Company visit: PIM International, Vol.1 No. 1 March 2007, pages 20-21, 1008 words

Author: Nick Williams, PIM International, Shrewsbury, UK

Introduction

Powder Injection Moulding International recently visited the manufacturing facilities of Metal Injection Mouldings Limited in the UK. We report on a company that has succeeded in securing niche markets for its MIM products both in the UK and further afield.

Metal Injection Mouldings Ltd is a UK based MIM component producer located in Altrincham, near Manchester. The company is one of a group of three companies, which today makes up the privately-owned ATR Group. The group includes P.I. Castings Ltd, a manufacturer of high integrity investment castings in steels, aluminium and copper based alloys for over 55 years using the “lost-wax” process. P.I. Castings Ltd makes a number of components for high profile applications such as the Throttle Control for the Eurofighter jet and gearbox castings for the Bugatti Veyron supercar. Turbotech Precision Products Ltd is the third company within the group and manufactures aluminium compressor wheels for automotive diesel turbochargers.

Further sections of this article include:

- Materials and manufacturing
- Markets and applications
- Outlook

Figures and Tables:

Fig. 1 Metal Injection Mouldings Ltd produces MIM parts for a diverse range of applications

Fig. 2 Powders and blended in-house prior to preparation of feedstock

Fig. 3 The debinding and vacuum sintering facilities at Metal Injection Mouldings Ltd

Fig. 4 The MIM process is used for the production of both small and large components

Fig. 5 Metal Injection Mouldings Ltd produces some of the smallest parts used in the giant Airbus A380 airliner, such as this microswitch arm