The key difference between blending and mixing in powder metallurgy is that blending refers to the combination of particles of the same chemistry and different sizes, whereas mixing refers to the combination of metal powders of different chemistries.
Powder metallurgy is the preparation of materials or components from metal powders. This process can avoid or reduce the need to use metal removal processes. Therefore, it can drastically reduce yield losses in manufacture and often results in a low cost. We can prepare unique materials from powder metallurgy – materials that are impossible to make from melting or forming using other ways. E.g. tungsten carbide. Blending and mixing are important processes in powder metallurgy.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Blending in Powder Metallurgy
3. What is Mixing in Powder Metallurgy
4. Blending vs Mixing in Powder Metallurgy in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Blending vs Mixing in Powder Metallurgy
What is Blending in Powder Metallurgy?
The term blending in powder metallurgy refers to the combination of particles of the same chemistry and different sizes. It involves combining different chemicals to create a new chemical. The chemicals that are combined can be in various phases such as liquid or powder, organic or inorganic, etc. Moreover, we can blend these components to get the desired viscosity, pH level, and filtration level.
Generally, a blending process combines different ingredients. It gives a chemical compound with its own properties as the end result. Normally, this chemical will be permanently blended and cannot be separated back into the original components.
What is Mixing in Powder Metallurgy?
The term mixing in powder metallurgy refers to the combination of metal powders of different chemistries. It involves combining different chemicals to create a new chemical. The chemicals that are combined can be in various phases such as liquid or powder, organic or inorganic, etc. Furthermore, we can mix these components to get the desired viscosity, pH level, and filtration level.
Typically, chemical mixing can combine different ingredients for the creation of one homogenous chemical. Furthermore, we can separate the chemical compound into single ingredients. Sometimes this separation happens naturally over time as well. The process of mixing in powder metallurgy usually includes a range of steps such as dry blending, emulsification, particle size reduction, and paste mixing.
What is the Difference Between Blending and Mixing in Powder Metallurgy?
The terms blending and mixing in powder metallurgy are often used for the same process but with some technical differences. The key difference between blending and mixing in powder metallurgy is that blending refers to the combination of particles of the same chemistry and different sizes, whereas mixing refers to the combination of metal powders of different chemistries. Moreover, blending creates a new chemical compound with unique properties, while blending does not create a new compound. In addition, blending creates a permanent product because we cannot separate the product back into single components. But mixing creates a temporary product because we can separate it back into single components.
The below infographic presents the differences between blending and mixing in powder metallurgy in tabular form for side by side comparison.
Summary – Blending vs Mixing in Powder Metallurgy
Powder metallurgy is the process of preparing materials or components from metal powders. Blending and mixing are important processes in powder metallurgy. The terms blending and mixing in powder metallurgy are often useful in meaning the same thing but with some technical differences. The key difference between blending and mixing in powder metallurgy is that blending refers to the combination of particles of the same chemistry and different sizes, whereas mixing refers to the combination of metal powders of different chemistries.
Reference:
1.“P/M Process.” Powdered Metallurgy Process | National Bronze Manufacturing.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Iron powder” By Anonimski – Own work (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Rhodium powder pressed melted” By Alchemist-hp (talk) www.pse-mendelejew.dederivative work: Purpy Pupple (talk) – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0 de) via Commons Wikimedia