NbC-BASED CERMET PRODUCTION COMPARISON: L-PBF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING VERSUS CONVENTIONAL LPS POWDER METALLURGY

Fabio Miranda; Marcelo Otavio dos Santos; Daniel Rodrigues; Rodrigo Santiago Coelho; Gilmar Ferreira Batalha

doi:10.17222/mit.2023.972

Fabio Miranda University of São Paulo, Polytechnic School, EPUSP–PMR, São Paulo, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2867-1028
Marcelo Otavio dos Santos University of São Paulo, Polytechnic School, EPUSP–PMR, São Paulo, Brazil
Daniel Rodrigues BRATS Sintered Filters and Metallic Powders, Cajamar-SP, Brazil
Rodrigo Santiago Coelho SENAI CIMATEC – Institute of Innovation for Forming & Joining of Materials, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Gilmar Ferreira Batalha University of São Paulo, Polytechnic School, EPUSP–PMR, São Paulo, Brazil

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17222/mit.2023.972

Keywords: NbC–cemented carbides, L–PBF additive manufacturing, liquid phase sintering, microstructure and mechanical properties

Abstract

The production of carbide parts (cermet) by additive manufacturing, such as laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF), has been a great challenge due to the complex optimization of process parameters to improve density, porosity, microcracks or abnormal growth of grains and obtain a microstructure as homogeneous as possible. This work aims to compare the evolution of the microstructure when using the conventional route of powder metallurgy, i.e., liquid phase sintering (LPS) with the L-PBF direct additive manufacturing process, considering the NbC-based carbide material. Sample compositions were prepared in w/%, samples were compacted under 50–125 MPa, without polymeric binders, and they were sintered under a vacuum at temperatures of 1330 °C and 1370 °C. For the L-PBF process, a vibrating device made it possible to improve the fluidity of the mixtures of three alloys, NbC–30Co, NbC–30Ni and NbC–30(Co, Ni). The mixtures exhibited low sphericity, low fluidity and compressibility, which were improved with a roller compactor. Thin powder mixture deposition layers were evenly applied and well distributed across the powder bed to avoid defects and cracks during sintering. The L-PBF process parameters varied including a power of 50–125 W and a laser scanning speed of 25–125 mm·s^–1. Different microstructures, identified with a light microscope (LM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and properties obtained with the two processes, direct (L–PBF) and indirect sintering (LPS), were compared.

Author Biography

Fabio Miranda, University of São Paulo, Polytechnic School, EPUSP–PMR, São Paulo, Brazil

Adjunct Professor-Professional III at UNIP-SP and Professor of secondary-technical education, level III-E at ETEC (CPS). Metallurgist and Occupational Safety Engineer from FEI, Degree in Physics from UNIP, Master in Mechanical Engineering from IFSP-SPO and PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering from PPEGEM at USP. He has more than 22 years of experience in the area of powder metallurgy, mechanical design in sintered products, vacuum sintering and SinterHIP, tooling and grinding in hard metals (hardmaterials WC-Co-Ni, Niobium Carbides, Tantalum and Titanium), metal -heavy (Tungsten Heavy Alloys W-Ni and W-Cu) and metallization of hard metals by thermal spraying. Advice in the industrial area (Machining, Grinding and Occupational Safety).

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