|
Powder Materials Processing Using Dynamic Magnetic Compaction (DMC)
Mission
Our mission is to enable the manufacturing of higher performance and lower cost powder
material products by applying electric field, magnetic field, and other technologies to
powder materials processing.
Description
IAP's primary innovation to date is its MAGNEPRESS® System
which implements IAP's patented DMC (Dynamic Magnetic Compaction) process for pressing
powder into nearly full-density parts. IAP also is developing a variety of other
technologies to expand the capabilities and reduce the cost of more conventional powder
metal pressing processes.
The sections below give an overview. For more detailed questions and answers,
visit our MAGNEPRESS® System
web site.
 What
is DMC?
IAP has developed a powder materials pressing system called DMC that can compact steel
powder (and many other powder materials) to nearly full density. For example, the graph
shows DMC can press steel powder to higher than 96% of full density compared to only 91%
of full density when compacted in a conventional die press.The high density gives the
parts mechanical and other properties that are far above the norm for powder material
parts. This makes DMC-pressed parts a lower-cost alternative to their counterparts that
are forged and machined.
 Why Use DMC?
The patented DMC process is particularly well-suited for manufacturing near-net shape
parts that are cylindrically symmetrical such as gears, rings, tubes, and rods. DMC
outperforms conventional pressing when making parts with high length/diameter ratios and
parts that require high density and exceptional mechanical, electrical magnetic, or
optical properties. The process can compact metal, composite, or ceramic powders.
Initially, the process is being used for automotive applications, but far more broad
applications are possible.
 How Does DMC
Work?
In the DMC process, the powder is loaded into an electrically conductive container
(such as copper, steel, or aluminum). The container is placed at the center of an
electromagnetic coil. A current pulse is put through the coil, creating high magnetic
pressure radially around the container. As the container collapses around the powder, the
powder is compressed into a high density, near-net shape part. For parts like gears, the
powder can be loaded around a die within the container to form part features such as gear
teeth. A round die can be used to form rings or tubes.
The pressure pulse is very fast, allowing production rates of many parts per minute.
The compaction can be done either at room or elevated temperature and in air or special
atmospheres. DMC can compact metal, ceramic, composite, and other powders.
After the part is compacted, it can be sintered, or "baked," to improve its
strength. For some applications, however, the parts are strong enough that the sintering
step can be omitted.
What are the Benefits of DMC?
The main benefit of DMC is its ability to make high-density, high performance parts
using a manufacturing cell that is relatively small, flexible, and inexpensive compared to
either conventional powder metal part presses or forge & machining operations.
Another benefit is that the powders need not be mixed with binders or lubricants, which
allows improved performance of the finished part. The powders can contain any number of
desired additives, however, and compaction can be done at either room or elevated
temperatures. This gives DMC several extra ways to squeeze added performance into the
finished part.
Accomplishments
IAP Research has developed Dynamic Magnetic Compaction (DMC) over several years,
bringing it from the laboratory to the factory floor. We regularly work with our partners
to solve their powder metal (P/M) part manufacturing problems using DMC. Because DMC can
press parts to higher densities and/or at higher rates than alternative compaction
methods, DMC creates an opportunity to make parts that cannot be made (physically or
economically) any other way.
Depending on your needs, IAP will either manufacture parts for you using DMC, or
deliver, install, and service a DMC-based manufacturing cell for your factory floor.
Related Powder Pressing Innovations
In addition to DMC, IAP Research is developing technologies that enhance the
performance of conventional P/M presses and sintering processes. Call us to see if DMC (or
our other powder processing technologies) can help you solve your P/M part manufacturing
problem.
Who Sponsored This Work?
IAP gets credit for the invention and development of DMC, but it would not have been
possible to put DMC on the factory floor without about $4 million in support from the ATP (Advanced Technology Program) funded by NIST (the
National Institute of Standards and Technology), which is in turn a department of the U.S.
Department of Commerce. You can read more about our specific ATP project from their
description of it at this
site here.
| 