In recent years dynamic progress has been seen in practically all areas of human activity. It has contributed to the development of new techniques used in engineering materials. For example, in powder metallurgy many new methods of powder forming and consolidation were developed. The SPS (Spark Plasma Sintering) process, also known as PECS (Pulsed Electric Current Sintering) or FAST (Field Assisted Sintering Technique), is one of them. This paper describes the SPS method and its possible applications, and presents examples of powder consolidation by means of this technology.

In recent years dynamic progress has been seen in practically all areas of human activity. It has contributed to the development of new techniques used in engineering materials. For example, in powder metallurgy many new methods of powder forming and consolidation were developed. The SPS (Spark Plasma Sintering) process, also known as PECS (Pulsed Electric Current Sintering) or FAST (Field Assisted Sintering Technique), is one of them. This paper describes the SPS method and its possible applications, and presents examples of powder consolidation by means of this technology.