Whether a component is produced through binder-jet additive manufacturing, metal injection molding or conventional press and sintering, lubricant removal continues to be one of the most common issues in sintering.

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L&L Special Furnace Co. Inc. shipped an electric box furnace to a U.S. manufacturer of calcium-phosphate materials used for medical devices. The calcium-phosphate powder is sintered in the furnace at a temperature of approximately 2200°F (1204°C). It is held at temperature for four to eight hours. The top layer is removed after processing, leaving pure calcium-phosphate powder. The powder is then mixed with proprietary materials and made into slurry that can be applied to various appliances deployed in the medical field.

Centorr Vacuum Industries announced shipped a Sintervac AM furnace for the debind and sintering of additively manufactured parts to a leading firm in the 3D printing/additive-manufacturing industry. The 2-cubic-foot furnace is rated for operation to 2912°F (1600°C). The graphite furnace design includes robust graphite tube and block elements designed for long service life with a four-sided hot zone and integral graphite retort for excellent temperature uniformity. The retort also compartmentalizes the residual off-gassing from binder-jet materials used during part production, allowing them to be caught in the dual trapping system. The Sweepgas debind system allows for effective sweeping away of the process contaminants. Furnace control is via PLC with Centorr's custom-designed HMI visualization interface.

To support the global demand for its high-alloy products, Sweden’s Höganäs will expand its Johnstown, Pa., facility in North America. The project, which is expected to create 25 jobs, will add new production capabilities to support additive manufacturing and other technologies. The company will construct a 24,000-square-foot building and purchase new machinery.

The Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA) heads to Cleveland, Ohio, for its 2019 Fall Seminars and Fall Business Conference. The event will be held at the Intercontinental Cleveland Sept. 24-26. The technical seminar series will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by the IHEA Fall Business Conference on Thursday.

The application of ion/plasma nitriding to powder-metal (PM) products is recommended over the gas nitriding method. Ion/plasma nitriding results in surface hardening while gas nitriding causes unintended through-nitriding, making the treatment not suitable for a majority of engineering components made of PM.

GKN Powder Metallurgy opened its new North American headquarters and additive-manufacturing (AM) customer center in Auburn Hills, Mich. The 38,260-square-foot facility expands the company’s global 3D-printing network and extends its scope of in-house powder-metallurgy capabilities. Housing over 80 employees from the three GKN Powder Metallurgy businesses (Hoeganaes, GKN Sinter Metals and GKN Additive), the facility includes a 3,200-square-foot AM Customer Center equipped with two direct metal laser sinter (DMLS) printers.

Metal additive manufacturing or metal 3D printing are terms that everyone in the metal-processing industry is seeking to understand. The “what” and the “how” are becoming clearer every day.

Many factors come into play during the vacuum sintering process, from the size and materials used in the furnace hot zone to whether debinding and sintering processes are combined in a single unit.