Induction sintering is an advanced powder metallurgy technique that utilizes electromagnetic induction to generate heat directly within conductive materials. The induced eddy currents not only heat the material through Joule-effect and magnetic hystersis, but also help to break down fine oxide barriers between touching particles through local discharges. Compared to conventional furnace sintering, induction sintering offers significantly faster heating rates, shorter processing times and improved energy efficiency, while also enabling precise control over thermal cycles, making it a particularly attractive for the processing of ferrous materials. On the other hand, variations in processing conditions such as heating rate, holding time, applied pressure and sintering temperature can strongly influence the final microstructure and performance of the consolidated components.
In this semester project, the student will carry out a systematic parametric study on the induction sintering of pure iron plus, if time allows, the influence of additions to the powder compact. The student will prepare powder mixtures and produce green bodies through uniaxial compaction. Subsequently, the specimens will be sintered in vacuum or Ar atmosphere using our induction heating setup while varying selected process parameters such as temperature, dwell time, compaction pressure or compact size. The densification behavior and dimensional changes of the samples will then be evaluated and correlated with the applied processing conditions. Standard metallographic preparation will be performed to analyze the resulting microstructures using optical microscopy and if required, scanning electron microscopy. The project will provide insight into the optimization of induction sintering conditions for iron based powder metallurgy.
Responsible supervisors: Sándor Lipcsei
Contact: [email protected]