High-speed steels and high-speed-steel based composites

Research on PM high-speed steels and their composites started at INETI in 1984. The PM route adopted has been either vacuum or atmosphere sintering of water atomised powders compacted to shape. A wide range of equipment covers the several steps of this processing route: water atomisation, compaction (uniaxial or isostatic), sintering, heat treatment and characterisation (microstructure and mechanical properties). This paper presents results obtained in the current research activity on these materials at INETI in the frame of European Community (EC) contracts and also in collaboration with some Portuguese industries (tool manufacturers).