The powder metallurgy is a lightweight technology, the most materials saving, process saving technology. Advanced powder metallurgy materials can greatly improve the strength and toughness, reduce the weight, and improve performance. For instance, turbine disk from aircraft engine is all use of the powder alloy turbine disk, because the performance is better, with higher strength, can also reduce the weight.
To develop powder alloy steel is necessarry, such as the oil pipeline if it use of powder corrosion-resistant steel and stainless steel can greatly increase the alloying elements, improve corrosion resistance, can make the oil pipe is relatively thin, but the strength, better corrosion resistance. Most of the connecting rods from Auto are made by powder metallurgy method, in the past with the traditional glaze, the material utilization rate is low, may be less than 50%, with much machining, after used powder metallurgy , forging out is a link, the material utilization rate can reach more than 90%, and the surface fatigue performance is better, the performance can also be improved by weight.
As we know, metal injection molding(MIM) is a branch of powder metallurgy, this technology is completely suitable for small, complex, mass quantity metal parts production, in many conditions, compared to traditional manufacturing methods, it could achive(or beyond) the same functions to old parts with fewer materials, smaller shapes(glance over some successful MIM cases) . Therefore, the powder metallurgy itself is the lightweight technology.
