Claims
- 1. A method of preparing a sintered powder metal part to have a part surface thereof machined, said method comprising:placing said part in a set of pressing tooling having a punch with a punch surface which is sized and shaped to mate with and compress said part surface upon the application of pressure to said tooling; placing a volume of grease between said part surface and said punch surface; and compressing said part in said tooling to compress said grease between said part surface and said punch surface at a magnitude sufficient to inject said grease into said part surface prior to machining said part surface.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said grease is injected into said part surface to at least the depth said surface is to be machined.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said part is formed with a raised rim adjacent to said part surface, and said raised rim forms a seal against grease leakage during said compressing step.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said raised rim is compressed into said part during said compressing step.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said part is a bearing cap and said part surface is a half bore surface of said bearing cap.
- 6. An apparatus for preparing a surface of a sintered powder metal part for machining, said apparatus comprising:a set of pressing tooling including a punch with a punch surface which is sized and shaped to mate with and compress said part surface upon the application of pressure to said tooling; a grease applicator for placing a volume of grease between said part surface and said punch surface; and means for applying pressure to said part in said tooling to compress said grease between said part surface and said punch surface at a pressure magnitude sufficient to inject said grease into said part surface prior to machining said surface.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said volume of grease and pressure are sufficient to inject said grease into said part surface to a depth which is at least equal to the depth of machining of said surface.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/135,218 filed May 21, 1999.
Not Applicable.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
ASM Handbook, vol. 7, Powder Metallurgy, pp. 551-565, Jun. 1984. |
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/135218 |
May 1999 |
US |