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Case Studies

Real-world examples of how powder metallurgy delivered precision, cost savings, and supply chain reliability across medical devices, aerospace, robotics, consumer electronics, and industrial programs.

Power Tools

High-Torque Gearbox for Impact Wrenches

Customer: Leading Power Tool OEM

Challenge

Customer needed GB9 precision gears for a 1000 N.m impact wrench with 500+ hour service life and noise levels below 75 dB.

Solution

Designed planetary gear sets using KISSsoft shrinkage-compensated tooth profiles. Selected FC-0508 material with post-sinter sizing for maximum wear resistance.

Results

Achieved GB9 gear precision with noise below 70 dB
Passed 600-hour continuous load testing
Reduced per-part cost 22% versus machined gears at volume
Monthly supply: 500,000+ gear sets

Automotive

Diesel Engine Rocker Arms for Kia

Customer: Kia Motors / Tier-1 Supplier

Challenge

Required IATF 16949 certified rocker arms with consistent hardness, full traceability, and zero-defect delivery to Kia assembly lines.

Solution

Implemented SPC-controlled pressing density, automated sintering atmosphere monitoring, and 100% dimensional inspection on critical features.

Results

Kia SQ supplier qualification achieved
Zero PPM defects over a 24-month period
Annual volume: 2.5 million pieces
Full PPAP documentation and traceability

Garden Equipment

Low-Noise Gearbox for Pole Saws

Customer: Stihl-Approved Supplier

Challenge

Required compact, lightweight gearbox gears for a pole saw application with strict noise and vibration requirements.

Solution

Optimized tooth profile modification using KISSsoft to reduce meshing impact. Implemented double-action pressing for uniform density distribution.

Results

Noise level reduced to below 68 dB
Weight reduced 18% versus machined steel gears
500-hour life test passed with margin
Approved for mass production supply

Industrial Machinery

Machined to PM Conversion - Cost Savings

Customer: Industrial Pump Manufacturer

Challenge

Customer was machining gear pump rotors from solid steel, resulting in 60% material waste and high machining costs at 50,000 units per year.

Solution

Converted the design to a net-shape PM process. Optimized tooth profile for PM manufacturing and selected FC-0208 material with steam treatment for corrosion resistance.

Results

Material utilization improved from 40% to 95%
Cost reduction: 35% per part ($4.20 to $2.73)
Tooling payback period: 8 months
Annual savings: $73,500 at current volume

Medical Devices

316L Surgical Stapler Jaws for Disposable Medical Devices

Customer: Medical Equipment OEM

Challenge

Required complex 316L stainless steel components for a surgical stapler with tight tolerances and biocompatibility requirements.

Solution

Developed precision tooling for SS-316L-22 material. Implemented vacuum sintering for optimal corrosion resistance and passivated the final parts per ASTM A967.

Results

Achieved +/-0.045 mm dimensional accuracy
FDA 510(k) clearance and ISO 13485 controls supported
Zero field failures after 18 months in production
Cost reduced 50% versus CNC machining

Aerospace

Lightweight Structural Bracket for Aircraft Interior Systems

Customer: Aircraft Interior Systems Supplier

Challenge

Needed to cut bracket mass below 280 g while maintaining 12 kN structural load capacity and meeting aerospace qualification requirements.

Solution

Moved from machined billet to topology-optimized FL-4405 powder metallurgy with copper infiltration and structural validation testing.

Results

Bracket weight reduced 38% to 260 g
Per-bracket cost reduced 80% to $73
Load capacity reached 14.2 kN
AS9100 and FAA interior fitting qualification supported

Electric Vehicles

EV Motor Rotor Core Using PM Soft Magnetic Material

Customer: Tier-1 E-Drive Supplier

Challenge

Customer needed a rotor design that improved motor efficiency, reduced assembly complexity, and lowered cost versus laminated steel rotor construction.

Solution

Evaluated a soft magnetic PM rotor route that reduced component count, improved design freedom, and simplified repeat-volume production.

Results

Motor efficiency improved by 12% at peak torque
Total rotor assembly cost reduced 30%
Weight reduced 40% versus laminated construction
Production cycle time cut by 35%

Collaborative Robotics

Precision Planetary Gearbox for Collaborative Robots

Customer: Cobot Manufacturer

Challenge

Required very low backlash and stable gear quality at a cost level far below traditional hobbed and ground gearbox parts.

Solution

Used a precision PM gear route with optimized tooling and controlled post-sinter calibration to hit tighter gearbox targets.

Results

Backlash reduced to 2.8 arcmin
Gear quality reached DIN 6 with selective assembly
Gear set cost reduced 45%
Production time cut by 65%

Consumer Electronics

Smartphone Vibration Motor Weight for Haptic Feedback Systems

Customer: Flagship Smartphone Program

Challenge

Needed 0.5 g eccentric weights with ultra-low runout under $0.08 per piece at smartphone launch volume above 2 million units per month.

Solution

Replaced CNC tungsten machining with a miniature near-net-shape PM route tuned for haptic motor balance, speed, and repeatability.

Results

Average runout improved to 0.012 mm
Part cost reduced 50%
Output scaled to 2.5 million units per month
No secondary machining required

Textile Machinery

Self-Lubricating Bearing Seat for High-Speed Spinning Frames

Customer: High-Speed Textile Mill

Challenge

Wanted to extend bearing life beyond 8,000 hours and remove weekly manual lubrication on 18,000 RPM spindle systems.

