Environmental Challenges and the Transition to Sustainable Thermal Processes

The environmental challenges of sintering are closely linked to the energy consumption and carbon footprint of current processes. The transition from fossil-fuel-powered furnaces (primarily gas-fired) to energy-efficient electric furnaces is an essential step toward reducing the environmental impact of sintering. With this in mind, the development of microwave sintering is attracting growing interest: it allows for lower sintering temperatures and enables hybrid heating approaches, where the interior of the part is heated by microwaves while the exterior is heated conventionally. This faster process also offers greater potential for homogeneity. Furthermore, rapid (or ultra-rapid) sintering offers promising prospects for drastically reducing cycle times, although it currently appears best suited for small parts. Heating using hydrogen-enriched gas, plasma torches, and waste reduction are...