Structural Parts

Why Sinter steel

Sinter Steel vs.
• Cutting machining
• Stamping
• Cold forming
• Forging
• Precision casting
• Die Casting Al and Zn

Read about our design

Sinter Steel vs. Cutting Machining

L

No or modest tool costs i.e. low start-up costs
Plenty of freedom to make changes.

K

Labour-intensive
Poor use of material

Sinter Steel vs. Forging

L

Good material characteristics

K

More limited geometry
Poorer tolerances +-0,3 calibrated
Often requires finishing

Sinter Steel vs Stamping

L

Faster process

K

Limitations in geometry / tolerances

Sinter Steel vs. Precision Casting

L

Copes with transverse grooves and channels

K

Tolerances and material characteristics

Sinter Steel vs. Cold Forming

L

Fast process, comparable to sinter
Copes with thin-walled geometries

K

More limited geometry
Phosphatising of workpiece

Sinter Steel vs. Die Casting Al and Zn

L

Fast process
Good tolerances

K

Weak material
Costly tools

Design

When you design sinter it’s very important to have your target image clear as soon as possible, because in sinter steel you material wise do just above die casted Zn to almost as good as forged but if want the best material characteristics you may have to lose some on complex design. Here follows some tips, facts and examples and if you need more help please contact us and we will help you to design your sinter steel part.

Making the target image

Re design

What are your present elastic limit, hardness etc.?
Do you want any new functions?
Can the design be changed?
Does it break today? If so, where?

New design

What do you think about material characteristics, e.g. take a steel quality which you use today
Where do you think it is going to be under greatest load?
Describe the function clearly
What degree of freedom is there in regard to other details?

Density/ Material characteristics

Density-dependent

Flexural strength & elastic limit
E-module
Endurance limit
Impact resistance & crack growth
Elongation
Apparent hardness
Electrical and thermal characteristics
Surface smoothness
Expansion coefficient
Fluid permeability
Magnetic characteristics
Poisson constant

NON-density-dependent

True hardness
Fusion temperature
Phase change temperature
Curie temperature

High density limits complexity in design.

Tolerances

Tool-related

IT 9 after sintering
Can be improved with different types of finishing e.g. repressing cutting-machining and roll polishing

In direction of pressing

IT 13
Large shallow cavities make it easier and vice versa

Contour and levels

Contour like this odd shape does not cost extra on part, just on tooling.

Contour like this odd shape does not cost extra on part, just on tooling.

Levels cost extra and limits density

1 level (easiest)

2 levels

3 levels

Gears

Gear are a very good sinter product but you have limitations on small modules like 0,5 and lower.

Remember

Hold down projected surface in direction of pressure.
When you save weight, do it straight away so you save surface and don´t create another level.
Avoid thin sections less than 1.5 mm produce thin stamps and fill problems.
Bit must come out of the tool can be biggest in the middle.