Conditioning metal powder for injection molding

In a process for injection molding metal powder which includes the steps of batching the powder with a binder to produce a feedstock and injection molding the feedstock, an improvement which comprises conditioning a metal powder consisting essentially of tungsten and/or molybdenum by fluid energy milling prior to batching.

In a process for injection molding a metal powder slurry including the steps of providing a metal powder, batching the powder with a vehicle, molding the batched powder to form a green article, and sintering the green article, the improvement which comprises the steps of providing a powder consisting essentially of tungsten or molybdenum and having an average particle size of less than about 10 .mu.m, and conditioning the powder in a fluid energy mill prior to batching so that the conditioned powder exhibits a standardized torque measurement of not more than about 2.5 N-m.

In a process for preparing a powder metal for injection molding by providing the powder and batching the powder with a fluid selected from the group consisting of vehicles, binders, and solvents, the improvement which comprises providing a powder consisting essentially of tungsten or molybdenum and milling the powder in a fluid energy mill prior to batching.

A process for providing a metal powder feedstock, comprising:

• A. providing an as-received metal powder having a non-spherical particle shape;
• and
• B. conditioning the as-received metal powder in a fluid enery mill effective to reduce the average particle size and provide a metal powder feedstock suitable for injection molding.