Evolution of Extremely Fast Electrical Discharge Sintering of Ti-Al Alloy

Abstract

In manufacturing processes using powder metallurgical methods, one of the most important and most expensive parts is consolidation and subsequent conventional sintering. Electrical discharge sintering (EDS) is a manufacturing process that converts the two steps of consolidation and conventional sintering into a single step. Additionally, the conventional process can take several hours. In contrast, electric discharge sintering takes about a second. This reduction in manufacturing time by electrical discharge can considerably reduce the costs of powder metallurgical production. In this research project, compacts are manufactured from the Ti-Al alloy through electrical discharge sintering. Throughout the sintering time, the intensity of the electric current, the energy and force applied by the equipment, the pressure suffered by the compact, the electrical resistance, and overall porosity of the compact are evaluated. The porosity of the powder is about 55.6% and the overall porosity of the compact is 16.1%. The result of the overall porosity will be compared using an optical microscope (LM).