JFE Steel Develops Ni Free Iron Powder for High Strength Sinter Parts

JFE Steel announced on Thursday the firm developed high strength nickel less iron powder for powder metallurgy with better machinability, FM series. The new series includes FM600 with 600 mega pascal of tensile strength without heat treatment and FM1000 with 1,000 mega pascal strength. The new items contribute to lower cost compared with traditional powder with 4% nickel. The firm improved the performance through segregation free treatment and optimization of alloy composition while traditional high strength sinter parts need iron powder made with nickel and molybdenum or need some heat treatment including carburizing and quenching and castings. The firm tries to commercialize the new series as automotive engine and suspension parts after sample valuation by the users. The firm develops additional item with 1,300 mega pascal of strength. The firm tries to market the items instead of traditional nickel containing products, which the firm sells at monthly 200 tonnes, targeting monthly 400 tonnes of sales, which is estimated to be 40% market share, in fiscal 2008 starting April 2008.