| Summary: | Metal injection moulding (MIM) is manufacturing method of intricate, high-quality, and high-density parts at feasible costs and capability. In MIM, each phase is crucial the final part outcome beginning with feedstock making, followed by injection moulding, debinding, and lastly, sintering. In sintering, the powder particles are consolidated which induces part shrinkage and robustness. In this study, pulverised aluminium alloy swarf (PAAS) is binded with palm stearin as a standalone binder which is technically unorthodox since binders usually function with at least two components, if not more. Fortuitously, aluminium properties are continuously desired by almost any field or industry and MIM for aluminium is still being pursued and worked on for commercialisation. In this case, with the use of the standalone binder, the debinding and sintering phase are combined and the work and energy required to produce parts are reduced. Both thermal debinding and sintering are conducted within a controlled atmosphere of a constant flow nitrogen gas. The effects of different heating rate and soaking parameters for both thermal debinding and sintering are presented. Thermal debinding soaking temperature should be at 550 °C and below while the sintering soaking temperature should only be caught between 575 and 580 °C. Conclusively, the working samples for further research work or testing can be produced as the plausibility of particulate consolidation is clear. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2024.
|
|---|