A Numerical Tool to Master the SPS Densification of TiAl Complex Shapes
Résumé
Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) is a process belonging to the powder metallurgy family. It consists in applying simultaneously a load and a high intensity pulsed direct current on graphite tools containing powder to sinter this latter. The very fast temperature increase is driven by the Joule’s effect and the grain growth is almost suppressed. To use such device at industrial scale, its modelling to predict densification and temperature profile depending on the sintering cycle is needed. In this study, a fully coupled numerical computation model has been developed to model a TiAl 48-2-2 powder densification. The numerical model was implemented in the finite element code FORGE ® and simulations are compared with results obtained from experimental tests performed to densify simple shape specimens. The comparison based on the shape evolution and relative density distribution in samples is in good agreement with experimental observation in either simple or complex shape specimens.