The present invention relates to a punching tool of a sintering press, comprising at least one lower punch and an upper punch, a first punch of the upper punch and/or lower punch having a top piece that is asymmetric with respect to an axial axis of the punch press. The first punch has a geometry which widens from the top piece towards a base and is also asymmetric with respect to the axial axis of the punch press. The invention further relates to a method for pressing at least one powdery material to a green body in a sintering press.

A sintering press includes at least one upper punch and a lower punch, a powder reservoir for filling a female die of the sintering press with at least one powder material that can be sintered, and a female die for producing a green body using the powder material from the powder reservoir. A first punch of the upper punches and/or lower punches has a punch top which is off-center and asymmetric with respect to an axial axis of the sintering press and which can be moved in the female die. The first punch is asymmetric in shape between the punch top and the base, which shape at least reduces an axial tilting of the punch and a lateral drag of the punch top on an adjacent outer surface in the female die during insertion and extraction therefrom during a pressing step in the production of the green body.

A retort for thermally processing sinterable objects including a retort body having an interior cavity configured to receive at least one part for sintering. The retort body includes a retort inlet, a fore volume, an inlet plenum, an outlet plenum and a retort outlet. The retort inlet is configured to be fluidly connected to a process gas inlet tube and receive a flow of process gas. The retort inlet is fluidly connected to the fore volume, the fore volume being configured to receive a cleansing object. The fore volume is fluidly connected to the inlet plenum, which is fluidly connected to the interior cavity, which is in turn fluidly connected to the outlet plenum. The outlet plenum is fluidly connected to the retort outlet which is configured to be fluidly connected to an effluent gas outlet tube via a Peclet sealing element.

A retort for thermally processing sinterable objects including a retort body having an interior cavity configured to receive at least one part for sintering. The retort body includes a retort inlet, a fore volume, an inlet plenum, an outlet plenum and a retort outlet. The retort inlet is configured to be fluidly connected to a process gas inlet tube and receive a flow of process gas. The retort inlet is fluidly connected to the fore volume, the fore volume being configured to receive a cleansing object. The fore volume is fluidly connected to the inlet plenum, which is fluidly connected to the interior cavity, which is in turn fluidly connected to the outlet plenum. The outlet plenum is fluidly connected to the retort outlet which is configured to be fluidly connected to an effluent gas outlet tube via a Peclet sealing element.

An apparatus for manufacturing metal powder according to the present invention is a metal powder manufacturing apparatus, in which molten metal is broken up, and liquid droplets of the atomized molten metal are cooled by spraying cooling water using a cooling water spraying nozzle provided inside a chamber. The cooling water spraying nozzle is provided such that cooling water is sprayed in a fan shape, and cooling water spraying nozzles provided at different heights have increasing angles of inclination with respect to the inner wall of the chamber as the heights thereof are reduced, thereby decreasing a deviation between flying distances of the molten metal liquid droplets to efficiently manufacture metal powder having uniform properties.

An apparatus for manufacturing metal powder according to the present invention is a metal powder manufacturing apparatus, in which molten metal is broken up, and liquid droplets of the atomized molten metal are cooled by spraying cooling water using a cooling water spraying nozzle provided inside a chamber. The cooling water spraying nozzle is provided such that cooling water is sprayed in a fan shape, and cooling water spraying nozzles provided at different heights have increasing angles of inclination with respect to the inner wall of the chamber as the heights thereof are reduced, thereby decreasing a deviation between flying distances of the molten metal liquid droplets to efficiently manufacture metal powder having uniform properties.

A double-layer sliding bearing comprises an inner layer and an outer layer. An inner periphery of the outer layer is integrated with an outer periphery of the inner layer through moulds for molding processes. A circular bearing surface is formed on either an inner periphery of the inner layer or an outer periphery of the outer layer. A layer having the bearing surface is arranged by a porous thin-wall layer with high forming density. The other layer not having the bearing surface is arranged by a porous thick-wall layer with low forming density.

The present invention may comprise processes, methods, and systems for powder processing aimed at and characterized in reduction of adsorbed gases, vapors, particulates, and moisture through high-temperature vacuum out-gassing by disintegrating the powder bulk or flow into separate particles. Heat may be transferred to powder particles in vacuum by multiple interactions during intimate contact with heated metal balls within a tube or other container.

The present invention may comprise processes, methods, and systems for powder processing aimed at and characterized in reduction of adsorbed gases, vapors, particulates, and moisture through high-temperature vacuum out-gassing by disintegrating the powder bulk or flow into separate particles. Heat may be transferred to powder particles in vacuum by multiple interactions during intimate contact with heated metal balls within a tube or other container.

A furnace isolation chamber for containing a component to be Hot Isostatically Pressed is disclosed. The disclosed furnace includes inherent passive features to assist in the containment of released toxic gases via a thermal gradient within the chamber. The chamber comprises longitudinally cylindrical sidewalls; a top end extending between and permanently connected to the sidewalls, thereby closing one end of the chamber; and a movable bottom end, which is opposite the top end and forms a base end of the chamber. The movable bottom end is adapted to receive the component, and comprises a mechanism for raising and lowering the component into the high temperature zone of the furnace in the HIP system. The isolation chamber forms an integral part of the HIP system with the base end of the chamber comprising a cool zone as a result of being located outside of the high temperature zone of the furnace.