Experimental and numerical analysis of the effects of process parameters on the properties of components in metal injection molding

Abstract

The paper mainly concerns the effects of process parameters on the final properties of components obtained by injection molding of metallic powders loaded by thermoplastic binders. The two main stages of the process are investigated. The injection stage is studied both from experiments and numerical modeling. The biphasic flow approach developed reveals well the effects of mould design and injection parameters on the final powder volume fraction distribution. The sintering stage is also investigated both from experiments and modeling. The viscoplastic like sintering model accounts well for the effect of initial powder volume fraction and sintering cycle on the final density and shrinkage of the component. Furthermore the final mechanical properties of the components obtained by metal injection molding are also investigated.