Design and Development of Small Milling Machine for Powder Metallurgy Application

Abstract

The process of powder metallurgy milling, which reduces solid metal to fine particles to improve its properties, is the subject of this study. The objective is to determine the RPM and time relationship for efficient grinding and to fabricate a small milling machine for powder applications. Particle size, time, and homogeneity requirements are examined. The milling machine is designed in SolidWorks. Aluminium chips are used for test runs. Particle sizes are evaluated at different times using an optical microscope. The Arduino control system and a 12 V DC motor are used. Longer grinding times consistently result in smaller chips. Based on the result, the average of the 5.79 mm chip size measurements made before milling was determined. Following the milling process, the sizes were 0.75 mm at two hours, 0.51 mm at four hours, and 0.27 mm at six hours. The study shows that the efficiency and particle size distribution of powder metallurgy milling can be improved using a small machine with a fixed bar and different types of grinding media. For effective milling, it is crucial to maximize mill rotation, as shown by critical speed analysis. To sum up, the study effectively creates a small milling machine for use in powder metallurgy procedures.