Cold plastic compaction of powders by a network model

A network model is used to study the cold compaction of metal powders. The network model is constructed by assuming that a powder aggregate is formed by a collection of perfectly plastic spheres of equal size. Using some fund amental assumptions describing the kinematics and constitutive behavior of spheres in contact, the collection of particles is modeled as a network of axial forces rotated in space, varying in magnitude as particles move towar d each other, and updated as new junctions are formed and positions of the particles are changed. The response of the aggregate to isostatic and close d-die compaction is studied for its overall stress-strain behavior and to d etermine the nature of the yield surfaces for axisymmetric motion, (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.