Metal Processing and Material Science Fundamentals

Key Metallurgy Concepts

Ore and Gangue

Ore refers to the useful part of a mineral, while Gangue is the unused portion of the mineral.

Metallurgy Defined

Metallurgy is the set of industries responsible for mineral extraction and metal transformation.

Types of Metals

Ferrous Metals

Ferrous metals are materials whose major component is iron, such as pure iron and steel foundries. Steel is a branch of metallurgy that works with ferrous materials.

Non-Ferrous Metals

Non-ferrous metals are materials that contain no iron, or contain iron only in small quantities. Examples include copper, brass, and bronze.

Alloys

An alloy is a mixture of two or more chemical elements, at least one of which is a metal and is found in greater proportion.

Properties of Iron

Iron is a metal with good magnetic properties. However, it also has some disadvantages: it corrodes easily, has a high melting point, is difficult to machine, and is fragile and brittle. It is primarily used in electrical and electronic components.

Properties of Steel

Steel is a metal known for its high hardness and high strength.

Steel Production Process

Steel is obtained through the following process:

1. Iron ore is crushed, washed, and sieved.
2. The ore is separated from the gangue.
3. It is mixed with carbon and limestone.
4. The mixture is introduced into the upper furnace and subjected to high temperatures.
5. Pig iron (iron ore with carbon and impurities) is obtained from the separate furnace.
6. Cast iron is then subjected to processes to remove impurities.

Metal Manufacturing Processes

Casting

Casting is a manufacturing process that produces items with high hardness and high wear resistance. It is used to manufacture various machinery items such as gears, motor cases, and more.

Deformation Processes

To obtain pieces of various shapes, industrial materials are subjected to a series of manufacturing processes, chosen according to the metal and its subsequent application. Deformation includes a set of techniques that change the shape of a metal piece through the application of external forces. These techniques include:

• Forging
• Extrusion
• Lamination
• Stamping
• Drawing
• Rolling

Powder Metallurgy

The powder metallurgy process involves the following steps:

1. The metal is crushed and ground into powder.
2. The powder is pressed with a steel matrix.
3. It is heated in an oven at a temperature close to 70% of the compressed metal's melting temperature.
4. The piece is allowed to cool.

The workpiece can be subjected to other post-forming treatments to adjust its size.