Patent ID: 6383446
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: B22F,B28B,B30B,C04B,F27B,F27D

Abstract:
A method of automatically loading powder material into a sintering mold and subsequently effecting electrical sintering to said powder material in said sintering mold, said method comprising the steps of:fitting a lower press core into a bore formed in said sintering mold, while allowing displacement of said lower press core in said bore; filling different powder materials, which differ from one another in at least one of properties including component(s) of powder material, percentages of components, particle size and particle shape, into said bore to form respective powder layers of said different powder materials in said bore, while displacing said lower press core downward in said bore sequentially and in a stepwise manner, such that the position of a top surface of said lower press core from a top surface of said sintering mold is adjusted depending on the thickness of said respective layers of said different powder materials being filled into said bore; preliminarily pressing at a desired pressure said powder layers of said different powder materials; displacing said pressed powder layers together with said lower press core relative to said sintering mold so as to position said powder layers to a desired position in said sintering mold; fitting an upper press core into said bore of said sintering mold and onto said powder layers; pre-heating to a desired temperature said sintering mold with said powder layers formed therein and with said upper press core fitted therein; and effecting electrical sintering to said powder layers by: operating upper and lower conductive members so as to press at a desired pressure said upper press core and said lower press core fitted in said sintering mold having been pre-heated; and simultaneously applying sintering current to said powder layers through said upper and lower conductive members.