Sintering study of 316L stainless steel metal injection molding parts using Taguchi method: final density

Sintering is a key step in the metal injection molding process, which affec ts the final density as well as the mechanical properties of the sintered p art. To achieve a high final density, the effects of various sintering fact ors pertaining to the temperature-time profile:and sintering atmosphere hav e to be characterized and optimized as well. This paper. reports the use of Taguchi method in characterizing and optimizing the process factors for si ntering water-atomized 316L stainless steel (of average size 6 mum). The ef fects of four sintering factors: sintering temperature, heating rate, sinte ring time and sintering atmosphere on the final density were studied. The v arious factors were assigned to an L, orthogonal array. It was found that a ll the chosen sintering factors have significant effects on the final densi ty. Optimum fractional final density of 96.14% of wrought material was achi eved with a sintering temperature of 1250 degreesC, a heating rate of 20 de greesC min(-1) and isothermal heating at 1250 degreesC for 90 min in a vacu um atmosphere. Confirmatory experiments have produced results that lay with in the 90% confidence interval. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights r eserved.