Title: Powder injection moulding: processing of small parts of complex shape

Authors: José M. Torralba; Javier Hidalgo; Antonia Jiménez-Morales

Addresses: IMDEA Materials Institute, Universidad Carlos III Madrid, Spain ' Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Universidad Carlos III Madrid, Spain ' Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Universidad Carlos III Madrid, Spain

Abstract: Powder Injection Moulding (PIM), Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) when is limited to metals, is a fabrication route of parts with the final shape desired. This process combines the high capability of polymer injection moulding to produce complex shapes with the advantages of a powder route to process metallic, ceramic or composites materials. The process has some limitations that comes from different technological steps involved in the production of the part (feedstock production, injection, debinding and sintering). All of these different steps can be industrially controlled, being the PIM process a real alternative to produce complex parts in a high rate production method that can compete with many other processing methods to produce materials. In this work, we will go through the different steps of this manufacturing process, making special emphasis on the solutions provided by the powder technology group of the University Carlos III of Madrid (UC3M).

Keywords: PIM; powder injection moulding; MIM; metal injection moulding; feedstock development; debinding process; sintering; debinding.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2013.052648

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2013 Vol.8 No.1/2, pp.87 - 96

Published online: 30 Apr 2013 *

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