Metal Injection Molding

Abstract

The growing demand from product designers for increased complexity and reduced costs in metal components is difficult to meet using such conventional metal-forming processes as machining and casting, especially when stainless steel and other ferrous-based alloys are part of the equation. Customers expect precision metal parts with tight tolerances, reliably produced at a low-cost. Gains in metal injection molding (MIM) have made the low cost volume production of these components possible. The authors provide a brief overview of metal-forming processes, zeroing in on metal injection molding - its production rate, tolerances, feedstock, the inherent tradeoffs of the process and how it works.