Abstract: A sintering machine for applying heat and pressure to a die retained between two plate sets, includes a temperature sensor, a position sensor and a pressure sensor which are all connected to a computer for sensing the temperature of and pressure applied to the die, as well as the position of a movable one of the plate sets. This information is used to control a power supply unit which supplies current through the die to heat the die, and a hydraulic press for moving the movable one of the plate sets. Pressure and temperature are controlled in a discontinuous fashion during discrete intervals until a selected final temperature and pressure are reached. This more closely controls the sintering process over earlier systems which applied continously increasing temperature and pressure to the die.

Abstract: A sintering machine is equipped with die cooling plates coupled to the heating and sintering plates. An automatic conveyor conveys the dies first to the pressing and heating plates and then, at the end of the sintering cycle, to the cooling plates. This eliminates the need to cool the sintering plates, with the result that sintering operations are performed more rapidly and energy consumption is drastically reduced.