Metal Injection Molding of Wing/Flaperon

BAE Systems, NCDMM, U.S. Army and Polymer Technologies

Jerry C. LaSalle, Director of MIM Operations

Polymer Technologies, Inc (PTI)10 Clifton Blvd

Clifton, NJ. 07011973-778-9100

April 28, 2005

This presentation made possible by the

United States ArmyArmy Material Command (AMC)

Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM)Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC)

Engineering Directorate (ED) Manufacturing Science and Technology Division (MST)

Redstone Arsenal, AlabamaScott A. Hofacker, PE – Program Manager (256) 842-7992

and the

National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) Latrobe, Pennsylvania

Mark F. Huston – Executive Director (724) 539-8132

Polymer Technologies Inc

• Started under the name of PTI in 1941. Was spun-off into Polymer Technologies Inc in 1987 to pursue value added, specialty work.

• Occupies 93,000 sq feet. Capable of expansion to 143,000 if needed

• Employees- 95

What is Metal Injection Molding?

+Metal Powders Binder

Blending

Debinding of Molded PartsSintering

Injection molding Feedstock

Injection Molding

150 ton tie-bar-less Injection Molding Machine at PTI

AVS Batch Furnace at PTI

High Vacuum, all metal hot zone for clean rapid cycles

Hydrogen, Argon, Vacuum cycles to 1450°C

•High Production Rate Furnace•144” Preheat, 72” high heat, 96” cooling•fully instrumented

• (H2 and N2 mass flow meters, etc)•1650°C (~3000°F) operating temperature

CM Furnace for continuous production

Hydrogen Pusher Furnace at PTI

RR195 Backing Plate

MIM 316L

Demonstrated ability to flow and fill long thin parts having detail

17-4PH Stainless Steel Snap Ring

Flying Bomb Housing

Simple and Complicated shapes can be formed easily

316L, 17-4PH and 4340 Components

Tungsten Alloy Components

Balls Flyweights

Baseline Press and Sinter MIM Plate

MIM of Tungsten Heavy Alloy

PTI MIM has identical microstructure as traditional process

Complex Geometry and Co-Sintered Joints

As-Sintered 17-4PH MIM Wing

Closer view showing cavity on bottom

View through Nacelle

As-sintered 17-4PH Flaperon

Closer view of back - As-sintered 17-4PH Flaperon

17-4PH MIM MicrostructuresHIPed, standard H1025 H.T.

60 um60 um

Edge of 5/8 inch dia bar Center of 5/8 inch dia bar

Rc =38 Rc =38Cu=3.8 Cu=3.8

Proper Control of Sintering Atmosphere Including Carbon Potential Allows for Uniform Properties in Thick Components

Phase I - Task I Component Review -cont

0

50

100

150

200

Ksi

or

El(%

)

MIMWroughtCast

MIM 153 165 12

Wrought 159 164 13

Cast 151 160 11

YS(ksi) UTS(ksi) El(%)Notes:

unHIPed

C-0.03

0xy-0.06

TD-99%

PTI MIM Tensiles are commensurate with Wrought specimens

Average 17-4PH H1025 Tensile Data

PTI MIM on Fullsize ASTM bars

Phase I - Task I Component Review - cont

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

0 100 200 300 400 500Temperature (F)

MIM Batch 1MIM Batch 2Typical Wrought

17-4PH HIP+H1025

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

0 100 200 300 400 500Temperature (F)

MIM Batch 1MIM Batch 2Typical Wrought

17-4PH HIP+H1025

120.0

130.0

140.0

150.0

160.0

170.0

180.0

0 100 200 300 400 500Temperature (F)

MIM Batch 2MIM Batch 1Typical Wrought

17-4PH HIP+H1025

120.0

125.0

130.0

135.0

140.0

145.0

150.0

155.0

160.0

165.0

170.0

0 100 200 300 400 500Temperature (F)

"MIM Batch 1"MIM Batch 2Typical Wrought

17-4PH HIP+H1025

Tensile Comparison with Aerospace Wrought Data

PowderFlo Tensile Data is Equivalent to Aerospace Wrought Processed Material

HIPed H1025 17-4PH

g Cast non- HIPed� Cast HIPed

MIM-non HIPedMIM HIPedWrought

103 104 105 106 107 108

Cycles to Failure

High Cycle Fatigue R= -1, Kt=1

Stre

ss ( ks

i)

120

100

80

60

40

S tr e

ss (k

s i)

MIM - HIPed

MIM - noHIP

wrought

Cast

•MIM exceeds cast in all conditions

•MIM exceeds wrought in HIPed condition

Separately molded and cast bars

MIM exceeds target goals of this program

Typical Dimensional TolerancesFeature Best Possible Typical

Angle 0.1° 2°Density 0.2% 1%Weight 0.1% 0.4%Linear Dimension 0.05% 0.3%Absolute Dimensions 0.04 mm 0.1 mmHole Diameter 0.04% 0.1%Hole Location 0.1% 0.3%Flatness 0.1% 0.2%Parallelism 0.2% 0.3%Roundness 0.3% 0.3%Perpendicularity 0.1% or 0.1° 0.2% or 0.3°Avg. Surface Roughness 0.4 µm 2 µm

Ref: R. German & R. Cornwall, The PIM Industry, Innovative Material Solutions, Inc., 1997.

Phase I - Task I Component Review – cont.

Summary-Injection Molding at Polymer Technology

Advantages of MIM Cost Reduction-potentially 50% for the wing/flaperon

Component Flexibility

Ability to combine parts

Reduced Cycle Times, WIP

Ability to produce novel materials ability to reduce processing steps

Advantages of MIM at PTILarge components

Rapid Cycle time

Excellent properties in full scale components