APPLICATION OF POLYMER TECHNOLOGY TO METAL INJECTION MOLDING MIM PROCESSING

Metal injection molding (MIM) is a form of powder metallurgy process that is ideally suited for the production of small complex parts. Its main advantage lies in its ability to produce finished parts to net-shape, requiring little or no expensive secondary operations. Hence, it is extremely attractive for hard metals and high precision or high performance parts. 

This chapter focuses on the apphcation of polymers in the formulation of binder blends for MIM. A brief summary of the different classifications of binder blends is presented. The rheological, thermal and mechanical properties of a feedstock with EVA/beeswax binder is discussed to highlight the influence of binder-powder interactions on these properties. 

The metal injection molding process consists essentially of the following steps  

In view of the present trend of miniaturization, commercial and domestic products are progressively designed to be smaller, lighter and more compact. As a result, Aere is a growing need for smaller and more complex shaped parts. Moreover, factory automation requires products to be designed with ease of assembly. This inevitably requires the number of parts per product to be reduced and hence, the deliberate redesign of parts with multiple functions. Individual components become more complex in shape. Due to these various reasons, it is evident that a cost effective method to produce small and complex precisitm metal components in high run volumes for custom parts markets is very much in demand. 

which possess such properties, offers a very attractive alternative over the conventional methods, such as investment casting, discrete machining and other ccmventional powder metallurgy process where secondary machining would be needed to create additional geometry. 

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Application of Polymer Technology to Metal Injection Molding (MIM) Processing... 

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