow through a standard orifice under specified conditions

Qualitative term describing the behavior of a powder when flowing through an opening

Standardized funnel and cylindrical cup used for the determination of apparent density

Process in which a powder is transformed into a coherent mass of the required shape

Material used in a sintering process for the purpose of absorbing or chemically binding those substances from the sintering atmosphere that are damaging to the final product

Approximately equidimensional but of irregular shape

agglomeration of fine particles to obtain a coarser powder with improved flowability

A particle coarser than 200 mesh.

Mass per unit volume of a compact

Mechanical strength of a compact

Materials that retain their magnetism after being magnetized and are difficult to demagnetize.

Process used to increase resistance to denting and improve the strength of a steel component.

Cemented carbide, sintered material characterized by high strength and wear resistance and comprising one or more carbides of refractory metals as the main component together with a metallic binder phase

H material (such as flammable or poisonous material) that would be a danger to life or to the environment if released without precautions

Combination of heating and cooling operations to produce desired properties and microstructures.

Sintered material with a density of at least 16,5 g/cm3

Generally used to process refractory metals due to their high melting temperatures. Benefits of high-temperature sintered parts include increased tensile strength, bending fatigue strength, and impact energy.

Isostatic pressing at elevated temperature, thus activating the phenomena of diffusion and creep, the pressure-transmitting medium normally being a gas

Pressing of a powder or compact, normally uniaxially, at elevated temperatures thus activating the phenomena of diffusion and creep

Relative loss in mass of a powder or compact caused by heating in an atmosphere of purified hydrogen under specified conditions

Oxygen content of a powder emanating from oxygen-bearing constituents reduced by hydrogen under standardized conditions

Dependence of the state of a system on its history, particularly in relation to magnetism. A type of energy loss, similar to eddy loss.

Process of heating a metal powder by electromagnetic induction, through heat generated in the object by eddy currents. The rapidly alternating magnetic field penetrates the workpiece, generating eddy currents inside the conductor.

Premixes of iron-copper-carbon are used in well over 50% of all powder metallurgy applications.

Lacking any symmetry

Aims to create standardization in manufacturing and other industries. Use of these standards helps companies make safe, reliable, and high-quality products

Pressing of a powder (or a compact) by subjecting its surface or the surface of the flexible part of the mould containing it, to nominally equal pressure from every direction

Amount of liquid or gas flowing through a porous object. Certain PM processes and materials can increase permeability.

Substance added to reduce friction between particles or between the compact and tooling surfaces. The lubricant is then removed during the sintering step.

Molding a piece of raw material into a desired final shape and size by a controlled material-removal process. In the hands of a highly skilled powder metallurgist, a component usually requires little secondary machining.

The relative ease with which a ferromagnetic material can support a magnetic field.

Alloyed powder containing a relatively high concentration of one or more elements that may be difficult to introduce in their unalloyed states

Process of alloying in the solid state by high-energy attritor or ball-mill

Properties that reveal strength and elastic behavior. Many advanced powder metallurgy processes and materials offer little-known benefits to mechanical properties.

Composite powder produced by mechanically incorporating other constituents which are generally insoluble within the deformable particles of the matrix metal

Metalworking process in which finely powdered metal is mixed with binder material to create a "feedstock" that is then shaped and solidified. Like 3D printing, MIM offers superior shape-making capability but at an exorbitant cost.

The small-scale makeup of a material, as seen at 25× magnification on a microscope.

Removing metal from a larger piece.

Represent a bottom floor of mechanical properties you can expect with MPIF Standard 35 materials.

Powder made by mixing powders, the constituent powders differing in composition

Thorough intermingling of powders of two or more different materials

Develops standards for and promotes the metal powder industry

Reduction in the cross-sectional area of the metal in an area typically measured during tensile testing.

Manufacturing a result identical to the final size and shape, so that minimal machining or other secondary processes are required. Very difficult to achieve without powder metallurgy.

