Sintered Fe-0.8%C-1. 0%Si-0.4%Cu P/M Steel Preform Behaviour During Cold Upsetting Original Research Article

Cold upsetting experiments were carried out on sintered Fe-0.8%C-1.0%Si-0. 4%Cu steel preforms in order to evaluate their deformation characteristics. Powder preforms of 86% of theoretical density, with two different ratios of height to diameter, were prepared using a suitable die set assembly on a 1.0 MN capacity hydraulic testing machine. Sintering was carried out in an electric muffle furnace for 1.5 h at 1 150 °C. Each sintered compact was subjected to incremental loading of 0.04 MN under dry friction condition till a crack appeared at the free surfaces. The experimental results were critically analysed, the stress as a function of strain and densification was obtained, then the work hardening behaviour was analyzed. It has been found that in the process of enhancing densification, strength and strain hardening is also induced during upsetting, but the work hardening behaviour is not homogenous-ly enhanced against strain and densification.