Feature article: PIM International, Vol.3 No. 2 June 2009, pages 47-51, 1907 words

Author: Nick Williams, PIM International, Shrewsbury, UK

The Metal Powder Industry Federation’s PIM 2009 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. 

Introduction

Delegates attending the PIM 2009 Conference in Orlando, Florida, March 3-4 2009 were bullish about the short-to-medium prospects for MIM despite the global recession.

If attendance figures are anything to go by, the 120 or so participants who took part in the various stages of the event put it on a par with events staged during the previous ‘boom’ years for PIM technology. The figures are also a clear indicator that the economic downturn has been kinder to PIM than its older cousin – press and sintered structural powder metallurgy (PM), an industry which has been devastated by the global slump in automotive production over the past six months.

The event was organised by North America’s Metal Injection Moulding Association (MIMA), a division of the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF).

In addition to the main conference programme, MIMA held an introductory PIM tutorial presented by PIM guru Professor Randall M. German (San Diego State University) on the day preceding the main event. This was attended by some 30 ‘students’ eager to get to grips with PIM technology. The tutorial was said to have attracted a substantial number of existing or potential end-users (over 50% of participants) and around 20% of the participants were producers of PIM products.

Following the two day PIM 2009 conference, a special workshop was organised by Professor German and Dr. Young-Sam Kwon (CetaTech Inc., Korea) covering medical applications of micro powder injection moulding.

The workshop attracted over 60 participants, bringing together academia, R&D facilities, manufacturing experts and medical end-users to discuss how to advance micro PIM technology. A specially commissioned feature reviewing the latest advances in this potentially lucrative sector has been prepared by Professor German and is published in this issue of PIM International......

Further sections of this article include:

- An end-user perspective
- MIM in Asia
- MIM in North America
- The European perspective
- New net-shape CIM zirconia drill and bur for dental applications
- Optimising CoCr MIM alloys for medical device applications
- Molybdenum setter with ceramics coating layer for sintering and annealing

Figures and Tables:

Fig. 1  Left, participants at PIM 2009’s “Introduction to PIM” workshop. Right, David Danitz, Vice President Research & Development, Novare Surgical Systems. Photos courtesy MPIF
Fig. 2  Laparoscopic surgical device that requires tight tolerances on a metal jaw at the distal end which cuts tissue or holds critical tools. The MIM part is made for Novare Surgical Systems by Phillips Plastics
Fig. 3  Transition and forecast of the MIM market in Japan  (Courtesy Epson Atmix Corporation)
Fig. 4  New net shape zirconia drill shape using PIM, top; as moulded, below; as sintered
Fig. 5  PIM dental bur showing the 50µm projections on the surface of the sintered bur; central section above, tip below
Fig. 6  Sintering test of SUS316L parts at 1400^oC in vacuum

Table 1  Sales and growth of individual MIM companies in Japan  (Courtesy Epson Atmix Corporation)  
Table 2  Properties of the new PIM Zirconia powder grades used for dental applications
Table 3 Mechanical properties of MIM F562 CoCr alloy
Table 4 Mechanical properties of MIM F75 CoCr alloy
Table 5 Variation of coated Mo surfaces which can be used in hydrogen or vacuum atmospheres  * Durability capacity to molten metal.