The June issue of Powder Injection Moulding International includes the following special features. Subscribe today for £95 per year including shipping.

Feature articles

Medical and dental applications for microPIM - a roadmap for growth
In the light of an increasing global demand for microPIM components, leaders in the field came together at a special workshop held as part of the PIM2009 Conference, Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, USA between 4-6 March.

In this specially commissioned report for PIM International, Professor Randall German looks at the key issues that were identified, including both the technical and commercial challenges that lie ahead.

Oechsler AG proves its competence in ceramic injection moulding with new BMW applications
Oechsler AG, based in Ansbach, Mittelfranken/Bavaria, Southern Germany, has long been a leading innovator when it comes to bringing new plastic-based injection moulded products to the market.

The company has now gone a stage further with the successful introduction of a range of CIM parts in the new BMW 7 series.

Turbocharger technology presents new opportunities for metal injection moulding
The unique ability of metal injection molding to produce complex components from materials that are difficult to process by other routes makes it ideally suited to the manufacture high performance turbocharger
components.

Metal injection moulding flourishes in Zhuzhou, China’s hardmetal capital
Zhuzhou Luke’s Metal Powder Product Co. Ltd is a leading Chinese producer of MIM tungsten alloy and cemented carbide products.

Mr Xiao Yulin recently visited the company on behalf of PIM International and we report on an operation that is enjoying consistently high levels of sales growth to international markets.

PIM2009 Conference Review: Industry remains upbeat despite global recession
The Metal Powder Industry Federation’s PIM2009 conference took place in Orlando, Florida, in March.

Despite the tough economic conditions, the conference programme and accompanying workshop and seminar succeeded in attracting delegates from around the world.
 

Technical papers

Micro-powder injection moulding is accepted as a means to mass-produce various metal or ceramic three-dimensional micro devices. There are several technological barriers for micro-PIM, such as the production of nano-size powders, mixing of nano-size powders with a binder system, injection moulding, debinding, and sintering. 

Micro metal injection moulding for thermal management applications using ultrafine powders
H. Schmidt, A. C. Rota, Ph. Imgrund, M. Leers

There is an increasing interest in using tiny parts made of special metallic materials for new applications. In this new approach, active cooled heat sinks with a microstructured surface are produced by µ-metal injection moulding (µ MIM).

In contrast to conventional heat sinks made of copper, in this case the parts are made of copper-tungsten and copper-molybdenum due to their combination of low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and reasonable thermal conductivity.