On-line monitoring of damage to a sintering press

A manufacturer of high strength cutting tools utilizes an SPM-75 sintering press to manufacture custom designed blade segments. The sintering press us es graphite electrodes, brass plates and brass heads to pressurize, heat an d join the blade segments. It was found that graphite electrodes periodical ly oxidize and begin to warp, which in turn warps the brass plates adjacent to the electrodes. The warping of the plates damages the brass head units adjoining the plates. It is recommended that the brass plates be resurfaced after two days if production has been intensive and no more than five days if production has been light to reduce wear on the electrodes and the warp ing of the brass head units, (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights rese rved.