Feature Article: PIM International, Vol.1 No. 1 March 2007, pages 40-44, 2006 words

Author: Bernard Williams, Consultant, Shrewsbury, UK

Article features the following metal injection moulding related congress highlights:

High performance piezoelectric transformers by PIM

Dr Tae Shih Yoon, Chief Executive at leading PIM producer Bestner Ltd based in Sungnam City, South Korea, presented a paper at the 2006 PM World Congress which described a new patented process for producing high power piezoelectric transformer (PT) devices by powder injection moulding (PIM) using nano ceramic powders.....

Fig. 1 (a) PIM Dome shaped piezoelectric transformer developed by Bestner (b) voltage step-up ratio of PIM dome shaped piezoelectric transformer. (from paper: ‘High Performance piezoelectric transformers by PIM Using Nano-sized Powders’, by T.S.Yoon, etal. Published in Vol.1 Extended Abstracts of 2006 PM World Congress, KPMI, September 2006, 32-33.

Fig. 2 Bestner exhibited some piezoelectric transformer applications on its stand at the PM2006 exhibition.

Minimising oxygen benefits MIM titanium alloys

Osaka Yakin Kogyo Co Ltd played a pioneering role in opening up the metal injection moulding (MIM) market in Japan in the early 1990s with an offering of a wide range of MIM materials and products. Dr Kenji Doi and his co-workers at Osaka Yakin Kogyo presented a paper at the PM2006 World Congress in which they outlined the company’s recent addition of titanium and titanium alloys to the range of MIM materials now produced.......

Fig. 1 SEM images of Ti and Ti alloy powders produced by electrode induction melting gas atomization (EIGA). (a) CPTi (b) Ti-6Al-4V (c) Ti-15Mo-5Zr-3Al . (from paper: ‘Effect of Oxygen on Mechanical Properties of Metal Injection Moulded Ti and Ti Alloy’. Published in Vol.2 Extended Abstracts of 2006 PM World Congress, KPMI, September 2006, 771-772).

Table 1 Oxygen contents of the starting Ti rods and powders produced by EIGA. (from paper: ‘Effect of Oxygen on Mechanical Properties of Metal Injection Moulded Ti and Ti Alloy’. Published in Vol.2 Extended Abstracts of 2006 PM World Congress, KPMI, September 2006, 771-772).

Table 2 Mechanical properties of the metal injection moulded Ti alloy powders in the as-sintered condition. (from paper: ‘Effect of Oxygen on Mechanical Properties of Metal Injection Moulded Ti and Ti Alloy’. Published in Vol.2 Extended Abstracts of 2006 PM World Congress, KPMI, September 2006, 771-772).

What is micro PIM?

The PIM sector has seen a significant increase in the number of technical developments and literature references relating to micro powder injection moulding - or µPIM. So why the big push and how does one define µPIM? Sundar V. Atre (Oregon State University, USA) and his co-authors from Korea, Austria and USA, gave their perspective on this subject in a paper presented at the 2006 PM World Congress entitled: ‘Technical and Economic Comparisons of Micro PIM’.....

Fig. 1 Price comparisons for conventional PIM and µPIM components. (from paper: ‘Technical and Economical Comparisons of Micro PIM’, by S.A.Atre, etal. Published in Vol.1 Extended Abstracts of 2006 PM World Congress, KPMI, September 2006, 45-46).

Fig. 2 Micro PIM gear produced by LIGA tooling. (from paper: ‘Technical and Economical Comparisons of Micro PIM’ by S.A.Atre, etal. Published in Vol.1 Extended Abstracts of 2006 PM World Congress, KPMI, September 2006, 45-46; Source: ARC Seibersdorf, Austria).

Table 1 Comparison of micro injection moulding

Ultrafine stainless steel powders enhance MIM properties

Epson Atmix Corp of Hachinohe-shi, Japan, is a leading producer of water atomized metal powders used to manufacture metal injection moulded (MIM) components. The company has for some time been using high pressure water atomization technology to produce fine and ultrafine powders in stainless steels and other materials in order to satisfy customer demands for powders which offer higher strength for new applications.....

Fig. 1 Relation between sintered density and mean particle size of 316L ultrafine powders sintered at different temperatures. (from paper: Sintering Properties of High-Pressure Water Atomized SUS 316L UltraFine Powder’. Published in Vol.2 Extended Abstracts of 2006 PM World Congress, KPMI, September 2006, 769-770).

Fig. 2 Surface smoothness of sintered 316L stainless steels made from ultrafine powders. (from paper: Sintering Properties of High-Pressure Water Atomized SUS 316L UltraFine Powder’. Published in Vol.2 Extended Abstracts of 2006 PM World Congress, KPMI, September 2006, 769-770).

PADS offers economies and environmentally friendly PIM processing

Plasma Assisted Debinding and Sintering (PADS) has been under development by a research team involving the Federal University of Santa Catarina (Florianopolis, Brazil) and the Brazilian MIM producer - Steelinject Ltd - since 1997.....

Fig. 1 Plasma Assisted Debinding and Sintering (PADS) furnace used at Steelinject Ltd, Brazil, for environmentally friendly and economic debinding and sintering. (from paper: ‘Plasma Assisted Debinding and Sintering – a MIM Case Study’ by R. Machado, etal’. Published in Vol.1 Extended Abstracts of 2006 PM World Congress, KPMI, September 2006, 221-222).

Table 1 Comparison of mechanical properties of MIM parts produced by PADS and conventional catalytic debinding. (from paper: ‘Plasma Assisted Debinding and Sintering – a MIM Case Study’ by R. Machado, etal’. Published in Vol.1 Extended Abstracts of 2006 PM World Congress, KPMI, September 2006, 221-222).