System for automatically consolidating a plurality of bodies formed of powder

A system for automatically delivering a plurality of bodies formed of metallic or ceramic powder or mixtures thereof to a press for consolidation to produce a plurality of consolidated articles of manufacture, the system comprising:

• an assembly container wherein a consolidation charge is assembled, the consolidation charge including a consolidation container loaded with a predetermined amount of particulate medium and at least one body to be consolidated, the assembly container having a heated and substantially inert or reducing atmosphere during assembly of the consolidation charge;
• a particulate medium storage container for heating and storing particulate medium;
• particulate medium delivery means connected to the particulate medium storage container for delivering a predetermined amount of particulate medium from the particulate medium storage container to the consolidation container;
• first body delivery means for delivering a heated body to be consolidated to a first location inside the assembly container;
• second body delivery means for delivering the hot body from the first location inside of the assembly container to the inside of the consolidation container after operation of the particulate medium delivery means so that the body to be consolidated is embedded in the particulate medium to form a consolidation charge;
• and
• consolidation charge delivery means for delivering the assembled consolidation charge to the press.

A process for automating the consolidation of a plurality of bodies preformed from metallic or ceramic powder or mixtures thereof, each preform prior to consolidation having less than theoretical maximum density, the process comprising the steps of:

• (a) feeding preforms into a first heating container for heating the preforms to a predetermined temperature;
• (b) heating particulate medium in a medium storage container to approximately the predetermined temperature;
• (c) feeding the heated preforms resulting from step (a) into an assembly container for loading medium and preforms into a consolidation container, the assembly container internally heated to the predetermined temperature and having a substantially inert or reducing atmosphere;
• (d) feeding consolidation containers for holding a preform embedded in a predetermined amount of the particulate medium into a second heating container for heating the consolidation containers to a predetermined temperature;
• (e) feeding the heated consolidation containers resulting from step (d) into the assembly container;
• (f) feeding a predetermined amount of heated particulate medium resulting from step (b) into the consolidation containers fed into the assembly container;
• (g) transferring a heated preform located in the assembly container to the consolidation container resulting from step (f) in the assembly container so that the preform is covered by the medium thereby forming an assembled charge;
• (h) transferring the assembled charge to a press;
• (i) pressurizing the assembled charge in the press to consolidate the preform thereby to form a consolidated article of manufacture;
• (j) separating the consolidation container, particulate medium and consolidated article of manufacture;
• (k) transferring the particulate medium resulting from step (j) to the medium storage container;
• and
• (l) transferring the consolidation container resulting from step (j) to the second heating container.