Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS / FAST)
Spark plasma sintering as well as its state-of-the-art version, called FAST/SPS, are sintering techniques, which are deduced from conventional hot pressing. Hence FAST/SPS systems likewise comprise a water-cooled vessel, a hydraulic pressing system, and a computer-aided process control by means of temperature and force measurement & control as well as a system for vacuum and atmospheric control inside the vessel respectively. The big difference compared to a conventional hot press is the absence of a heating element as well as conventional thermal insulation of the vessel. Instead a special power supply system feeds high current into the water-cooled machine rams, which that way act as electrodes simultaneously, feeding the high current directly through the pressing tool and the containing powder compact.
