Sintering is a manufacturing process of forming objects from powder heated up at temperatures below the melting point. The compacted powder particles are bonded together in solid state or limited amount of liquid (< 25% in volume). Sintering is originally developed for manufacturing ceramic objects. Today, it becomes an important process of powder metallurgy.
The components manufactured from sintering process have high toughness and high strength. They are molded before bonded, therefore they can have complex shapes and do not require machining. Common sintered parts include shock absorber pistons, belt pulleys, small helical gears, drive gears for chainsaws, and automotive pump gears.
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