Company visit: PIM International, Vol.1 No. 2 June 2007, pages 30-32, 1715 words

Author: Nick Williams, PIM International, Shrewsbury, UK

MimEcrisa is a leading international metal injection moulding (MIM) producer based in Santander, in the Cantabria region of Northern Spain. The company can be considered as one of the pioneers of the commercialisation of the metal injection moulding process in Europe, with industrial scale production dating back to 1994. Nick Williams, Editor of Powder Injection Moulding International, recently visited the company and reports on a high capacity manufacturing plant with a firm focus on quality and reputation.

Introduction

Until recently MimEcrisa was known as Ecrimesa, the name of the investment casting company that initiated the venture into metal injection moulding. Ecrimesa, founded in Santander in 1964, produces a wide range of investment castings for the automotive and general engineering sectors. In addition to MimEcrisa the company also has a machining division, Mecansa, also based at the same site. Group turnover is in the region of €30 million, with the MimEcrisa operation accounting for around €10 million of this.

Further sections of this article include:

- Production capability and materials
- Testing and post-sintering operations
- Sectors served and markets
- Mould making and the demand for ever faster production cycles
- A philosophy of competing with quality and knowledge
- End-user perceptions of metal injection moulding
- R&D activity

Figures and Tables:

Fig. 1 Automated handling systems are used to optimise the production of large volume components

Fig. 2 A selection of metal injection moulded components produced by MimEcrisa. Top left: Component for a pneumatic device made from 174PHA, weighing 39.47g. Top right: Automotive interior component made from 430L, weighing 0.39g. Bottom left: Firearm component made from 42CRM04, weighing 18.69g. Bottom right: Automotive interior component made from FN08, weighing 14.68g

Fig. 3 MimEcrisa’s MimMaster 10 continuous debinding and sintering line

Fig. 4 MimEcrisa’s quality and testing laboratories at the centre of the metal injection moulding operations