PM HIGH-SPEED STEELS - A SURVEY OF ONGOIN G DEVELOPMENTS

Powder metallurgy (p.m.) of high speed steels especially interests cut ting and shaping tools. The mass of the parts or roughs realized varie s from a few grams to one ton. P.m. offers advantages for shaping and metallurgy. Current developments especially concern sintering with mor e economical or better performance new grades. The parts to size and r esistant to wear used in mechanical construction create the developmen t of grades reinforced by ceramic particles or of surface treatments. The mechanical properties of these hard and tough materials are discus sed with respect to the microstructure allowed by p.m.