Mechanical & Metallurgical Bonding Operations
Combined Value, No Machining Required
The mechanics of powdered metal compression place constraints on the shape of parts. For example, the die cannot eject any part with a window feature. We lift those constraints by creating two shapes and joining them together into a single component. This procedure still holds an efficiency advantage over machining. Joining processes also facilitate assembly of several components into one complete system.
With the variety of materials and application environments for powdered metal products, different bonding processes are necessary. To cover the most situations, we offer several joining capabilities:
Capacitor Discharge (CD) Welding
For thin gauge materials or for bonding different metals, CD welding creates a metallurgical bond by driving a stud into the metal and melting it with a brief electric current.
Laser Welding
Laser welding operations require no filler, as the focused pulse instantaneously melts the metal at the contact point between parts. The thin seam of the metallurgical bond forms as the metal cools.
Sinter Brazing
This metallurgical bonding process joins two green parts together during sintering. The brazing material fills the gap between the parts, with shallow infiltration into each side for a strong bond.
Staking
This operation involves the mechanical deformation of one or more components to create a mechanical joint between them.
Swaging
Swaging follows the same mechanical deformation principles as staking to join components. It is often used when joining two diameters together, such as to fit a bearing in its housing.
Whichever operations are called for, we 100% test all of our bonds to ensure proper strength and coverage. We insist on the same high quality standards for our assembled systems that we have for every component we produce.