What product is suitable for the MIM process

Complex shape parts, small size and large output, these are the advantage of the MIM process.
These advantages make the MIM technology in the electronic digital products, small arms, watches, hand tools, orthodontics, automobile engine parts, electronic seal, cutting tools, and a large number of applications in the field of sports equipment.

Before choosing the MIM process need to carefully consider the following several matters:

1. Quality, cutting quantity: for in the machining and grinding material loss, the more time-consuming parts, MIM highly has advantages in reducing the production cost;
2. The total demand: demand for low mould cost and r&d cost of product, spread down is very difficult to bear.Therefore, when the product of annual demand reaches 20000 or more, can consider to choose the MIM process.
3. Material: the MIM technology is a near net shape technology, such as titanium, stainless steel and nickel alloy difficult cutting materials parts, MIM is the most suitable.
4. Product complexity: the MIM technology is most suitable for manufacturing complex geometry, needs to transform many times in machining processing station of shaft parts, reference parts.
5. Use performance: high density based on the MIM products, if you have any requirements, the use of performance is formed by MIM high-density performance is competitive.
6. Surface roughness, surface roughness to reflect the original powder particle size.
7. Tolerance (accuracy) : the MIM sintering parts roughly 0.3% plus or minus tolerance, if the product requirements of tolerance is strict, the MIM sintering pieces requires secondary processing, such as CNC, CNC cars, etc., the cost of the MIM also tend to increase, compared to evaluate.
8. Combination: in order to save inventory and cost of assembly, multiple parts consolidation for a visible parts.
9. Defect: must make MIM inherent defects in the non-critical position, or manufacturing can remove after molding, such as the gate mark, thimble mark or a combination of line.
10. New composite materials: the MIM can make traditional process is difficult to manufacture a new type of composite material, such as laminated structure or two materials or wear consumption of mixed metal – ceramic material.
The MIM, many different kinds of commonly used materials, but there are several kinds of is the most commonly used.If the material is difficult to machining, such as tool steel, titanium, nickel alloy or stainless steel, powder metallurgy forming is the most appropriate, the MIM process can one-time molding complex geometry features.