Method of manufacturing powder metal plates

1. A method of manufacturing powder metal plates comprising:

feeding a predetermined mass of metal powder onto a moving tape ( 101 );

restricting the metal powder by surrounding the metal powder with vibrating boundary walls ( 201 , 202 ) extending parallel to the direction of movement of the tape;

rolling the metal powder at an ambient temperature to form a green compact strip (GS);

continuously sintering the green compact strip in a furnace ( 400 );

forming the green compact strip to a net shape part (NS) while in the furnace; and

cooling the net shape part in a non-oxidizing environment ( 404 ) at a temperature in excess of 1000 degrees Celsius.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising exposing the net shape part to an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature at or below 1000 degrees Celsius.

3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising continuously sintering the green compact strip at a temperature of approximately 1400 degrees Celsius.

4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising rolling the green compact strip to a net shape part occurs at a temperature of approximately 1400 degrees Celsius.

5. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the furnace comprises an induction furnace.

6. The method as in claim 1 , wherein forming the green compact strip comprises hot forging the green compact strip.

7. The method as in claim 1 , wherein forming the green compact strip comprises hot rolling the green compact strip.

8. The method as in claim 6 further comprising the step of cutting the green compact strip before hot forging.

9. The method as in claim 2 , wherein the exposing is for a period in the range of approximately ten to twelve hours.

10. A method of manufacturing powder metal plates comprising:

feeding a predetermined mass of metal powder onto a moving tape;

restricting the metal powder by surrounding the metal powder with vibrating boundary walls extending in the direction of movement of the tape;

rolling the metal powder at an ambient temperature to form a green compact strip;

continuously sintering the green compact strip in a furnace;

forming the green compact strip to a net shape part while in the furnace; and

cooling the net shape part in an oxidizing environment at a temperature below 1000 degrees Celsius.

11. The method as in claim 10 further comprising continuously sintering the green compact strip at a temperature of approximately 1400 degrees Celsius.

12. The method as in claim 10 , wherein rolling the green compact strip to a net shape part occurs at a temperature of approximately 1400 degrees Celsius.

13. The method as in claim 10 , wherein the furnace comprises an induction furnace.

14. The method as in claim 10 , wherein forming the green compact strip comprises hot forging the green compact strip.

15. The method as in claim 10 , wherein forming the green compact strip comprises hot rolling the green compact strip.

16. The method as in claim 14 further comprising the step of cutting the green compact strip before hot forging.

17. A method of manufacturing powder metal plates comprising:

feeding a predetermined mass of metal powder onto a moving tape;

restricting the metal powder by surrounding the metal powder with vibrating boundary walls extending in the direction of movement of the tape;

rolling the metal powder at an ambient temperature to form a green compact strip;

continuously sintering the green compact strip on a conveyer in a furnace;

rolling the green compact strip to a net shape part while in the furnace at the sintering temperature; and

cooling the net shape part in a non-oxidizing environment at a temperature in excess of 1000 degrees Celsius.

18. The method as in claim 17 , wherein continuously sintering the green compact strip at a temperature of approximately 1400 degrees Celsius.

19. The method as in claim 17 , wherein rolling the green compact strip to a net shape part occurs at a temperature of approximately 1400 degrees Celsius.