ME306

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
TECHNOLOGY
 Bloom’s
Sl. No. COURSE OUTCOME Taxonomy
Level

ME APPLY AND PROGRAM basic PLC circuits for entry-level

K3
306.1 (PLC) industrial applications.

ME APPLY CNC basic program for different products using milling,

K3
306.2 drilling and turning machines
UNDERSTAND the mechanism of metal removal in the various
ME
unconventional machining process and its applications in K2
306.3
industries.
ME UNDERSTAND effects of processes parameters on performance in
K2
306.4 modern manufacturing processes
ME DISCUSS metal forming process for the ease of manufacturing
K2
306.5 products.
ME
DISCUSS the use of micro machining and rapid prototype process K2
306.6
Text books/References
1. ASTME, High velocity forming of metals, PHI, 1968.
2. Davies K and Austin E.R, Developments in high speed metal forming, the machinery publishing Co,
1970.
3. Ibrahim Zeid, R Siva Subrahmanian CAD/CAM: Theory & Practice, McGraw Hill Education, 2009
4. Jain V.K., Introduction to Micromachining, Narosa publishers,2014
5. M.P. Groover, E.M. Zimmers, Jr. CAD/CAM; Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing, Prentice Hall
of India, 1987
6. Petruzella Frank.D., Programmable logic controllers, McGraw Hill,2016 7. Yoram Koren, Computer
control of manufacturing systems, TMH,2006
 Hour
Module Contents
s
Introduction: Need and comparison between traditional, non-traditional and micro & nano
1
machining process.
Powder Metallurgy: Need of P/M - Powder Production methods:- Atomization, electrolysıs,
Reduction of oxides, Carbonyls (Process parameters, characteristics of powder produced in 1
each method).
Powder characteristics: properties of fine powder, size, size distribution, shape,
1
compressibility, purity etc.
I Mixing – Compaction:- techniques, pressure distribution, HIP & CIP. 1
Mechanism of sintering, driving force for pore shirking, solid and liquid phase sintering -
1
Impregnation and Infiltration Advantages, disadvantages and specific applications of P/M.
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC):need – relays - logic ladder program –timers, simple
1
problems only.
Point to point, straight cut and contouring positioning - incremental and absolute systems –
open loop and closed loop systems - control loops in contouring systems: principle of 1
operation.
POWDER METALLURGY
WORLD METAL POWDER PRODUCTION
NON TRADITIONAL MANUFACTURING
PROCESSES-NEED
• Traditional machining-Tools that are harder than the materials themselves
• Non- traditional machining-Ceramics and composites or machining under very tight tolerances
• Improved chemical, mechanical and thermal properties
• Traditional machining processes are not feasible, satisfactory or economical due to special reasons as outlined

1. Very hard fragile materials difficult to clamp for traditional machining

2. When the work piece is too flexible or slender
3. When the shape of the part is too complex
4. High tolerance
Advantages of PM

1. Eliminates or minimizes machining

2. Eliminates or minimizes scrap losses
3. Maintains close dimensional tolerances
4. Permits a wide variety of alloy systems
5. Produces good surface finishes
6. Provides controlled porosity for self-lubrication or filtration
7. Facilitates manufacture of complex or unique shapes which would be
impractical or impossible with other metalworking processes
8. Parts can be made to net or near net shape
9. Suited to moderate -to high volume components production requirements
10. Permits the production of nano structured materials
 Limitations and Disadvantages with PM Processing

1. High tooling and equipment costs

2. Metallic powders are expensive
3. Problems in storing and handling metal powders
a. Examples: degradation over time, fire hazards with certain metals
4. Limitations on part geometry because metal powders do not readily flow laterally in the die during
pressing
5. Variations in density throughout part may be a problem, especially for complex geometries
6. Some powders (such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium and zirconium) in a finally divided state
present fire hazard and risk of explosion.
7. Powder metallurgy is not economical for small scale production.
8. Articles produced by powder metallurgy process possess poor ductility
Application
Metal Filters: Powder metallurgy filters have greater strength and shock
resistance than ceramic filters. Fiber metal filters, having porosity up to 95% and
more, are used for filtering air and fluids.
Cutting Tools and Dies: Cemented carbide cutting tool inserts are produced from
tungsten carbide powder mixed with a cobalt binder.
Machinery Parts: Gears, bushes, and bearings, sprockets, rotors are made from
metal powders mixed with sufficient graphite to give the product desired carbon
content.
Bearing and Bushes: Bearing and bushes to be used with rotating parts are made
from copper powder mixed with graphite.
Magnets: Small magnets produced from different compositions of powders of
iron, aluminum, nickel, and cobalt have shown excellent performance, far
superior to that cast.
 Methods of metal-powder production by atomization:
Atomization
1. gas atomization;
2. water atomization;
3. vacuum atomization
4. centrifugal atomization
Process controlling parameters
determining size and shape of
particles
1. Metal flow rate
2. Pressure of the stream of air
or gas.
3. Temperature of the stream.
Reduction method (Chemical methods)
Pure metal is obtained by reducing its oxide with a suitable reducing gas at an elevated temperature below the
melting point.
Selected ore is crushed, mixed with reducing gas or solid (carbon monoxide, hydrogen etc) and passed through
a continuous furnace where reaction takes place leaving a cake of sponge iron which is then further treated by
crushing, separation of non-metallic material, and sieving to produce powder.

