Practical pressing direction
Gears, bushings and structural profiles that can be compacted and ejected with suitable tooling.
Drawing-based OEM manufacturing
Custom powder metallurgy parts for gears, bushings and mechanisms
SINTS supports conventional press-and-sinter powder metallurgy for drawing-based OEM components. Pressing geometry, final density, load, material condition and secondary operations determine whether PM is the right route.
Process fit
Where Powder metallurgy is worth evaluating
Function-led density
Density and porosity requirements selected for strength, wear, lubrication and the actual duty.
Repeat supply
Stable quantities and interfaces that make tooling, sizing and any finishing worthwhile.
From powder to final part
The manufacturing route
Powder and tooling review
Agree alloy, density requirements, pressing direction and the die/punch arrangement.
Compaction
Press powder into the intended profile and verify the requirements for handling and ejection.
Sintering
Sinter to the selected material and process plan; agree any heat treatment or sizing.
Secondary control and release
Machine or finish critical features where needed, inspect the agreed characteristics and prepare shipment records.
The full route, and what each stage decides
The four steps above are the spine. Everything else is added because the drawing asked for it — a bushing may stop at powder, press, sinter, size and oil; a lock bolt may add steam treatment and plating. Each stage fixes what the next one can still hold, which is why the route is settled after the drawing and not before it.
| Stage | What it does | What has to be decided there |
|---|---|---|
| Mixing | Blends base powder, alloying elements and lubricant. The lubricant is what lets the green part leave the die intact. | Alloy and lubricant level. Fine powders segregate, and a segregated blend sinters unevenly. |
| Compaction | Presses the powder into the green profile in a rigid die. | Pressing direction and density. This is the step that decides the density the rest of the route works from. |
| Sintering | Bonds the particles below the melting point. The part gains strength and shrinks on a known curve. | Cycle and atmosphere, which follow from the alloy — 304 and 316L do not sinter in the same window. |
| Repressing | Re-presses the sintered part to raise density and tighten dimensions. | Whether the extra density is worth a second pressing, and whether the geometry can take it. |
| Resintering | A second thermal cycle, normally paired with repressing. | Whether the property gain pays for the extra cycle. |
| Sizing / coining | Cold calibration of the features that carry the tolerance. | Which dimensions are held by the die and which by sizing — the tight ones are almost always sizing. |
| Heat treatment | Quench and temper for strength or wear resistance. | The level, and what it does to elongation and distortion. |
| Machining | Cuts what the pressing direction cannot form — cross holes, threads, undercuts. | Where the pressed geometry has to stop so the cut features remain economical. |
| Steam treatment | Seals the pore network with an oxide layer and hardens the surface. | Whether the application needs wear resistance or pressure tightness rather than more strength. |
| Impregnation | Fills porosity with resin for pressure tightness, or with oil for self-lubrication. | Resin or oil, and the fill level the function actually needs. |
| Plating / coating | Decorative or corrosion protection over the finished part. | That the part can be plated at all — entrapped solutions in open porosity are a real constraint. |
Where the cost advantage really comes from. A pressed part converts powder into geometry almost completely; the swarf a machined equivalent turns into chips never exists. That is the saving, and it is real on the right part. It also disappears the moment the drawing needs machining on three sides or a tolerance the die cannot hold — at which point the honest comparison is back to machining. The grade table, with density and minimum properties, is on the material selection page.
Inside the compaction lineFifteen seconds of pressing, handling and production flow on the SINTS floor in Zhongshan.
Material and finishing
Specify the final condition
Specify the iron-based or other material system, final density, heat treatment, hardness and any surface protection. The SINTS library includes a documented PM FD-05N2C-360 reference; the exact alloy and acceptance values are agreed for the project.
Heat treatment, sizing, machining, grinding and surface finishing are selected for the required features. Supporting operations may use in-house or qualified resources according to the program.
Review material references →Quality and approval
Agree how the part will be accepted
Define datums, critical dimensions, material properties, cosmetic requirements and functional checks before samples are approved. Dimensional reports, material records, FAI and customer-required PPAP are planned according to the program.
SINTS holds ISO 9001 quality management system certification for the Zhongshan manufacturing scope and IATF 16949:2016 certification for the Zhongshan powder-metallurgy manufacturing scope. Review current certificates and project requirements during supplier qualification.
Quality system and documents →Component examples
Connect the process to your component
Questions before tooling
Buyer FAQ
Can PM form cross-holes and undercuts?
Conventional single-axis compaction has pressing and ejection constraints. A transverse hole or undercut may require secondary machining or special tooling; compare that complete route with MIM or machining.
Can gear teeth and mounting bores use the same tolerance?
Specify tooth requirements, bore fits, face datums and runout separately from the general profile. Sizing, machining or tooth finishing may be required for the final duty.
Are all PM bushings self-lubricating?
No. Porosity, impregnation, material, shaft fit and operating conditions must be specified for the bearing function. The process name alone does not establish lubrication performance.
Which quality documents can be included?
Dimensional reports, material records, FAI and customer-required PPAP can be planned by program. Current Zhongshan PM certification scope documents are available for supplier qualification.
Start a manufacturing review
Send the drawing and the requirements
Include your 2D drawing and 3D model where available, material or property targets, sample and annual quantities, critical dimensions, finish, application and target timing. If a requirement is undecided, tell us what needs a recommendation.
Tooling, MOQ, delivery timing and final capability are confirmed for the specific drawing and program.