EVALUATION OF REPETITIVELY USED FEEDSTOCK FOR POWDER INJECTION MOLDING

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of repetitive injection molding on the properties of feedstock using the AISI 4140 feedstock. The properties of feedstock are evaluated from the mixing homogeneity of powder and binder, rheological properties, and dimensional accuracy of parts sintered. The feedstock after the 1st injection molding shows a better homogeneity than as-received feedstock due to re-mixing effects between the screw and barrel during the injection molding process. As the number of recycling numbers increases, the homogeneity, viscosities ad shrinkage ratio of recycled feedstocks show slight differences with those of the as-received feedstock until the 6th molding injection. However, some rheological parameters like the moldability index sharply increased up to the 4th injection but shows a tendency to decrease thereafter.