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The purpose of this paper was to investigate an influence of a low temperature pressureless sintering process of silver paste on the quality of sintered joints.

The authors analyzed various curing conditions of the paste during its sintering process: 175°C/90 min, 200°C/60 min, 250°C/30 min, 250°C/60 min, 350°C/30 min and 350°C/60 min. They analyzed an influence of the surface plating applied on a ceramic substrate/layer (Cu, Ag, AgPt and Au thick film) on the joints quality. The authors analyzed microstructure and electrical resistance of the joints. They evaluated these properties from the point of view of thermal aging process and changing resistance, after a constant current loading of the sintered joints.

The nanoscale pressureless silver paste can be applied for replacing a pressure-assisted micro-sized silver paste. It was found that the quality of the metal plating applied on the ceramic substrate/layer has a significant impact on the quality of the sintered joints. Copper and AgPt plating have better impact on quality of sintered joints in compare with Ag plating.

This investigation of the quality of the pressureless sintered joints at the silver-silver interface reveals an evident cracking immediately after the silver paste curing. Rapid sintering process typical for silver-based films on the substrate is because of the inter-diffusion between the micro and nanoparticles of silver at interfacial interface.

This paper gives a review of the finite element techniques (FE) applied in the area of material processing. The latest trends in metal forming, non‐metal forming, powder metallurgy and composite material processing are briefly discussed. The range of applications of finite elements on these subjects is extremely wide and cannot be presented in a single paper; therefore the aim of the paper is to give FE researchers/users only an encyclopaedic view of the different possibilities that exist today in the various fields mentioned above. An appendix included at the end of the paper presents a bibliography on finite element applications in material processing for 1994‐1996, where 1,370 references are listed. This bibliography is an updating of the paper written by Brannberg and Mackerle which has been published in Engineering Computations, Vol. 11 No. 5, 1994, pp. 413‐55.

The requirements of open cell porous regular interconnected metallic structure (OCPRIMS) in applications such as heat exchangers, sound absorption, fluid flow control, spark arresters and biocompatible inserts have been increased. As per available technology in the present scenario, only the metallic-based rapid prototyping (RP) machines can guarantee fabrication of OCPRIMS. Metal-based RP machines are capital-intensive. So, this study aims to develop a technique for fabrication of OCPRIMS economically using three-dimensional printing (3 DP) and pressureless sintering.

Three computer-aided design (CAD) models of varying designed interconnected porosity 73, 70 and 60 per cent were modeled to target metallic porosity 27, 30 and 40 per cent. The same were fabricated with ceramic-based powder using 3 DP. Thereafter, spherical bronze powder with average size of 200 µm was filled and sintered in pressureless manner under inert atmosphere of argon. After sintering, the specimens were cleaned with the help of pricking needles and high-pressure water. It flushed the burnt ceramic powder and allowed metallic portion to remain intact. The obtained specimens were inverse of CAD/3 DP models. The dimensional measurement at different stages of fabrication was carried out to find shrinkage. Sintered density and interconnected porosity were measured using Archimedes’ principle. The characterization of the fabricated specimens was done with the help of microstructure analysis, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray analysis. Mechanical properties were assessed using compressive, tensile and Charpy tests.

The feasibility has been explored successfully to fabricate OCPRIMS of phosphor bronze using 3 DP and pressureless sintering process. Interconnected porosity of 51.45, 56.45, 64.09 per cent of final metallic specimens has been observed against the targeted 27, 30 and 40 per cent. The increase in pore dimensions up to 19.13 per cent and shrinkage up to 5.44 per cent of outer dimensions were found to be the main causes of increase in interconnected porosity level. The characterization results exhibit the behavior of pressureless sintering process and stability of the fabricated specimens. Mechanical properties of fabricated structures are found to be dependent on porosity and strut diameter. Compressive and tensile strength decrease with the increase in porosity for strut diameter less than 1 mm, whereas they increase with the increase in strut diameter of 1 mm or more. A similar trend has been observed for impact strength also.

This paper explores the feasibility to fabricate OCPRIMS economically using 3 DP and pressureless sintering process.

The purpose of this study is to study the mechanical, tribological and electrical properties of the copper-graphene (Cu-Gn) composites fabricated by a novel rapid tooling technique consist of three-dimensional printing and ultrasonic-assisted pressureless sintering (UAPS).

Four different Cu-Gn compositions with 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 per cent of graphene were fabricated using an amalgamation of three-dimensional printing and UAPS. The polymer 3d printed parts were used to prepare mould cavity and later the UAPS process was used to sinter Cu-Gn powder to acquire free-form shape. The density, hardness, wear rate, coefficient of friction and electrical conductivity were evaluated for the different compositions of graphene and compared with the pure copper. Besides, the comparison was performed with the conventional method.

Cu-Gn composites revealed excellent wear properties due to higher hardness, and the lubrication provided by the graphene. The electrical conductivity of the fabricated Cu-Gn composites started increasing initially but decreased afterwards with increasing the content of graphene. The UAPS fabricated composites outperformed the conventional method manufactured samples with better properties such as density, hardness, wear rate, coefficient of friction and electrical conductivity due to homogeneous mixing of metal particles and graphene.

The fabrication of Cu-Gn composite freeform shapes was found to be difficult using conventional methods. The novel technique using a combination of polymer three-dimensional printing and UAPS as rapid tooling was introduced for the fabrication of freeform shapes of Cu-Gn composites and mechanical, tribological and electrical properties were studied. The method can be used to fabricate optimized complex Cu-Gn structures with improved wear and electrical applications.

