A STUDY ON SINTERING BEHAVIOR AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF HIGH SPEED STEEL POWDER THROUGH POWDER METALLURGY ROUTE

Abstract

High speed steel (HSS) is a common material used in the manufacturing of cutting tool and other cutters. In this study, M3/2 HSS had been used to produce cutting tool insert through powder metallurgy (PM) route. The HSS was mixed with iron phosphorus (Fe3P) powders in a turbula mixer for 30 minutes by dry blending. The powder mixtures were than consolidated into green compact and sintered in the range of 1100 °C – 1225 °C under nitrogen-hydrogen atmosphere. Further work was done through heat treatment process to improve the mechanical properties of the insert. The properties were determined through hardness testing, transverse rupture strength (TRS) and the specimens were metallographic examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Based on the test result, it could be concluded that the optimum temperature for sintering process of M3/2 HSS + 9% Fe₃P is 1200 °C.