Abstract
Numerous automotive and non-automotive components are currently manufactured by powder metallurgy (PM) using stainless steel powders. Compared to ferrous PM powders, stainless steel powders have higher flow rates, lower apparent densities and lower green strength. These differences in powder properties can make the manufacture of PM stainless steel components more challenging compared to ferrous PM mixes. A new lubricant system has been developed taking into account the unique morphology and particle size distribution of stainless steel powders. The new lubricant system was evaluated against currently industry standard lubricants for powder properties, mechanical performance and corrosion resistance. The new lubricant system was observed to have superior performance over the standard lubricants.
