Company visit: PIM International, Vol.2 No. 1 March 2008, pages 33-36, 1739 words

Author: Nick Williams, PIM International, Shrewsbury, UK

Epson Atmix Corporation is unique in the global MIM industry, being both a major international MIM powder supplier as well as Japan’s largest producer of MIM parts. Nick Williams, Editor of Powder Injection Moulding International visited the company’s headquarters and production facilities in Hachinohe, Northern Japan, during his recent tour of Japanese MIM producers. He reports on a company that takes pride in the unique service that it is able to offer clients in the industry.

Atmix, otherwise known as Epson Atmix Corporation, was established in October 1999 after Seiko Epson Corporation, a leading Japanese electronics and IT equipment producer, purchased the metal powder and MIM parts businesses of PAMCO (Pacific Metals Company).

Atmix currently employs around 250 people at its headquarters and production facilities in Hachinohe, a port city on the Northern coast of Japan. The company is currently Japan’s largest MIM parts producer by volume, however over 60% of production is destined for in-house use by the Seiko Epson Corporation; a core product being MIM yokes for dot-matrix printers. The company operates three distinct divisions: the production of fine and ultrafine metal powders, the production of MIM parts and the production of artificial crystals. Powder Injection Moulding International’s visit focused on the powder production and MIM related activities.

The company operated two separate MIM component plants until September 2007, when the original plant in Hachinohe was merged with that of the Injex Corporation. This followed the merger of Atmix and Injex in 2003. All the facilities and technical knowledge of Injex were transferred to Hachinohe with the purpose of locating all operations on-site, bringing the benefit of combined manufacturing, testing and development facilities. Injex, established in 1988, had a reputation for groundbreaking MIM developments and was the first company in Japan to mass-produce pure titanium watch parts. .......

Further sections of this article include:

- Powder production

- Growth in the powder market

- Parts production at Atmix

- The challenge of selling both powders and parts

- The outlook and challenges for MIM technology

Figures and Tables:

Fig. 1 Left to right: Mr Isamu Otsuka, Product Planning and Development Department General Manager, Mr Morikazu Kato, President, Epson Atmix Corporation, Mr Tokhiro Shimura, Director, Epson Atmix Corporation, Mr Junichi Hayashi, Product Planning and Development Department General Manager

Fig. 2 SEM’s of three main 316l stainless powders supplied by Atmix for MIM production

Fig. 3 Molten metal being transferred into a ladle prior to atomisation

Fig. 4 Flow chart showing the complete powder production cycle at Atmix

Fig. 5 A section of the automated powder storage area

Fig. 6 Injection moulding facility at Atmix

Fig. 7 MIM titanium components produced by Atmix. Left, component from a robotic toy; Right, watch strap links

Fig. 8 The recently installed MIM Master 8 continuous debinding and sintering furnace

Fig. 9 The main debinding and sintering area in the Epson Atmix MIM facility