SMS Meer GmbH, formerly Mannesmann and today part of the SMS Group, has been building powder presses since the early 1950s. The patents developed here in this field have long since documented the pioneering work carried out for the PM industry. The paper focuses on the challenge of reconciling the contradictory demands in the production of highly complex and crack-free PM parts. The process employed with the patented Controlled Punch Adapter (CPA) [1] counters possible cracking reliably and directly at the source. In this way is it possible to develop new and highly complex parts to series production maturity in a minimum of time even without simulation of the press cycle [2]. The quality data achieved in the production series, almost 100% crack and micro crack-free green parts with optimum density distribution over all press levels is unrivalled and thus gives the user a clear lead over the competition.

• Nies
• Norbert
• Peters
• Detlef