A Technical History of Powder Forging - Lessons Learned for Technology Transition

Powder forging has progressed in three decades through the stages of incubation, growth, and maturity, now accounting for 8% of the $5 B global PM market. In this presentation, a history of the technical development of powder forging will be recounted, from early failed attempts and misconceptions, through seminal academic and industrial research, to technical and commercial success. Discussion covers the contributions of government and industrial funding, fundamental knowledge development, and industrial champions for successful implementation. The focus is on lessons learned that may be beneficial to the transition of other technologies for the powder metallurgy industry.