U.S. patent application number 10/367641 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-08 for post-delubrication peening for forged powder metal components.
Invention is credited to Liu, Fuping.
Application Number | 20040005237 10/367641 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 30002728 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040005237 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Liu, Fuping |
January 8, 2004 |
Post-delubrication peening for forged powder metal components
Abstract
A process of forming powder metal components which minimizes
decarburization and oxidation of the component prior to final
forging. The process begins by molding powder metal material into a
preform configuration. The preform is delubricated to extract
lubricant found in the pores of the preform. Passing the preform
through a shot peening operation closes a majority of the surface
pores creating a densified layer within which interconnected pores
are eliminated. Following post-delubrication peening (PDP), the
component is sintered and then forged into its final
configuration.
Inventors: |
Liu, Fuping; (Columbus,
IN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCDONALD HOPKINS CO., LPA
2100 BANK ONE CENTER
600 SUPERIOR AVENUE, E.
CLEVELAND
OH
44114-2653
US
|
Family ID: |
30002728 |
Appl. No.: |
10/367641 |
Filed: |
February 14, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10367641 |
Feb 14, 2003 |
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09653889 |
Sep 1, 2000 |
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60219516 |
Jul 20, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
419/28 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B22F 3/1021 20130101;
B22F 3/10 20130101; B22F 3/17 20130101; B22F 3/17 20130101; B22F
2998/10 20130101; B22F 2998/10 20130101; B22F 3/16 20130101; B22F
2998/10 20130101; B22F 3/10 20130101; B22F 2003/166 20130101; B22F
3/02 20130101; B22F 3/1021 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
419/28 |
International
Class: |
B22F 003/24; B22F
003/17 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A process for the manufacture of powder metal components
comprising the steps of: molding a powder metal material into a
preform configuration; delubricating said powder metal preform;
subjecting said powder metal preform to shot peening to density an
outer layer of said preform; sintering said shot peened preform;
and forging said sintered preform.
2. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein said powder metal
preform is subjected to a shot speed of less than 100 meters per
second.
3. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein said powder metal
preform is delubricated at a temperature between 1200.degree. F.
and 1800.degree. F. in an atmosphere which includes N.sub.2 and
H.sub.2.
4. A process for the manufacture of powder metal components
comprising the steps of: molding a powder metal material into a
preform configuration; subjecting said preform to a process for
densifying the surface of said preform; sintering said preform; and
forging said preform.
5. The process of claim 4 wherein said surface densification
process comprises shot peening.
6. The process of claim 5 wherein the shot hardness is between 47
to 51 Re.
7. The process as defined in claim 5 wherein said powder metal
preform is subjected to a shot speed of less than 100 meters per
second.
8. The process as defined in claim 4 wherein said sintering of said
preform is preformed in a furnace less than 2,450.degree. F.
9. The process as defined in claim 8 wherein said perform is
sintered in said furnace for less than 60 minutes.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/219,516 filed on Jul. 20, 2000, and is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/653,889, filed
Sep. 1, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] I. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to shot peening a powder metal
component and, in particular, to shot peening the powder metal
forged component following delubrication but prior to sintering the
powder metal component.
[0004] II. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] In the currently utilized method of forming powder metal
components, the powder metal is molded to a desired configuration
then sintered to retain the configuration of the component and
finally forged to its final configuration. However, it has been
determined that decarburization and oxide penetration occurs
between sintering and forging. After exiting from the sintering
furnace, the hot part is exposed to the air and the moisture
created by lubricant/coolant spraying prior to forging, the part
has interconnected pores throughout. Oxygen and moisture penetrates
the surface through these interconnected pores leading to
decarburization and oxide penetration. Once the surface and pores
are oxidized between sintering and forging, it is difficult to
close the pores by forging resulting in a weakened component.
