THE ROLE OF PARTICLE SIZE AND SHAPE IN POWDER METALLURGY

Powder metallurgy (PM) is a vital manufacturing process widely used in mechanical engineering due to its ability to produce complex shapes, reduce waste, and enhance material properties. This method involves the fabrication of components from metal powders, which are compacted and then sintered to form solid parts. The success of powder metallurgy heavily depends on several factors, among which particle size and shape are crucial. These parameters significantly affect the flowability, packing density, sintering behavior, and final mechanical properties of the manufactured parts.