CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Hot press moulding is a type of manufacturing process where plastic pellets is heated to certain
temperature inside the mould cavity until the plastic melts and give the desired shape based on the
mould itself. In moulding process, hot press method is used to make this product. It is because hot press
method is cost saving as this product does not require complex geometry in its design. As for the hot
press mould, it refers to an arrangement of hollow cavity spaces built to the shape of preferred product
in one assembly to produce plastic product in mass production. The cavity space consists of female
mould part known as cavity and male mould part known as core. There are limits in what material
should be used for making hot press moulding as this process usually use thermoplastic materials and
also applicable to certain thermoset material. Hot press moulding consists of multiple part as shown on
Figure 1 such as (1) pressure head, (2) upper shell, (3) upper heat retainer, (4) guide sleeve, (5) upper
asbestos insulation, (6) heating room, (7) die orifice, (8) female die, (9) roof plate, (10) punch, (11)
billet, (12) workbench, (13) lower template, (14) guide pin, (15) ejector pin, (16) electric iron core, (17)
lower shell, (18) lower asbestos insulation, (19) lower heat retainer, (20) fixed plate, (21) guide sleeve,
(22) upper insulation cushion, (23) movable beam and (24) upper template.

Figure 1: The cross sectional of a hot press mold

Hot pressing play an important role in powder metallurgy especially for the fabrication of dense
compacts from refractory materials, for examples metallic borides, carbides, nitrite and silicide. It is
regularly difficult to get these mixes as thick compacts by heating, in view of their high dissolving
focuses as well as in light of the fact that they may separate to form different compounds. Hot pressing
suggests that the powder conservative is heated to a temperature beneath the liquefying point and an
outside weight all the while connected to cause fast sintering of the powder into a thick homogeneous
body. In spite of the way that hot-pressing practices have been being used for a long time, it was just
amidst the 1950's that the main hypothesis with respect to the system of hot pressing was proposed
(Ramqvist, 1966). According to Ramqvist (1966), the cutting edge history of the procedure starts in the
1870's, the point at which an American patent was taken out cover to the hot pressing of tin powder,
followed by two more patents, one Germany and the other was American forty years later that were
concerned with the possibility of producing dense bodies from powdered tungsten, tungsten carbide, by
a combination of pressure and temperature.

Flowchart 1: Process involved in the hot pressing (Upadhyaya, 2002)

Hot pressing is a suitable method for densifying materials with poor sintering behaviour. This
technique consist of combining the powder pressing and sintering into one single operation, offer many
advantages over conventional powder consolidation. With simultaneous application of temperature and
pressure, it is feasible to archive near theoretical density in wide range of hard to work materials. As
the resistance of metal particle s to plastic deformation decreases rapidly with increase in temperature
much lower pressures are required for consolidation by hot pressing. Pressing and sintering are the
mechanisms used to form solid parts from powders which is starts with pressing and follow by sintering.
Before pressing, the powder will be fully prepared. Powder pressing, and hence powder forming in
general, is best suited to flat parts with 2 dimensional geometry and little thickness. The main problems
as part complexity and thickness increase, are higher variations in density due to uneven compaction of
powder particles and limitations caused by the need for ejection of the pressed compact. Processing
methods are used to mitigate these problems.
 Powder pressing is the compaction of powders into a geometric form. Pressing is usually
performed at room temperature. This creates a solid part called a green compact. The strength of this
pressed, unsintered part, (green strength), is dependent on compactability, binders may be used to
increase compactability. Typically a green compact can be broken apart by hand but is also strong
enough to be handled, gently. The geometry of the green compact is similar to that of the final part,
however, shrinkage will occur during the sintering phase of the manufacturing process and must be
calculated in. Amount of powder needed will be based on the bulk density of the powder and the amount
of material in the final part. Bulk density is important when measuring powder quantities. The effects
of additives such as lubricants must always be calculated. For example, a green compact has a certain
amount of lubricants and binders in it that add extra material. During sintering, these lubricants and
binders are burned off. Their material is no longer in the part after sintering and this must be a
consideration. To begin the manufacturing process, a certain amount of powder is filled into a die. Rate
of die filling is based largely on the flowability of the powder. Powders that flow readily can be poured
at higher rates. Pouring can be an automated process. Once the die is filled, a punch moves towards the
powder. The punch applies pressure to the powder, compacting it to the correct geometry.

Figure 2: Powder pressing overview

Powder sintering involves raising the temperature of the green compact, (pressed powder part), to a
certain level and keeping it at that temperature for a certain amount of time. The sintering temperature
is usually between 70% and 90% of the melting point of the powder metal (Groover, 2004). This will
cause bonding mechanisms to occur between powder particles pressed together in the compact. Bonding
within the green compact is weak and this pressed unsintered part usually has just enough structural
integrity to be handled. Bonding that occurs during sintering greatly strengthens the part.

During sintering, the individual particle structures disappear and the material forms as a mass.
Mechanisms that cause bonding during sintering are varied and complex. The main mechanism by
which bonding occurs is considered to be diffusion, mechanisms will vary based on manufacturing
process factors and powder characteristics. Physical characteristics of different types of bonding may
be different. Particle bonding by two different mechanisms is illustrated below. The diffusion bonding
shrinks the distance between particles, reducing space. The phase material transport adds material, while
keeping the particles the same distance apart.
Figure 3: Bonding mechanisms in powder sintering