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IV. PM APPLICATIONS AND MARKETS/INDUSTRIES

PM parts are used in many end products.  The largest buyer of PM parts is the automotive industry (Figure 13).  Automotive applications make up approximately 70% of the North American PM parts market.  In 2001 the typical family vehicle contained about 17 kg (37.5 lb.) of PM parts, an increase from 10.9kg (24lb.) in 1990.  Some SUV models utilized 27.2 kg (60lb.) of PM parts. 

Figure 13: Usage of PM Parts in Automobiles: Courtesy of Cincinnati Incorporated 

Growth for PM applications in automobiles include powder forged low alloy steel connecting rods (a typical connecting rod weighs about 1 Kg (2.2lb), stainless steel exhaust system flanges, variable value timing systems, and automatic transmission planetary gear carriers.  In the latter application, PM offers cost savings and performance improvements over cast iron such as weight reductions, increased durability, close to net shapes, and precision.

 Markets for PM parts include: lock hardware, garden tractors, snowmobiles, automobile engines and transmissions, automobile brake and steering systems, washing machines, power tools and hardware, sporting arms, copiers and postage meters, off-road equipment, hunting knives, hydraulic assemblies, x-ray shielding, oil and gas drilling wellhead components, fishing rods and wrist watches.  A break down of these applications by market sector is given in Figure 14.

Figure 14: Applications of PM Parts by Market Sector: Courtesy of MPIF

 New commercial aircraft engines contain PM extruded superalloy forgings.  Americans consume almost one million kg of iron powder annually in iron-enriched cereals and bread.  Copper powder is used in anti-fouling paints for boat hulls and in metallic pigmented inks for packaging and printing.  Aluminum powder is used in solid fuels for booster rockets in the space shuttle program.