TAT Technologies to run two hands-on Powder Metallurgy sintering courses
April 19, 2023
Following a three-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, TAT Technologies, based in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, USA, has announced the return of its popular Powder Metallurgy sintering courses. Designed to cover the fundamental and advanced commercial aspects of the entire ferrous sintering process, the two hands-on courses will teach students how to get more out of a PM plant’s current setup without the need for costly or resource-intensive improvements.
The courses will teach students though ten experiments per course, using a 15 cm (6 inch) belt conveyor furnace with eight zones using a N2-H2 atmosphere. Students carry out the experiments in small teams, analyse the data, and present what they learned to the entire class.
Preparation for better sintering
July 18 – 21, 8am-5pm
Covering all aspects of preparation of parts and the pre-heat section of the sintering furnace, this course will give attendees a clear understanding of what is needed to ensure parts will be properly and thoroughly delubed, oxide reduced, and graphite diffused by the time they reach about 1065°C (1950°F) and before proceeding to the high heat section of the furnace where sintering itself takes place. This will make sintering in the high heat section provide better dimensional control with less variations in sintered properties.
Sintering for increased throughput
July 24 – 27, 8am-5pm
Building off the knowledge and skills gained in the Preparation for better sintering course, this second course will teach students the role of temperature, atmosphere composition/flow, and time at temperature (belt speed), and how they can be optimised to increase throughput from a conveyor belt furnace without adversely affecting the properties of sintered parts. This knowledge will be gained through ten specially designed experiments using ferrous parts of different compositions, densities, and sizes. Students will be guided to achieve quality sintered parts with minimal property variation at higher production rates when they return to their plants. Attending the first course is a prerequisite for taking this course.
