ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Sintercom

Sintercom is like playing with Lego blocks. Just like how you can put together different Lego pieces to create a new toy, sintercom uses tiny metal particles to make new things too, but in a different way.

First, imagine that you have a bunch of tiny metal particles, like sand. These metal particles are mixed together with a special glue or binder. This glue helps stick the particles together like how glue sticks paper to paper or to a wall.

Next, the mixture of metal particles and glue are put into a mold that is in the shape of the final product you want to make. For example, if you want to make a car part, the mold will be in the shape of that car part.

Then, the mold is put into a machine called a sintering furnace. The furnace is very, very hot and heats up the metal particles and glue mixture until the glue melts and evaporates, leaving only the metal particles behind.

The metal particles are now stuck together in the shape of the mold. They are also very strong because they have been heated and compressed.

Finally, the sintered metal product is taken out of the mold and any extra bits are removed. The product is now ready to be used for its intended purpose.

Sintercom is used because it's a quicker, cheaper, and sometimes even stronger way to make metal products compared to other methods. It's kind of like magic, but with metal!