The present research establishes a relationship of bulged diameter with densification and hydrostatic stress in forming of sintered iron (Fe) powder metallurgy preforms cold upset under two different frictional conditions, namely, nil/no and graphite lubricant condition. Sintered plain carbon steel cylindrical preforms with carbon (C) contents of 0, 0.35, 0.75 and 1.1% with constant initial theoretical density of 84% and aspect ratio of 0.4 and 0.6 were prepared using a suitable die-set assembly on a 1 MN capacity hydraulic press and sintered for 90 minutes at 1200 °C. Each sintered preform was cold upset under two different frictional constraints. It is seen that the degree of bulging reduces with reducing frictional constraints at the die contact surface. Further, it is found that the bulging ratio changed as a function of relative density and hydrostatic stress, respectively, according to the power law equations.

A complete experimental investigation on the instantaneous strain-hardening behaviour of powder metallurgy preforms of Fe-0.35%C was carried out. The strain hardening behaviour of the above-mentioned P/M sintered steel preforms with aspect ratio of 0.4 and 0.6, respectively, under triaxial stress state condition was determined by cold upsetting under nil/no and graphite lubricant conditions. The instantaneous strain hardening value (n i), strength coefficient (Ki), and the stress as a function of strain and densification were obtained and analyzed. Further, a relation is obtained from a semi-log plot of stress against relative density. This was analyzed to study the hardening behaviour due to the densification as applied stress is a function of induced strain as well as of densification in the powder metallurgy materials.