The purpose of this paper is to establish a methodology for the design and development of patient-specific elbow implant with an elastic modulus close to that of the human bone. One of the most preferred implant material is titanium alloy which is about 8 to 9 times higher in strength than that of the human bone and is the closest than other metallic biomedical materials.

The methodology begins with the design of the implant from patient-specific computed tomography information and incorporates the manufacturing of the implant via a novel rapid prototyping assisted microwave sintering process.

The elastic modulus and the flexural strength of the implant were observed to be comparable to that of human elbow bones. The fatigue test depicts that the implant survives the one million cycles under physiological loading conditions. Other mechanical properties such as impact energy absorption, hardness and life cycle tests were also evaluated. The implant surface promotes human cell growth and adhesion and does not cause any adverse or undesired effects i.e. no cytotoxicity.

Stress shielding, and therefore, aseptic loosening of the implant shall be avoided. In the event of any trauma post-implantation, the implant would not hurt the patient.

The present study describes a methodology for the first time to be able to obtain the strength required for the medical implant without sacrificing the fatigue life requirement.

The purpose of this study is to characterize sintered hydroxyapatite (HA) samples produced by three-dimensional printing (3DP). This study is part of a project concerned with the fabrication of calcium phosphates implants by 3DP. However, before considering a more complex structure, like scaffolds or implants, a thorough knowledge of the role played by the sintering temperature on physical and mechanical the properties of porous HA is necessary.

The characteristics of sintered HA samples have been analyzed by means of x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and uniaxial compression tests. The 3DP parameters used to produce the HA samples were those who led to higher accuracy and mechanical stability.

Sintering temperature and powder morphology are critical factors influencing densification behavior, porosity, phase stability, mechanical strength and tangent modulus of the HA samples produced by 3DP. This study allowed us to conclude about the 3DP parameters to be used to produce porous HA specimens with the required integrity and dimensional accuracy, and the optimal post-processing sintering temperature which led to the best results in terms of porosity, microstructure, phase stability of HA and mechanical properties.

This paper provides a method to evaluate the manufacturability of calcium phosphate models produced by 3DP.

This paper gives a bibliographical review of the finite element methods (FEMs) applied to the analysis of ceramics and glass materials. The bibliography at the end of the paper contains references to papers, conference proceedings and theses/dissertations on the subject that were published between 1977‐1998. The following topics are included: ceramics – material and mechanical properties in general, ceramic coatings and joining problems, ceramic composites, ferrites, piezoceramics, ceramic tools and machining, material processing simulations, fracture mechanics and damage, applications of ceramic/composites in engineering; glass – material and mechanical properties in general, glass fiber composites, material processing simulations, fracture mechanics and damage, and applications of glasses in engineering.

It is aiming at finding tribology performance laws and mechanism of sintering materials, including new materials, which are popular or potential materials of mechanical seals working under water condition with different working parameters, involving load and sliding speed.

Falex-1506 tribo-machine has been used. The upper sample is rotated against the stationary sample below. They are all rings. The samples are WNV2, sintered pressureless bonded; CHV1, graphite-added PLSiC; R, sintered reaction bonded; R2, graphite-added RBSiC, cemented carbide YN6 and graphite MSMG. Twenty kinds of hard/hard and soft/hard pairs were tested under water condition. Then, SEM was used to observe the sliding surface to explain their rubbing mechanism.

Friction coefficients decrease with the load increasing under water lubrication due to water holding by small holes on their surface. But the friction coefficients have no change with the varying of velocity. The hard alloy/sintered silicon carbon pairs may be better choice, where the lowest friction coefficient is only about 0.02, than soft/hard or silicon carbon/silicon carbon pairs under water lubrication, especially under heavy load.

The test was carried under load from 89 N (0.7 MPa) to 356 N (2.80 MPa) and sliding velocity from 0.746 to 5.074 m/s where the lubrication is in mixed.

The detailed values of frictional coefficients of popular and potential sintered material of mechanical seals working under water lubrication were given by the experimental research which may be helpful for the choice of mechanical seal materials.

Silicon carbide multilayer composites containing short carbon fibers (C_sf/SiC) were prepared by tape casting and pressureless sintering. The C fibers were dispersed with dispersants into a solvent mixture firstly and then mixed with SiC slurry to make green C^sf/SiC tapes. Triton X100 was found to be the best dispersant for Toho Tenax HTC124 fibers. Fibers resulted homogeneously distributed in the tape and tended to align fairly well along the tape casting direction. The addition of short C fibers hindered the shrinkage in the plane containing the fibers during sintering. The resulting microstructure of the composite materials was investigated. This kind of composite layers could be integrated in a thermal protection system (TPS) structure, since the outer dense SiC layers can provide excellent oxidation resistance and good heat conductivity in the plane, while C_sf/SiC layers in the middle of the multilayer architecture could grant low thermal conductivity through the TPS thickness.

This paper aims to find proper technological parameters of low-temperature joining technique by silver sintering to eventually use this technique for reliable electronic packaging.

Based on the literature and author’s own experience, the factors influencing the nanosized Ag particle sintering results were identified, and their significance was assessed.

It has been shown that some important technological parameters clearly influence the quality of the joints, and their choice is unambiguous, but the meaning of some parameters is dependent on other factors (interactions), and they should be selected experimentally.

The value of this research is that the importance of all technological factors was analyzed, which makes it easy to choose the technological procedures in the electronic packaging.