Sintered Iron and Carbon Steel
This family includes iron-based sintered materials, with or without carbon addition. It covers economical low-load parts, machinable components with moderate strength, self-lubricating applications and certain magnetic functions when density is high.
An economical and versatile material base
Sintered irons and sintered carbon steels are suitable for simple mechanical parts, guiding functions, components requiring porosity for impregnation, and parts where maximum strength is not the primary requirement.
- Mechanical parts subjected to low or moderate loads
- Bushings, guides and oil-impregnable components
- Machinable parts after sintering: drilling, tapping, turning, milling
- Magnetic applications when density and purity are suitable
Density, carbon content and treatment drive performance
Density directly influences mechanical strength, bending strength, apparent hardness and functional behavior. Carbon addition increases strength and hardness, but may reduce machinability at higher contents.
Application areas
This overview summarizes the most common industrial uses of sintered irons and carbon steels, with a deliberately function-oriented and cost-oriented approach.
| Family | Typical applications | Main advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Unalloyed sintered iron | Spacers, simple bushings, connecting parts, supports, lightly loaded components | Economical solution, good compressibility, usable porosity for impregnation |
| High-density sintered iron | Simple magnetic components, cores, low-complexity magnetic circuits | Improved magnetic behavior and higher strength through densification |
| Machinable sintered carbon steel | Drilled, tapped, turned or milled parts after sintering | Good balance between moderate strength, hardness and machinability |
| Treated sintered carbon steel | Parts subjected to moderate wear, cams, levers, small mechanical components | Higher strength and hardness after heat treatment or steam treatment |
Indicative mechanical properties
The ranges below summarize typical values observed for sintered iron and carbon steel families in SI units. They are useful during the pre-design phase; final selection depends on geometry, target density and chosen process.
| Material family | Typical density | Apparent hardness | Tensile strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unalloyed sintered iron | 6.1 – 7.3 g/cm³ | 40 – 80 HRF | 120 – 260 MPa |
| Machinable sintered carbon steel | 6.1 – 6.9 g/cm³ | 25 – 55 HRB | 170 – 260 MPa |
| High-carbon sintered steel | 5.8 – 7.0 g/cm³ | 35 – 70 HRB | 200 – 390 MPa |
| Heat-treated carbon steel | 6.3 – 7.1 g/cm³ | 22 – 35 HRC | 450 – 660 MPa |
Economic approach to material selection
Material selection is not only about achieving the highest mechanical value. Cost, densification, possible machining, impregnation and additional treatments must all be balanced.
| Industrial requirement | Material orientation | Compromise to monitor |
|---|---|---|
| Simple low-cost part | Unalloyed sintered iron with moderate density | Very economical, but limited strength |
| Self-lubricating function | Iron or carbon steel maintaining useful porosity | Porosity facilitates impregnation but reduces mechanical density |
| Machining after sintering | Moderate-carbon steel | Good balance between strength, hardness and machinability |
| Higher strength or hardness | Heat-treated or steam-treated carbon steel | Higher performance, but increased processing cost |
Design considerations
For this material family, final density is a key parameter: it influences bending strength, apparent hardness, available porosity for impregnation and dimensional stability.
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