Of rounded irregular shape

Metal in which the predominant element is not iron.

Fraction of a powder sample with particle size larger than any specified upper limit

Unit of powder that cannot readily be subdivided by the usual separation processes

External geometric form of a powder particle

The largest dimension of a particle, or the average of all dimensions. (see screen analysis)

Method of forming a plasticized mixture of powder and binder by powder extrusion\

Thermoplastic material used as a binder for improving formability of powders

Inherent or induced cavity within a particle or within an object

Ratio of the volume of all the pores to the total volume of a porous object

Assembly of discrete particles usually less than 1 mm in size

Finely divided or powdered materials compacted into hardened shapes.

Process in which a powder is introduced between a pair of rotating rolls which cause the powder to be compacted into a continuous, coherent strip

Completely alloyed powder usually made by atomization of melt

Combining powders earlier in the melting process. You can use prealloyed powders to produce a wide variety of parts with high strength and hardness.

Powder produced by chemical precipitation from solution

Mixture of powders with other ingredients designed to make the mixture ready for compaction

Process in which a powder held in a die or other container is subjected to an external force in order to densify the powder and produce a compact of prescribed shape and dimensions

Powder produced directly or indirectly at high solidification rates such that the particles have a modified or metastable microstructure

Process of mechanical alloying in which a reaction takes place between the metal and additives or the atmosphere or both

Powder produced by chemical reduction of a metal compound without melting

Metals that are extraordinarily resistant to heat and wear

Resisting power of a material to the flow of an electric current.

Device used to draw a representative powder sample from a bulk quantity of powder

Determination of particle size by measuring the particles passed through or retained on a sequence of screens of decreasing mesh sizes.

Application of finishing processes to the sintered part.

Settling of particles, suspended in a liquid, through the influence of an external force, such as gravity or centrifugal force

Demixing undesirable separation of one or more constituents of a powder mixture

Achievement of a desired geometry before final sintering

When a component contracts in volume. Some metallurgy processes inevitably cause shrinkage — sometimes up to 25%.

Technique of joining two PM components that utilizes the differential sintering growth characteristics of the two materials. Increasing strength by the metallurgical bonding of particles through the thermal treatment of a powder or compact at a temperature below the melting point of the main constituent.

Process that bonds two components with the help of a third, filler material.

Heating powders so that adjacent particles fuse, resulting in a solid component with greater mechanical strength.

Pourable viscous dispersion of powder in a liquid

Material that is easily magnetized and demagnetized.

Ferromagnetic powder particles ideally coated with a uniform layer of electrical insulating film.

Roughly spherical

Porous, reduced powder produced by comminution of a metal sponge which is in itself a coherent, highly porous metal

Process for granulating powders by the rapid evaporation of the liquid from the droplets of a slurry

Density obtained after vibrating a powder sample under standard conditions. Tapped density is always higher than apparent density because the particles settle to an optimum packing configuration during tapping

Maximum stress a material will withstand before it cracks.

The amount of deviation in measurements that a design will allow. Usually stated in +/- form. Overly tight tolerances can result in production issues.

The items that help you form powder metal into its final shape. Powder metallurgy tooling is less expensive than its reputation suggests.

The average value of mechanical properties you can expect with MPIF Standard 35 materials. It will depend also on how the fabricator sinters the material, along with other materials.

When unusually high temperatures are used for sintering ferrous materials. Only a few powder metallurgy companies in the world can handle this process, which grants even better properties than high-temperature sintering.

Atomization process in which ultrasonic vibration is applied to the gas jet

Powder produced by a gas atomization process in which ultrasonic vibration is applied to the gas jet

Fraction of a powder sample with particle size smaller than any specified lower limit

Furnace operating with a partial or high vacuum as a sintering atmosphere

Compaction of a powder using an oscillating punch or punches

Pressing of a powder, normally uniaxially, at a temperature between ambient and that at which substantial diffusion would occur, in order to obtain enhanced densification

How much a material can handle stress before it becomes deformed.