Result description
In diamond tools sector Cobalt is still a predominant character of the scene, although it shows some important issues. Its price varies greatly on the markets moreover its oxides are cytotoxic. A non-toxic cobalt-free alloy will allows safer use of the powder for the operators and by using different raw materials, there may be a more stable and lower cost. Mechanical alloying by High Energy Ball Milling Process allows to obtain a suitable powder for MIM process. The alloy composition and its mechanical properties could be taylored on the needs of the users providing materials with peculiar characteristics that can’t be obtain with other manufacturing process.
MBN developed an iron-based composite powder specifically for MIM process. MIM powders must have high quality characteristics in terms of flowability. packing density, narrow particle size distribution and sintering activity. This alloy has been obtained using the Mechanomade(R) HEBM process (High Energy Ball Milling), which is not a typical process to obtain MIM grade powders. Therefore the innovation consisted in developing suitable HEBM parameters with the aim of optimizing the powder characteristics for the MIM and pressuless sintering processing.
This novel alloy has been conceived for application as metal bond for diamond tools components, which require similar mechanical properties to Cobalt alloys, low sintering temperature to avoid diamond graphitization and the capacity to hold the diamond tight to ensure a longer tool lifetime and good cutting speed and quality.
MBN will be the first material producer able to offer high quality and added value material in the diamond tool sector, gaining a competitive advantage compared to other material provider.
Addressing target audiences and expressing needs
- Collaboration
Expanding to more markets and applications using MIM process and finding new customers especially in the tooling sector
- Research and Technology Organisations
- Private Investors
R&D, Technology and Innovation aspects
The results of the project showed that this material can be used as Cobalt replacement in gang saw diamond tool applications, especially for cutting marble stones. The next steps consist in further validating the new material by making powder production test in larger batch quantity and plan additional trials with customers in industrial enviroment.
The MIM grade powder developed in the project require a different processing route compared to the material currently produced by MBN. In the project MBN have developed suitable methodologies and adapted the current pilot production plants for the efficient manufacture of this material. The production set up implemented in the project can be used for serving the early adopter customers (up to 5 tonns per year).
For larger production at industrial scale MBN will make an additional investment for adpating the bigger plant and post processing operations.
There is a on going trend to replace toxic elements in industrial working enviroment and the latest regulations are becoming more and more strict in this sense. Another critical aspect is linked with the supplying of critical materials from outside Europe (Africa and China in the case of Cobalt).
That’why for the design of this material MBN have selected raw metal elements that do not have health issues and do not represent any critical supply risk being widely available in the market (Iron , Copper for instance).
- Europe
Result submitted to Horizon Results Platform by DELLAS SPA