Although post-forging shot peening removes the oxide on the surface
of the component, the oxide entrapped in the channels and pores
below the surface remain.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0006] The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the
prior known processes for manufacturing powder metal components by
shot peening the preform after delubing and prior to sintering to
create a densified outer layer to reduce decarburization, oxide
penetration and surface porosity on the finished components.
[0007] The process of the present invention begins by molding
powder metal material into a preform configuration. The preform is
passed through a delubrication furnace to extract or decompose
lubricant found in the preform. This delubrication creates an
interconnected porosity. Passing the preform through a shot peening
operation closes a majority of the surface pores creating a
densified layer with increased ductility and enhanced resistance to
cracking. Following post-delubrication shot peening (hereinafter
"PDP"), the component is sintered and then forged into its final
configuration. The post-delubrication shot peening eliminates oxide
in pores and between particles allowing the forging to be more
effective in closing pores and establishing inter-particle
bonding.
[0008] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will
be apparent from the following detailed description taken in
connection with the following drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0009] The present invention will be more fully understood by
reference to the following detailed description of a preferred
embodiment of the present invention when read in conjunction with
the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer
to like parts throughout the views and in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a prior art process for forming
powder metal components;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a flow chart for the process of the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is an optical micrograph showing the porosity of a
preformed powder metal component; and
[0013] FIG. 4 is an optical micrograph showing the decarburization
of a typical and a component manufacture with the present
process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT
INVENTION
[0014] Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown flow
charts for the prior known process 100 of forming a powder metal
component and the new process 10 of the present invention. The
process 10 can be used in the manufacture of a variety of powder
metal components particularly where the strength and reliability of
the component is critical. The present process was developed in
connection with the manufacture of connecting rods for vehicle
engines. The prior known process of sintering and forging powder
metal components resulted in oxides trapped in the channels and
pores of the preformed powder metal component which can cause
fatigue and stress cracks in the component.
[0015] The process of the present invention begins with compaction
or molding 12 of powder metal material into a preform
configuration. The molding process 12 utilizes a lubricant to
facilitate the molding process. The next step involves
delubrication 14 of the perform. In a preferred embodiment of the
process, delubing 14 is accomplished by passing the perform through
a furnace which preheats the component to 1200.degree.
F.-1800.degree. F. in an atmosphere which includes H.sub.2 and
N.sub.2.
[0016] In a variation from the prior known processes, the delubed
perform component is subjected to shot peening 16 which creates a
densified outer layer within which interconnected pores are
eliminated on the component. This Post-Delubrication Peening (PDP)
eliminates oxides in pores and between particles throughout an
outer layer of the component. Since approximately 60% of component
failures are caused by crack initiations within 0.20 mm of the
surface, PDP increases the fatigue life of the end product. With
PDP, applicant has successfully manufactured powder metal
components with improved surface conditions. Furthermore, the
densified layer resulting from the PDP 16 increases ductility and
enhances resistance to cracking during forging. In a preferred
embodiment of the process, post-delubrication peening 16 is carried
out with a shot speed of less than 100 m/second with a shot
hardness of 47-51 Re.
[0017] Following the PDP step 16, the component is sintered 18 and
then forged 20 to form the powder metal component. Additional steps
such as removal of flash or additional machining may also be
applied to the component. In one example, the component is sintered
in a furnace less than 2450.degree. F. for less than 60
minutes.
[0018] The concept of PDP was inspired by analysis of powder metal
connecting rods which showed fatigue cracks just below the surface
of the component. An optical micrograph of the component in FIG. 3
shows that porosity morphology is affected by oxidation. FIG. 4
depicts the reduction of decarburization achieved by PDP on the
surface of the connecting rod. Accordingly, it has been found that
post-delubrication peening reduces oxides and decarburization by
over 70% creating a surface condition better than that of the prior
known process. The densified surface layer achieved by PDP enhances
powder metal component performance whether forging is applied as a
secondary operation or not.
[0019] The foregoing detailed description has been given for
clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations
should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be
obvious to those skilled in the art without departing from the
scope and spirit of the appended claims.
* * * * *