Solution

Shifted to oil-impregnated bronze PM bearing seats with porosity tuned for self-lubrication, lower friction, and stable long-run wear.

Results

Bearing life increased 4.2x
Manual lubrication eliminated
Part cost reduced 60%
Spindle speed increased 15%

Renewable Energy

Wind Turbine Brake Pads for Offshore Yaw Brake Systems

Customer: Offshore Wind Platform Operator

Challenge

Needed longer brake pad life, lower maintenance downtime, and better thermal stability for yaw brake systems exposed to harsh marine service conditions.

Solution

Shifted to copper-graphite PM friction pads engineered for higher heat dissipation, better wear behavior, and more stable offshore duty-cycle performance.

Results

Service life increased 3.2x
Peak brake pad temperature reduced 40%
Maintenance cost reduced 35% per turbine-year
Brake fade eliminated under continuous duty cycle

Oil & Gas

Corrosion-Resistant Pump Components for Offshore Service

Customer: Offshore Pump Equipment Program

Challenge

Pump hardware needed better corrosion margin and more stable dimensions in chloride-heavy service without relying on long casting lead times.

Solution

Shifted the project toward a higher-strength stainless PM route with post-sinter heat treatment, tighter sizing, and secondary finishing on critical flow surfaces.

Results

Field failure rate fell materially during validation
Service interval extended several-fold in the example program
Lead time reduced versus investment casting supply
Pump efficiency improved after tighter dimensional control

Agriculture Machinery

Heavy-Duty Transmission Gears for Tractor Drivetrains

Customer: Farm Equipment OEM

Challenge

The team needed lower unit cost and shorter lead times without giving up fatigue resistance or field durability in shock-loaded gearboxes.

Solution

Moved to FN-0408 PM gears with sizing and case hardening to support repeatable tooth geometry, production scale, and better cost structure.

Results

Per-gear cost dropped about 35% in the study model
Field service life roughly doubled in validation work
Lead time fell from machining-driven schedules
Gear quality consistency improved with tooling-based production

Food Equipment

316L Stainless PM Components for Packaging Machinery

Customer: Food Packaging Equipment Program

Challenge

The project needed corrosion-resistant components with smoother cleanable surfaces and lower unit cost than fully machined stainless parts.

Solution

Applied a 316L PM route with high-density sintering, passivation, and electropolishing to balance manufacturability with final surface requirements.

Results

Machining content was reduced versus bar-stock parts
Surface finish improved after electropolishing
Dimensional consistency supported cleaner assembly fit
The example program showed meaningful cost reduction potential

Security Hardware

Lock Cylinder Body Consolidated From Three Parts Into One

Customer: Commercial Lock Manufacturer

Challenge

A multi-part machined lock body created assembly labor, tolerance stack-up, and unnecessary cost at annual volumes above 250,000 units.

Solution

Redesigned the component as a multi-level PM part that held the internal geometry in one body and limited secondary work to the keyway.

Results

Three-piece assembly collapsed into a single PM part
Assembly time was eliminated in the application example
Tolerance stack-up risk dropped with one-part geometry
Total unit cost fell materially at production volume

Consumer Electronics

Copper-Infiltrated PM Heat Sink for High-Density Electronics

Customer: Electronics Thermal Management Program

Challenge

The design team needed more thermal performance than aluminum could deliver, but machining a fine copper fin array was too costly for the target program.

Solution

Evaluated a copper-infiltrated PM heat sink route that supported more intricate fin geometry with lower mass than solid copper.

Results

Thermal resistance improved in the example build
Part weight dropped versus machined solid copper
Complex fin geometry became easier to repeat at scale
Total cost compared favorably with machined copper designs

HVAC

Self-Lubricating PM Bearings for Scroll Compressors

Customer: Residential HVAC Compressor Program

Challenge

Bronze bearing wear, start-up friction, and warranty cost were all too high for a compressor platform running long seasonal duty cycles.

Solution

Shifted to oil-impregnated iron-graphite PM bearings tuned for self-lubrication, lower friction, and repeatable bearing geometry.

Results

Bearing life extended significantly in test work
Friction dropped during start-up and steady operation
Warranty exposure trended down in the example program
Material cost fell versus bronze bearing alternatives

E-Mobility

Planetary Gears for Compact E-Bike Hub Motors

Customer: E-Bike Drive System Program

Challenge

The program needed quieter gears and lower drivetrain cost without compromising acceptable life in a high-volume hub motor gearbox.

Solution

Applied a PM planetary gear route with sizing and case hardening to balance repeatability, cost, and noise performance.

Results

Per-set cost dropped in the modeled production case
Noise levels improved during comparative testing
Efficiency moved in the right direction with tighter geometry
High-volume supply became easier to scale

Consumer Electronics

Camera Module Structural Parts With Tight-Tolerance PM Features

Customer: Smartphone Camera Program

Challenge

The design required repeatable alignment features and high-volume output without leaning fully on multi-axis machining for every component.

Solution

Evaluated a precision PM route with selective finishing on critical features and process control tailored to compact camera structures.

Results

Critical dimensions were held inside the validated process window
Secondary finishing was limited to the most sensitive features
The route supported non-magnetic stainless material selection
The example model showed attractive high-volume cost potential

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