• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.283-289
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• 2010

Extrusion process in the bulk material for fabrication of miniature helical gears has problems such as a high forming load and short tool life because the cross-section is complex and asymmetry. To overcome these problems, in this study, miniature helical gears were fabricated by Zn-22Al powder hot extrusion. The included die angle for minimum extrusion load and improving die filling was determined by FE-simulation. The Zn-22Al spheroidal powder produced by gasatomization were compacted and sintered for extrusion experiment. The dimension of helical-gear is 0.3mm in module, 3.35mm in pitch diameter, $15^{\circ}$ in helix angle and the number of teeth is 12. All of the extrusion experiments were performed with internal helical gear die which was machined by precision electric discharge machining using the electrode. The experiment was conducted at $190^{\circ}C$ to $310^{\circ}C$ to obtain extrusive and mechanical properties. The extruded helical gears were analyzed through extrusion load, Vickers hardness and SEM images for each extrusion temperature. The powder hot extrusion process was successfully applied to fabricate a miniature helical gear.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.449-452
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• 2009

This paper was designed to fabricate the miniature spur gear with pitch circle of 1.8 by hot extrusion process of mechanically alloyed Zn-22wt%Al powder at various temperature. The mechanical alloying was preformed for ball milled times of 8h, 16h and 32h by the planetary ball milling. Mechanically alloyed powders were compacted cylindrical performs. Extrusions of the miniature spur gear using the alloyed powder were carried out at different extrusion temperatures. The extruded spur gear was sintered for 2h at $350^{\circ}C$ in argon atmosphere. The friction between the die and the powdered billet and the internally different density due to complex product shape cause the internal crack. To overcome the mentioned problems, high dimensional accuracy at cross section of the spur gear and uniform Vickers hardness could be obtained by graphite lubricant and controlling holding time.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.387-390
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• 2009

This study was designed to fabricate the micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) parts such as micro spur gears using hot extrusion of gas atomized Al-78Zn powders. For this purpose, it is important to develop new methods to fabricate micro-dies and choose suitable extrusion conditions for a micro-forming. Micro-dies with Ni were fabricated by LIGA technology. LIGA technology was capable to produce micro-extrusion dies with close tolerances, thick bearing length and adequate surface quality. Superplastic Al-78Zn powders have the great advantage in achieving deformation under low stresses and exhibiting good micro formability with average strain rates ranging from $10^{-3}$ to $10^{-2}\;s^{-1}$ and constant temperatures ranging from 503 to 563K. Al-78Zn powders were compacted into a cylindrical shape (${\Phi}3{\times}h10$) under compressive force of 10kN and, subsequently, the compacted powders were extruded at 563k in a hot furnace. Micro-extrusion has succeeded in forming micro-gear shafts.