989.865.9921
TPI has a history of successful collaborations with customers to develop powder metal parts either from early design stages or as transitions from other manufacturing processes. We believe that this partnership is key to ensuring innovation and quality throughout the manufacturing process.
Case Study #1
Helical/Pinion Gear
This part was initially manufactured as a three-piece wrought iron assembly. A P/M competitor then converted it to a P/M part with a steel pin pressed through the ID. When this part failed durability testing, TPI was contacted to offer its design services. We successfully engineered the part as a powder metal component that ran for 10 years. Over that period we shipped approximately 20,000,000 parts that met all customer requirements for automotive seat track loading and durability. The customer estimated a cost savings of approximately $2 million per year. TPI won a Metal Powder Industry Federation part of the year award for this design.
Case Study #2
Locking Arm
This part was converted from a casting to P/M by TPI working closely with the customers engineering department. The goal was to eliminate an extensive amount of machining while improving on the performance of the part and reducing the price. We were able to meet each of these goals with this design. TPI manufactures the part complete with only two minor machining operations on the small holes.
Case Study #3
Eccentric
This part points out the importance of early design consultation with the TPI engineering staff. The customer tried to design the part as a powder metal component and then sent it out for quotes. Their lack of understanding concerning the P/M process resulted in a part so complicated that no one was willing to offer a quotation. TPI took the initiative to contact the customer and determined that a very simple design was all that was needed for the application. The result has been 15 years of successful manufacturing by TPI.
Case Study #4
Pump Rotor
Taking the part design from a round casting, as shown in the background, to the finished P/M part in the foreground has generated substantial cost savings for the customer. In addition to the obvious weight savings, the customer eliminated multiple machining operations. Length grinding is all that is needed to assemble this part into the pump.