Method for producing metal powders
OwnerRobert J. Beltz, Joseph D. Dankoff +1inventors
InventorsRobert J. Beltz, Joseph D. Dankoff, Melvin L. McClellan
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Abstract
A method for producing a metal composite powder, such as a high alloy metal composite powder, which includes pretreating the alloying components prior to milling with a base iron powder. A short milling time is used, yielding a metal composite powder which exhibits good compactability, microstructure, controllable flow, post-sintering homogeneity, and offers a more economical production method.
Claims23
A method for making a high alloy metal composite powder from a base iron powder, a substance containing carbon in a combined form, and at least one alloying component, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) pretreating, separately from said base iron powder, said at least one alloying component to substantially remove oxygen and substantially remove free-carbon from the at least one alloying component prior to milling said at least one alloying component, the free-carbon comprising carbon in a form other than a combined form;
- and
- b) milling, subsequent to said pretreating, said base iron powder, said substance containing carbon and said at least one pretreated alloying component for a period of time sufficient to embed said at least one pretreated alloying component in said base iron powder to produce an intermediate milled product.
A method of producing a steel alloy powder for the production of an alloyed end product, said steel alloy powder comprising a base iron, and at least a first alloying substance, at least a portion of said at least a first alloying substance comprising a carbide, said method comprising the steps of:
- pretreating, separately from said base iron powder, said at least a first alloying substance to substantially remove oxygen and substantially remove free-carbon from said at least a first alloying substance prior to milling said at least a first alloying substance, the free-carbon comprising carbon in a form other than a combined form;
- providing a substantial portion of carbon for the alloyed end product from the carbide of said at least a first alloying substance;
- and
- dry milling the base iron and said at least a first pretreated alloying substance for a period of time sufficient to disperse and embed said at least a first pretreated alloying substance in the base iron to produce said steel alloy powder.
A composite metal powder for use in powdered metallurgy for producing sintered products, said composite metal powder comprising:
- a base iron;
- carbided alloying components dispersed and embedded in the base iron by solid state microblending, said carbided alloying component for providing a substantial portion of a carbon content of the alloy of the sintered product;
- non-carbided alloying components dispersed and embedded in the base iron by solid state microblending, said non-carbided alloying components and said carbided alloying components for providing a non-carbon portion of the alloy of the sintered product;
- and
- wherein said carbided alloying components and said non-carbided alloying components are pretreated, separately from said base iron, to remove a substantial portion of oxygen and free carbon from said carbided alloying component and said non-carbided alloying component prior to said solid state microblending.
The metal powder according to claim 19, wherein said free carbon comprises at least one of:
- elemental carbon;
- and
- graphite.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.