Designs and Evaluations of a Gas Atomizer to Fabricate Stainless Steel Metal Powder to Be Applied at a Metal Injection Molding

Abstract:

Metal Injection Molding (MIM) is an application of Powder Metallurgy (PM) and Plastic Injection Molding currently being developed to produce precisely-small components. Most of the metal applications using PM are stainless steel fabricated by a gas atomizer. In this study, an atomizer is designed and fabricated to produce stainless steel powder by using a free fall gas atomization method. The stainless steel used in this study is AISI 304 atomized with the diameter sizes varying from about 3 mm, 5 mm, and 7 mm. The variables of diameter size results are the lowest melt flow rate produces the smallest mean diameter, but no significant difference on the sphericity of powder morphology. While the gas pressure variation results shows that metal powder with smaller size will be produced more using the high gas pressure. The gas atomizer have successfully produced metal powder with the size <40 μm and have a spherical shape. The well rounded sphericity for melt flowrate 0.41x10^-3 m³/min, 1.14 x10^-3 m³/min, and 2.24x10^-3 m³/min are 60.0%, 36.0%, and 55.2% respectively.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 833)
• Pages: 40-47
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.833.40
• Online since: March 2020
• Authors: Sugeng Supriadi*, Tsaome Indah Susimah, Muhammad Haekal Sena Akbar, Bambang Suharno, Ario Sunar Baskoro, Dharmanto Dharmanto
• Keywords: Free Fall Gas Atomization, Melt Flow Rate, Metal Injection Molding, Stainless Steel Powder

References

[1] R. Markets, Increasing Investment in the Medical and Defense Sector,, in https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/02/13/916425/0/en/Global-6-52-Billion-Metal-Injection-Molding-MIM-Market-2014-2025, ed: GlobeNewswire News Room, 2017, pp. Global $6.52 Billion Metal Injection Molding (MIM) Market 2014-2025.

DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-08-102152-1.00001-5

[2] S. Supriadi, B. Suharno, T. Widjaya, S. Ayuningtyas, and E. Baek, Development of Superhydrophobic Material SS 17-4 PH for Bracket Orthodontic Application by Metal Injection Molding,, in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2018, p.012096.

DOI: 10.1088/1757-899x/299/1/012096

[3] S. Supriadi, D. Ferdian, G. Maulana, R. Hidayatullah, and B. Suharno, Debinding Rate Enhancement of 17-4 Precipitation Hardening Stainless Steel Solvent Debinding on Metal Injection Molding Process as the Material for Orthodontic Bracket,, in Materials Science Forum, 2018, pp.200-208.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/msf.929.200

[4] S. Supriadi, D. Abdussalam, T. Heriyanto, B. Irawan, and B. Suharno, Transformation of orthodontics bracket geometry in metal injection molding process,, in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2018, p.012002.

DOI: 10.1088/1757-899x/432/1/012002

[5] W. B. James, Powder metallurgy methods and applications,, ASM Handbook, vol. 7, p.922, (2015).

[6] D. F. Heaney, Handbook of metal injection molding: Elsevier, (2012).

[7] I. Todd and A. Sidambe, Developments in metal injection moulding (MIM),, in Advances in Powder Metallurgy, ed: Elsevier, 2013, pp.109-146.

DOI: 10.1533/9780857098900.1.109

[8] S. Motaman, A. M. Mullis, R. F. Cochrane, I. N. McCarthy, and D. J. Borman, Numerical and experimental modelling of back stream flow during close-coupled gas atomization,, Computers & Fluids, vol. 88, pp.1-10, (2013).

DOI: 10.1016/j.compfluid.2013.08.006

[9] J. Strauss and S. Miller, Effect of gas propreties on powder yield produced by close-coupled gas atomization,, Advances in Powder Metallurgy and Particulate Materials--1997., vol. 1, p.5, (1997).

[10] D. Singh, S. Koria, and R. Dube, Study of free fall gas atomisation of liquid metals to produce powder,, Powder metallurgy, vol. 44, pp.177-184, (2001).

DOI: 10.1179/003258901666239

[11] E. Klar and P. K. Samal, Powder metallurgy stainless steels: processing, microstructures, and properties: ASM international, (2007).

DOI: 10.31399/asm.tb.pmsspmp.9781627083126

[12] N. Dombrowski and W. Johns, The aerodynamic instability and disintegration of viscous liquid sheets,, Chemical Engineering Science, vol. 18, pp.203-214, (1963).

DOI: 10.1016/0009-2509(63)85005-8

[13] D. Heaney, Designing for metal injection molding (MIM),, in Handbook of Metal Injection Molding, ed: Elsevier, 2012, pp.29-49.

DOI: 10.1533/9780857096234.1.29

[14] D. M. Goudar, V. Srivastava, and G. Rudrakshi, Effect of Atomization Parameters on Size and Morphology of Al-17Si Alloy Powder Produced by Free Fall Atomizer,, Engineering Journal, vol. 21, pp.155-168, (2017).

DOI: 10.4186/ej.2017.21.1.155

[15] B. Hausnerova, B. N. Mukund, and D. Sanetrnik, Rheological properties of gas and water atomized 17-4PH stainless steel MIM feedstocks: Effect of powder shape and size,, Powder Technology, vol. 312, pp.152-158, (2017).

DOI: 10.1016/j.powtec.2017.02.023

[16] N. Mathiazhagan, T. S. Kumar, V. Balasubramanian, and V. Gandhi, PERFORMANCE STUDY OF MEDIUM CARBON STEEL AND AUSTENITIC STAINLESS STEEL JOINTS: FRICTION WELDING PROCESS,, OXIDATION COMMUNICATIONS, vol. 38, pp.2123-2134, (2015).

[17] T. Oršulová, P. Palček, and J. Kúdelčík, Changes of the Magnetic Properties during Heat Treatment in AISI 304,, Periodica Polytechnica Transportation Engineering, (2017).

DOI: 10.3311/pptr.12102