Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of microstructure–property relationships for compacted powder metals

Abstract

In an earlier study, the authors presented a characterisation of the FC-0205 Ancorsteel powders containing 0·6 and 1·0% Acrawax to define the evolution of the failure line and cap surface of the modified Drucker/Prager cap model during compaction. Using the results of that study (i.e. FC-0205 material parameters), this paper presents sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of the microstructure–property relationships for powder metallurgy compaction. It is found for all of the responses of interest (the compressibility curve, the interparticle friction, the material cohesion, the cap eccentricity and the elastic modulus) that the most dominant parameter is the initial (or tap) density. It is also observed that the uncertainty in output parameters for the case of 1% wax is much larger than those for the case of 0·6% wax, due to the large uncertainty in the failure stress (in particular, the compressive failure stress).