A method of sintering electrically conducting powders in an air atmosphere for obtaining a sintered product includes the following step sequence: placing the powders in an electrically isolating mold, applying a pressure to the powders between 100 and 500 MPa, and applying to the powders a sintering current at a sintering voltage during a sintering time, for sintering the powders. Before applying the sintering current density to the powders, an activation current density is lower than the sintering current density at an activation voltage greater than the sintering voltage during an activation time lower than the sintering time, to reduce the electrical resistance of the powders.

A composite material contains a metallic phase, a non-metallic phase and a specific element. At least 90 mass % of the metallic phase is composed of at least one selected from the group consisting of Ag and Cu. The non-metallic phase includes a coated core material. The coated core material includes a core material and a carbide layer that covers at least a part of a surface of the core material. The core material contains at least one carbon-containing material selected from the group consisting of diamond, graphite, carbon fibers, and silicon carbide. The carbide layer contains a carbide of at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Cr, Ta, and V. The specific element is at least one selected from the group consisting of Y and Mg. A total content of the specific element is 0.0004 mass % to 1.3 mass %.

A component suitable for a timepiece or a jewellery item may be made of a cermet material including a carbide phase and a metal binder phase selected from among gold, platinum, palladium rhodium, osmium, ruthenium, and one of the alloys thereof. The metal binder phase may be present in a range of from 3 and 25 wt. % and the carbide phase may be present in a range of from 75 and 97 wt. %.

A component suitable for a timepiece or a jewellery item may be made of a cermet material including a carbide phase and a metal binder phase selected from among gold, platinum, palladium rhodium, osmium, ruthenium, and one of the alloys thereof. The metal binder phase may be present in a range of from 3 and 25 wt. % and the carbide phase may be present in a range of from 75 and 97 wt. %.

A hierarchical composite wear component may have a reinforcement in the most exposed part to wear, the reinforcement including a three-dimensionally interconnected network of periodically alternating millimetric ceramic-metal composite granules with millimetric interstices. The ceramic-metal composite granules have at least 52 vol %, preferably at least 61 vol %, more preferably at least 70 vol % of micrometric particles of titanium carbide embedded in a first metal matrix. The ceramic-metal composite granules have a density of at least 4.8 g/cm.sup.3. The three-dimensionally interconnected network of ceramic-metal composite granules with its millimetric interstices is embedded in the second metal matrix. The reinforcement has on average at least 23 vol %, more preferably at least 28 vol %, most preferably at least 30 vol % of titanium carbide, the first metal matrix being different from the second metal matrix, the second metal matrix including a ferrous cast alloy.

A disc cutter for a cutting unit used in an undercutting operation and a method of producing the same. The disc cutter including an annular disc body made of a metal alloy or metal matrix composite having a first side, a second side arranged substantially opposite to the first side and a radially peripheral part. At least one metal alloy, metal matrix composite or cemented carbide cutting part is mounted in and substantially encircling the radially peripheral part of the disc body which protrudes outwardly therefrom to engage with the rock during the mining operation. The at least one cutting part is made from a material having a higher wear resistance than the material used for the disc body, wherein the disc body and the cutting part are joined by diffusion bonds.

The present invention relates to a method for producing metal-comprising geometrically complex pieces and/or parts. The method is specially indicated for highly performant components. It is disclosed a method for the production of complex geometry, and even large, highly performant metal-comprising components in a cost effective way. The method is also indicated for the construction of components with internal features and voids. The method is also beneficial for light construction. The method allows the reproduction of bio-mimetic structures and other advanced structures for topological performance optimization.

The present invention relates to a method for producing metal-comprising geometrically complex pieces and/or parts. The method is specially indicated for highly performant components. It is disclosed a method for the production of complex geometry, and even large, highly performant metal-comprising components in a cost effective way. The method is also indicated for the construction of components with internal features and voids. The method is also beneficial for light construction. The method allows the reproduction of bio-mimetic structures and other advanced structures for topological performance optimization.

The present disclosure provides a powder material that makes it possible to achieve higher flowability than before and to increase the crushing strength of particles. The powder material of the present disclosure has a dendritic structure 1. The dendritic structure 1 has a cemented carbide composition or a cermet composition.

The present disclosure relates to a method of making a powder of dense and spherically shaped cemented carbide or cermet granules. The present disclosure also relates to a powder produced by the method and use of said powder in additive manufacturing such as 3D printing by the binder jetting technique. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) process for manufacturing a product by using said powder.