PIM high performance materials open up new opportunities

Welcome to our first issue of 2013. As shown in our statistical review of the industry (page 35), PIM has enjoyed tremendous growth in recent years thanks to its ability to deliver high volume, high precision components to a wide range of both new and well established markets. Some major applications, however, are inevitably cyclic in nature, making industry forecasting an uncertain business.

As far as today’s cycles are concerned, political factors in the USA are driving tremendous growth for MIM firearm components, and the smartphone and tablet market in Asia is driving the industry forward at an unprecedented pace and putting a strain on capacity at many producers.

However, it is not only high volume applications where PIM can deliver. The PIM of advanced materials for high performance applications is opening up ever more opportunities for the industry. Whether for high temperature jet engine applications, PIM parts that operate in highly corrosive environments, or the next generation of automotive turbocharger systems, interest in the advantages that PIM processing offers continues to grow.

One producer that has chosen to focus on these materials is Polymer Technologies Inc., based in New Jersey, USA. We profile the company and report on its unique and extensive experience of working with the aerospace industry (page 45).

The aerospace sector has of course long recognised the benefits of the near net shape manufacturing of difficult to process materials such as superalloys. The processing, application and properties of such materials by aero-engine manufacturers has however remained one of the industry’s few remaining secrets. In this issue we publish a comprehensive review of what literature has been published on the MIM of superalloys and consider what opportunities this sector of the industry holds (page 53). 

Nick Williams
Managing Director and Editor 

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