Fe3O4 + 4CO + (heat) → 3Fe + 4CO2

2CuO2 + 4H2 (heat) → 2Cu + 4H2O

The resulting particles are of irregular shape and are quite porous and spongy. Readily compressible
and have good green strength. Furnace temperature, amount of gas and its purity are the controlling
factors
 Electrolysis method (Electrolytic Deposition)

• Impure steel acts as anodes in tanks containing electrolyte.

• Sheets of stainless steel are placed in the tank acted as cathode.
• When DC current is passed through an electrolyte, pure iron gets deposited on cathode. The cathode plates are then
removed and the electrolytic iron is stripped from them.
• This method is used for making copper, iron, silver and tantalum powders. Electrolytic powders are of high purity, soft
spongy dendrite structure.

Processes parameters of electrolyte method of powder preparation

1. Electrolyte composition and strength
2. Current density
3. Temperature of electrolyte
Advantages of electrolysis
4. High degree of purity
5. Uniformity in characteristics
6. Excellent compacting and sintering property (high quality product)
7. Economical
Carbonyls method (decomposition method)
Carbonyl process is used to produce powders of high purity from nickel and iron etc. Metal carbonyls
are formed by letting impure or ore of iron or nickel react with carbon monoxide. Reaction products
is decomposed to iron and nickel (pure powder form)
1. The impure nickel reacts with carbon monoxide at 50–60 °C to form the nickel carbonyl gas,
leaving the impurities as solids
Ni(s) + 4 CO(g) → Ni(CO)4(g)
2. The mixture of nickel carbonyl is heated to 220–250 °C, resulting in decomposition back to
nickel and carbon monoxide:
Ni(CO)4(g) → Ni(s) + 4 CO(g)

Fe (impure iron ore )  5 CO  Fe (CO) 5 

Fe (CO) 5  Fe  5 CO
Comminution method (mechanical pulverization by crushing and milling)
It is mechanical method of powder preparation involving breaking solid particles in pulverizing mills
(ball, vibratory, hummer). This method is generally applied for the preparation of powders of brittle
materials. Metal particles is mixed with ball mills and rotated or send through the rolling mill to
pulverize the metal to form powder.
Particle shape
 Metal powder characteristics or Properties of fine powder

1. Size and shape of powder (Fineness, aspect ratio)

2. Powder distribution (homogeneous)
3. Purity of powder
4. Flowablity
5. Apparent Density
6. Chemical property (Composition of powder)
7. Compressibility
8. Surface area or aspect ratio
 Mixing and Blending
A single powder may not fulfill all the requisite properties and hence, powders of
different materials with wide range of mechanical properties are blended to form a
final part.
In this step, more than one powder is mixed thoroughly with lubricants, adhesives
and binders and blended to ensure their even distribution.
1. Blending imparts uniformity in the shapes of the powder particles,
2. Mixing facilitates mixing of different powder particles
3. Lubricants to improve the flow characteristics of the powder particles by
reducing friction
4. Binders to enhance the green strength
Compacting
Blended powders are pressed in dies under high pressure to form them into the required shape. The work part
after compaction is called a green compact or simply a green, the word green meaning not yet fully
processed. The compaction is done to bring the finely divided particles of powder into close proximity while
imparting the desired part configuration. The following methods are adopted for compacting:
1. Die Pressing
2. Centrifugal compacting
3. Injection moulding
4. Extrusion
5. Rolling
6. Gravity sintering
7. Slip casting
8. Iso-static pressing
9. Explosive moulding
Cold Iso-Static Pressing (CIP)
The flexible envelope should possess the
following characteristics:
1. Flexible mould
2. It must be completely impervious to the
pressurizing fluid.
3. It must be easily sealed.
4. It must be rigid enough to withstand the
internal pressure
Advantages of cold Iso-Static Pressing (comparing die
compacting)
1. Uniform and high density compact
2. Higher dimensional accuracy- near net shaped product
3. Better mechanical properties like ductility, strength,
hardness etc
4. More complex geometrical shapes can be made
5. Higher green strength
6. Absence of lubricant
7. Reduced friction
Disadvantages
8. Higher equipment cost
9. Low productivity
10. Dimensional control is less
11. Flexible mould life is less
In this method, the powdered material is contained in a tightly
sealed flexible mould subjected to uniform pressure (65-650
MPa) is applied simultaneously from all sides thereby achieving
uniform density and strength.
 Hot Iso-static pressing (HIP)

