What is sintered steel?

Sintered steel is a kind of metal powder metal that undergoes the sintering process and is heated under the melting point until the particles form molecular bonds Metals such as iron, copper and aluminum are usually turned into sintered steel Sintered steel has the characteristics of high temperature resistance and low deformation rate There are three main stages in the production of sintered steel: pulverization, forming and compaction In the first stage, the steel is transformed into powder Grinding, atomization, chemical reaction and centrifugal disintegration are four ways to produce metal powder The powder is transferred to the mold Metal products with complex shapes and details can be produced more effectively in this way, because the particles can better conform to the mold Then there is the compression and compaction of the mold Fusion particles need to be heated In some cases, the sintered steel has to be re pressurized to reduce porosity Although easy to form, sintered steel is difficult to use in machine manufacturing Uneven particles will produce rough surfaces and accelerate the wear of machining tools In order to improve the cutting performance, additives such as phosphorus, sulfur and tellurium must be mixed with the base metal to produce a smoother surface Unlike traditional metallurgy (for example, steel is more or less melted into liquid state before forming), sintered steel is forged in powder state Unmelted reduces many steps and reduces production time, so it is important for high production Sintered steel requires relatively low temperature As a result, tungsten and other high melting point metals are often converted into sintered steel Metals that are not easy to melt can be mixed by sintering Titanium carbide, for example, is a tough metal used for spacecraft casings The porosity of the steel is increased by the gap produced by the particles during sintering This feature allows the production of sintered stainless steel filters, which can be used to filter air and chemicals In addition, because sintered steel can bear huge heat, it is often used in extreme environment In motorcycles, sintered copper steel is often used for brake pad components It provides more resistance and heat resistance than organic brake pads The ability to block repeatedly and maintain durability makes it popular with motorcycle enthusiasts Ball bearings made of sintered steel can often be found in industrial equipment The spaces in the bearings remain liquid, allowing them to be properly lubricated.