sinterflex - carbon control in pm sintering

Quality Sintering. By Using New Furnace Atmosphere Control Technologies.

The Linde Group Organisational structure

Engineering Division

Gases Division Other Activities

EMEA

Asia/Pacific

Americas

The Linde Group

The Group comprises three divisions: Gases and Engineering (the two core divisions) and Other Activities (Gist, the logistics service provider).The largest division, Gases, has three reportable segments: EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Asia/Pacific and the Americas, which are subdivided into eight Regional Business Units (RBUs). The Gases Division also includes the two Global Business Units (GBUs) Healthcare (medical gases and related maintenance and advisory services) and Tonnage (on-site supply of gases to major customers), as well as the two Business Areas (BAs) Merchant & Packaged Gases (liquefied and cylinder gases) and Electronics (electronic gases).

Gist

The Linde Group worldwideGlobal presence in more than 100 countries

Gases used Our solutions

Neutral Hardening Nitriding / Nitrocarburising



The Linde Group in Heat Treatment Industry

CARBOFLEX

HYDROFLEX

CARBOJET

CARBOCAT

CARBOTHAN

HYDROFLEX

CARBOJET

CARBOTHAN

SINTERFLEX

FRIOFLEX

N2

Ar

H2

HYDROFLEX

CARBOTHAN

CARBOJET

CRYOFLEX

CARBOFLEX

FRIOFLEX

NITROFLEXN2

H2

CO2

NH3

CO

C2H2

N2

H2

C3H8

CH3OH

CH4

He

NH3

N2

Ar

H2

CH4

CH3OH

N2

Ar

H2

CH4

CO

CH3OH

CRYOFLEX

CRYOFLEX

CARBOFLEX

CARBOJET

CARBOCAT

CARBOTHAN

N2

Ar

CH4

CH3OH CRYOFLEX

Annealing SinteringBrazing Carburising / Carbonitriding

Gases used Our solutionsGases used Our solutions Gases used Our solutions

Raising the quality bar for sintering quality

Issues today:

— a scatter as high as ±0.3 %C in sintering is not uncommon.

— sinter steel parts are not regarded as safe alternatives to wrought fully dense products

— strength and toughness of steels is determined by C-Content

Solution:

Having a process that is accurately controlled resulting in sintered parts with properties deviating to a minimum from required target values.

Sintering Furnace Atmosphere Functionsand Linde Solutions in PM Sintering

Gas Humidifying

SINTERFELX Atmosphere Control System

SINTERFELX Gas Generator

SINTERFELX Atmosphere Circulation Nozzles

SINTERFELX Sinter Hardening

Atmosphere Analysing

Atmosphere Analysing Methanol Bubbling

Linde Solutions

´SINTERFLEX Home User Screen

Carbon Analysis of Brown Part by SEM

SEM analysis of BASF CATAMOLD FN02 material has shown

•up to 7% Carbon content locally in the mixture

•average is about 4.8 % carbon in a bulk piece. Spektrum In

StatistikC Cr Fe Mo Summ

e

Spektrum 1

Ja 7.28 74.48

18.25

100.00

Spektrum 2

Ja 5.12 94.88

100.00

Spektrum 3

Ja 2.92 0.81 96.27

100.00

Spektrum 4

Ja 6.64 93.36

100.00

Spektrum 5

Ja 4.39 95.61

100.00

Spektrum 6

Ja 2.04 97.96

100.00

Spektrum 7

Ja 1.55 98.45

100.00

Spektrum 8

Ja 1.20 98.80

100.00

Spektrum 9

Ja 3.25 96.75

100.00

Spektrum 10

Ja 1.77 0.89 97.34

100.00

Max. 7.28 0.89 98.8

018.25

Min. 1.20 0.81 74.48

18.25

Carbon Balances and Theory in MIM Process

Brown Part (4.6% C Total)~ 4% C from binder~0.6% C from base carbon

Desired final %C = 0.6% SINTERFLEX C-Potential

Existing operation based on prediction of final Carbon content loss and very dependent on the de-binding performance at the time of production therefore variations may or may not occur

SINTERFLEX Controlled De-binding system will remove the excess carbon coming from the binder

SINTERFLEX will maintain the carbon in the base powder by providing neutral atmosphere

1

2 3Reduced C-Content variation in final sintered batches

System OverviewComplete integration and control of MIM Sintering Process

CO, H2, CH4

O2 mV

Measured

C-Potential calculated

CO, H2, CH4

O2 mV

Measured

C-Potential calculated

H2 carrier gas

LPG trimming gas based on C-Potential Set-point

H2 carrier gas

LPG trimming gas based on C-Potential Set-point

Dew Point &Humidity Content Measured

Dew Point &Humidity Content Measured

N2 carrier gas

Water vapourbased onHumidity contentSet-Point

N2 carrier gas

Water vapourbased onHumidity contentSet-Point

Carbon-Content variation in parts over 8 hours

Benefits

Effective C-Potential control allows

— faster start up of operation and reduces switching times between different alloys

— Reduces post treatment costs due to uniform C-Potential results after sintering

— Enabling operators to sinter highly alloyed powders (Cr)

— Reducing C-Potential scatter therefore achieving requirements from the Automotive industry

— The new technology will allow the MIM Companies to reduce Hydrogen flows hence lower atmosphere costs.

— Reduced Scrap

— During the MIM part testing, the parts are controlled by destructive testing. When there is a potential reject in a batch, the Quality Control needs to destroy more parts for quality control. As the SINTERFLEX continues to run, the testing process will become less invasive to the procedure because the carbon results are more reliable. Instead of testing parts every three hours, it will be acceptable to test parts once or twice a day.

→ Significant cost reductions !

Atmosphere Circulation and Effective Internal Gas Generation

Gas Supply Capabilities

Filling centre

Pipeline

Pipeline

On-site supply

Retailer

Transport of liquefied gas

Cu

sto

mer

Cylinder

Bulk

Tonnage

Gases production plant

Leading On-Site gas supply solutionsECOVAR

More than 1,000 ECOVAR sites worldwide. 100% reliability at low cost, low risk and full service on gas supply needs.

Benefits of ECOVAR— Freedom to focus on core business— Transparent overview of long term costs— No upfront investment costs— No operating risk— No personnel expenditure— Zero maintenance and service effort— No need to keep spare parts on stock

CRYOSS: Nitrogen Solutions

HYDROSS: Hydrogen Solutions

Thank you.

Akin Malas

Mobile: +49 (172) 5118036

E-mail: [email protected]

Web site: www.heattreatment.linde.com

www.linkedin.com/in/akinmalas

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