ADVANTAGES

P/M offers designers and users a versatile and efficient method of producing parts and components. The process is versatile because it is applicable for simple as well as complex shapes, and a full range of chemical, physical and mechanical properties are achievable.

The process is efficient because it produces moderate to high volume net or near-net shapes, with almost no raw material loss, economically.

Powders can be alloyed to give tensile strengths from 310 MPa (15 tonnes PSI) to 900 MPa (60 tonnes PSI) after heat treatment. Components can be manufactured to give strength over twice that of wrought mild steel if necessary.

The P/M process offer the following advantages:

Ability to produce high precision components in volume.
Only the exact amount of material is used.
Net shape production eliminates or minimises machining.
GTB’s patented process can completely eliminate secondary
machining for cross holes in certain applications leading to further
material & machining savings.
Density, or conversely porosity, can be accurately controlled to suit
particular requirements.
Allows combination of materials which cannot be produced in any
other way, including dissimilar metals, non metallic and materials with
widely differing characteristics.
Allows design in of self-lubricating properties.

Process	Unit Cost	Material Cost	Design Options	Flexibility	Volumes
P/M	avg.	low	greatest	avg.	med-high
Machining	n/a	high	high	high	low
Fineblank	avg.	low	avg.	low-avg.	high
Metal Pressing	high	lowest	avg.	low	highest
Forging	high	avg.	avg.	least	high
Sand Cast	low	avg.	high	avg.	low-med
Investment Cast	avg.	high	high	high	low-high
Die CAst	high	low	zinc/alum/nag	high	high

GTB Components regularly re-engineer parts never before made by the P/M process, and provide cost effective design solutions for production by powder metallurgy. This results in considerable savings to our customers and often an improvement in the performance of the product