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• Diverse range of applications for PM parts
• PM industry expanding strongly
• PM Forum at CERAMITEC 2012 in Hall A 5

Powder metallurgy products are found these days in many fields of technology. Cost-effective, functional and flexible, PM parts have made great strides in recent decades in the automotive industry, aerospace, engineering, medical technology and the electronics industry. Almost four-fifths of all powder-metallurgy products are used in vehicle manufacture. An average European car contains around 8.4 kg of sintered parts. In comparison, in Japan PM parts account for approximately 8 kg of the total weight, but in the US, 19 kg. Other applications for PM parts are found in steel and ferrous sintered parts, oil-impregnated sintered bearings, filters, friction materials, complex injection molding (MIM) – where annual growth rates are in double-digit percentages. Also in sintered hard metals for cutting tools and wearing parts – including ones with additional hard coatings (e.g. diamond) – in high-speed steels, heavy metals, super alloys and in rare earth magnets based on, for example, neodymium-iron-boron (Nd-Fe-B). Without magnet groups with very high energy densities, many innovative applications would simply not be possible, for example, the manufacture of micromotors with a tiny diameter of < 2 mm. And without hard metals it would be very hard or impossible to machine many of today´s new materials.

When using PM products high performance is a prime criterion, but also importantly cost-efficiency. Experience with many components has shown that in manufacturing powder-metallurgy processes can bring cost-savings of up to 70 percent and more as compared to the workpieces produced conventionally by machining. In some special cases, for example in the production of hard metal, there is no other technology that can be used other than powder metallurgy.

Following the economic crisis of 2009 global demand for powder metallurgy products rose again rapidly. In 2010 global annual output of the PM products (excluding ceramics) listed here was already more or less back to the same level as before the crisis, at around 30 billion euros. Hard metals account for the major portion of this, at approximately 13 billion euros. Worldwide production of ferrous PM parts is now worth over 6.5 billion euros (source: IPMA), of which around 23 percent is accounted for in Europe. Business in metal injection molding (MIM) has also expanded continuously over recent years. Global turnover in MIM is put at 650 million euros for 2010 (Source: PIM International).

Information on the current status of powder metallurgy and on the outlook for the future of new technologies in this segment of industry is being offered by Germany´s Fachverband Pulvermetallurgie (FPM, powder-metallurgy trade association) at CERAMITEC 2012. There in Hall A 5 the association is organizing a powder metallurgy forum entitled "PM today and tomorrow". It takes place on May 22, 2012, and is being chaired by Prof. em. Dr.-Ing. Paul Beiss and organized by Hans Kolaska of FPM.

Experts from research and industry will be giving short lectures, each of around 15 minutes in duration, addressing topical issues in PM production, and setting out the opportunities for the future of key techniques in powder metallurgy. An open discussion with the audience is then planned following each lecture. Also presented will be modern techniques such as hot isostatic pressing (HIP) of PM parts, inert gas ovens, microwave debinding of hard metals, rapid sintering of large-area components, PVD and CVD coatings on hard metals, and MIM technology. The event begins at 13:30. Lectures are given in German and simultaneous interpreting into English will be provided. Entry to the event is free of charge to participants in CERAMITEC.

Because powder metallurgy is such an important area worldwide, it will again have a strong showing at CERAMITEC 2012. Many exhibitors, among them key players such as Atlas-Press, Dorst, Komage-Gellner, Krautzberger, Lauffer and Osterwalder, have already registered for the show.

Further information about CERAMITEC 2012: www.ceramitec.de

Press contact:
Dr. Jutta Seitz, Trade Fair PR Manager
Phone: +49 89 949 21480, Fax: +49 89 949 9721480
Jutta.Seitz@messe-muenchen.de
 
CERAMITEC
CERAMITEC Technologies – Innovations – Materials takes place at the New Munich Trade Fair Center from May 22-25, 2012. Since its premiere in 1979 CERAMITEC has developed into the world’s leading trade show for the ceramic industry. CERAMITEC 2009 attracted 656 exhibitors from 35 countries and approx. 15,000 visitors from 84 countries. Statistics for CERAMITEC are checked by the independent auditors Ernst & Young AG contracted by the Gesellschaft zur Freiwilligen Kontrolle von Messe- und Ausstellungszahlen (Society for Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics).
 
Messe München International
Messe München International is one of the world´s leading trade-fair companies. In Munich alone it organises around 40 trade fairs for capital and consumer goods, and key high-tech industries. Each year more than 30,000 exhibitors and over two million visitors take part in the events held in the New Munich Trade Fair Centre, the ICM – International Congress Centre Munich, and in the M,O,C, Events and Order Centre.
In addition, Messe München International organises trade fairs in Asia, Russia, the Middle East and South America. With six subsidiaries in Europe and Asia and more than 60 foreign representatives actively serving over 90 countries, Messe München International has a worldwide business network. The Group also takes a pioneering role as regards sustainability: It is the first trade-fair company to be awarded energy-efficiency certification from the technical inspection authorities TÜV SÜD.