COMPETENCES

Sintering

TFM Group has competences, production capacity and experience, not only in the mechanical processing and gear shaping but also in the most advanced industrial powder metallurgy processes (sintering), thanks to the close collaboration with its customers and to the constant research on the new technologies development.

Metal components having shapes, physical-mechanical properties and geometrical tolerances are produced in series through the process called sintering (press & sinter). This process can allow the immediate use without further workings.

How it works

PHASE 1

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION MOULD

A correct and precise design is essential to optimize the use of this technology and with its technical office, TFM internally designs its moulds and has the know-how to better meet the needs of its customers.

PHASE 2

DEFINITION OF THE MIXTURE

TFM collaborates with its suppliers, leaders in the reference market, identifying and developing the raw material (powder) of the best powders mixes needed to produce the specific sintering component.

PHASE 3

COMPACTION OF THE METALLIC POWDER

During the compacting phase, the metallic powder mix – graphite – lubricant – additive, is mechanically pressed in rigid moulds through compression with specific mechanical presses. The compacting phase allows to produce a “pre-shape” of the component (green piece) that satisfies the dimensional specifications of requested density and integrity.

TFM Group has mechanical and hydraulic presses with a wide range of pressing power, from 6 to 140 tonnes.

PHASE 4

SINTERING

The compacted parts are conveyed to the sintering furnaces to realize the consolidation of the previously densified product.

The process is set under controlled thermos-chemical conditions, or rather following appropriate thermal profiles in dedicated atmospheres. Depending on the raw material type and of the proprieties to be realized, TFM can perform sintering in endogas at “low” temperature (<1150°C) in continuous furnaces or vacuum sintering / hard sintering at high temperature (>1200°C) in batchovens.

BENEFITS

The sintering process allows the production of geometrical shaped components even very complex and properly studied for the customer needs.

Compared to other forming technologies, the sintering process reduces the need of possible subsequent mechanical processes with a consequent reduction of the energy consumption and of the raw material waste.

The sintering process in powder metallurgy department has more than 15 years of experience in the powder metallurgy field for the components production in many different sectors: automotive, industrial, gears, etc.

HEAT TREATMENTS

TFM is specialized also in the high technology heat treatments sector, collaborating with the world’s most important industrial groups in the automotive, industrial sector etc.

TFM Group offers a wide range of specific services thanks to constant research of the best technologies applied to the production and it can offer a wide range of heat treatments like