LET’S LEARN MORE ABOUT MIM (Metal Injection Mold).

Metal Injection Molding (MIM) is a molding method in which a plasticizing mixture of metal powder and binder is injected into a model. It involves mixing the selected powder with a binder, then granulating the mixture and injecting it into the desired shape. The polymer imparts its viscous flow characteristics to the mix, which contributes to uniformity of molding, cavity filling and powder loading. After molding, the binder is removed and the skimmed blank is sintered. Some sintered products may be subjected to further densification, heat treatment or machining. Sintered products not only have the same complex shape and high precision as those obtained by plastic injection molding, but also have physical, chemical and mechanical properties close to those of forgings. This process technology is suitable for mass production of small, precise, three-dimensional shape of complex and special performance requirements of the manufacture of metal parts. Metal injection molding is a high-tech combination of traditional powder metallurgy technology and plastic injection molding technology, which is a revolution in the molding process of small and complex parts.

MIM TECHNOLOGY FEATURES:

1. The high degree of freedom in part geometry enables the production of metal parts with complex shapes in a single molding process, just like the production of plastic products.
2. MIM product density uniformity, good finish, surface roughness can reach Ra 0.80 ~ 1.6μm, weight range of 0.1 ~ 200g. high dimensional accuracy (± 0.1% ~ ± 0.3%), generally without subsequent processing.
3. Wide range of applicable materials, wide range of applications, high utilization rate of raw materials, high degree of production automation, simple processes, and continuous mass production can be realized.
4. Stable product quality, reliable performance, the relative density of the products can reach 95% to 99%, can be carburized, quenched, tempered and other heat treatment. The products have high mechanical properties such as strength, hardness, elongation, good abrasion resistance, fatigue resistance and uniform organization.

Metal injection molding combines the advantages of powder metallurgy and plastic injection molding technology, breaking through the traditional metal powder molding process in the product shape limitations, while the use of plastic injection molding technology can be a large number of high-efficiency production of complex shapes of the parts: such as a variety of external grooves, external threads, tapered external surface, cross-through holes, blind holes, concave platforms, keys and pins, reinforcing plate, surface knurling and so on.