Analysis of Effect of Processing Factors on Surface Roughness and Sintered Density of Powder Metallurgy Composites

Abstract

A parametric description on surface roughness and sintered density for composites produced via powder metallurgy technique has been given here. This technique has been used to produce composites from low carbon content ferrous powders, which have been taken as matrix, and high carbon content rapidly solidified alloyed ferrous powders, which have been taken as reinforcement. Low carbon content ferrous powders have been annealed at 700 °C for two hours, and high carbon content rapidly solidified alloyed ferrous powders have been annealed at 1000 °C for one hour. These low carbon content ferrous powders and high carbon content rapidly solidified alloyed ferrous powders have been mixed at various weight proportions and compacted at different pressures ranging from 450 MPa to 650 MPa. The compacts have been sintered at three different temperatures like 900 ^oC, 1000 ^oC and 1100 °C. The surface roughness and sintered density values have been measured for the sintered compacts at different processing factors. Full factorial design of experimentation has been prepared, and effects of the processing factors on surface roughness and sintered density have been studied using MINITAB 16. Weight percent of high carbon content rapidly solidified alloyed ferrous powders, which has been taken as one of the factors, has been found to be the most significant factor. Its contribution for lowest surface roughness and highest sintered density is the maximum.