Abstract
In this study, X-ray computed tomography was used to analyze powder binder separation in TC4 green bodies. Firstly, for the scanned results of the whole green body, because of the relative low resolution (36 µm), the powder binder separation can only be analyzed by using gray value distribution. Then, local regions (areas near the gate and the central parts) were scanned by using a much higher resolution (2.3 µm). Both of the volume fraction of powder content and gray value distributions indicate that powder particles tend to accumulate in the central parts. Finally, based on the results tested by using submicron resolution (0.8 µm), the effects of the volume and morphology of the powder particles on the powder binder separation were analyzed.
Highlights
Powder injection molding (PIM) has an excellent ability to manufacture products with large quantities, low cost, complicated shape and excellent performance [1,2]
Four crucial steps are involved in PIM: feedstock made by mixing binder and powder particles, mold filling, binder removing from green body, and sintering of the powder particles [3]
The powder-binder separation phenomenon emerging in the mold filling is the major cause of nonhomogeneous composition distribution, which leads to the collapse and sagging of green body during debinding, as well as the geometrical error and non-uniform properties of the final sintered parts
Summary
Powder injection molding (PIM) has an excellent ability to manufacture products with large quantities, low cost, complicated shape and excellent performance [1,2]. These products have been used to many industrial and research fields such as for automobile and aerospace parts. The powder-binder separation phenomenon emerging in the mold filling is the major cause of nonhomogeneous composition distribution, which leads to the collapse and sagging of green body during debinding, as well as the geometrical error and non-uniform properties of the final sintered parts. It can be seen that an effective method for analyzing powder-binder separation of the green body nondestructively is urgently needed
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