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| Selection of Graphite Powder Used in Powder Metallurgy Parts Production |
| HAN Feng-lin |
| PM Association of Machine General Parts Industry Society, Beijing 100825, China |
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Abstract Chance to expand the application field for powder metallurgy parts versus competing manufacturing technologies and materials are based on three key variables: performance, price and precision-in terms of dimensional tolerance and stability. Volatility of raw materials’ price strongly affects a fourth variable: profitability. Graphite in the structural PM parts is primarily responsible for the steel matrix hardening, by its diffusion into pure or pre-alloyed iron particles. The graphite has two types: natural graphite and primary synthetic graphite. The physical characteristics of natural and primary synthetic graphite were presented with reference to different behavior during sintering. The paper reviewed recent publications, some tests results obtained both in laboratory as well as in production scale, the aims showing how an optimized selection of graphite powder allows addressing the three key variables.
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Received: 13 May 2014
Published: 08 August 2014
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2014, Vol. 24 