Hot Iso-static pressing is a compacting process where high temperature and pressure is applied simultaneously
(3-dimensions) to produce a dense component.

Advantages
1. Little or no porosity
2. Better surface finish
3. Neat net shape product
4. Improvements in mechanical and physical properties,
fatigue, surface finish, reliability
5. Fast delivery
6. More uniform strength
7. Less pressure requirement

8.Disadvantages

Very expensive
9. Protective environment is needed
Sintering
Sintering increases, the bond between the particles and
therefore strengthens the powder metal compact.
The temperature used for sintering is below the (0.6 to 0.8
times) melting point of powder material.
The atoms in the materials diffuse across the boundaries of
the particles, fusing the particles together and creating one
solid piece.

Stages of Sintering
This process is carried out a constant temperature and time is
varied to obtain the desirable results. The four phases of
sintering are:
1. Local bonding: Particles stick together and neck formation
2. Initial stage:Neck growth
3. Final stage:Pores are round up then finally closed
Types of sintering
Basically, sintering processes can be divided into two types: solid state sintering and liquid phase sintering.
Solid state sintering occurs when the powder compact is densified wholly in a solid state at the sintering
temperature. No liquid is present and atomic diffusion in the solid state produces joining of the particles and
reduction of porosity. All densification is achieved through changes in particle shape, without particle
rearrangement.
Liquid phase sintering Liquid phase sintering is the process of adding an additive to the powder which will
melt before the matrix phase. This also occurs when the powder contains a component, having the melting
point lower, than the melting point of the base metal. For materials which are hard to sinter, liquid phase
sintering is commonly used. Materials for which liquid phase sintering is common are Si 3N4, WC, SiC, and
more. Some liquid phase present in the powder compact will enhance sintering process.
Pre-Sintering
Sometimes product after the sintering process is rather difficult for secondary operation as product is hard
and strong. And cost of operation also will be high as tool life is less.
So the green compact is heated to a temperature well below the final sintering temperature and it will gain
enough strength to be handled and machined without any difficulty. This process is necessary when holes
are to be drilled in the end product. Pre-sintering in addition removes lubricants and binders added to the
powder during blending operation. Pre-sintering can be avoided if no machining of the final product is
desired.
Sintering Atmosphere
The choice of furnace temperature depends on the characteristics of the material and the properties
desired from the sintered product.
Functions of the sintering atmosphere
1. It must prevent oxidation on the metal surface at the sintering temperature
2. It must avoid carburizing, decarburizing or nitriding conditions in certain metals.
3. It must not contaminate the metal powder compact at the sintering temperature.
The atmosphere prevailing in various types of sintering furnaces are considered to be:
4. Reducing atmosphere like dry H2and CO
5. Neutral atmosphere
6. Oxidizing atmosphere like O2 and air
Vacuum sintering is costly and therefore employed on a small scale in very special cases like research
work.
1. Impregnation. The inherent porosity of PM parts is utilized by impregnating them with a fluid like
oil or grease. A typical application of this operation is for sintered bearings and bushings that are
internally lubricated with upto 30% oil by volume by simply immersing them in heated oil. Such
components have a continuous supply of lubricant by capillary action, during their use. Universal
joint is typical grease – impregnated PM part.
2. Infiltration. The pores of sintered part are filled with some low melting point metal with the result
that part's hardness and tensile strength are improved. The molten metal infiltrates the pores by
capillary action. When the process is complete, the component has greater density, hardness, and
strength. Copper is often used for the infiltration of iron – base PM components. Lead has also been
used for infiltration of components like bushes for which lower frictional characteristics are needed.