Water-based debinding in Ceramic Injection Moulding (CIM) is widely adopted for its safety and environmental advantages over solvent or catalytic systems. However, conventional water-soluble binders limit processing when fine powders and thick cross sections coincide, as slow extraction can cause residual binder, blistering and cracking during thermal steps. By optimising binder chemistry, thick-walled (>5 mm) components can be processed defect-free, even with ultrafine powders. Dr Rafael Olivera Silva of EnCeram explains how this approach expands the reliable CIM process window.
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Binder Jetting (BJT) continues to attract intense interest as manufacturers search for faster, more economical routes to serial metal part production. Yet despite impressive build speeds and design flexibility, many remain sceptical about Binder Jetting’s readiness for true industrial scale. The bottleneck lies not only in the build process, but in what happens next. Depowdering, still largely manual and labour-intensive, threatens throughput, consistency and safety. In this article, Lea Reineke of Fraunhofer IFAM and Florian Richter from IPH Hannover explain how the QualiJet project aims to change that.
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As power density continues to rise in applications ranging from e-mobility to AI hardware, thermal management is increasingly defining the performance limits of power electronics. Conventional cooling concepts are struggling to keep pace, making system-level optimisation essential. This article presents a coordinated approach to substrate design, high-current interconnection and advanced copper cooling enabled by Metal Injection Moulding, developed jointly by Schweizer Electronic AG, Schunk Sonosystems GmbH and Schunk Sintermetalltechnik GmbH, and authored by Marvin Luceri, Thorsten Klein and Tim Hanika.
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Located at the heart of South Korea’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem, MTIG represents a new model for titanium industrialisation that goes far beyond conventional MIM-Ti parts production. By vertically integrating proprietary Hydride-Dehydride (HDH) powder production, Metal Injection Moulding, and Additive Manufacturing, MTIG delivers cost-competitive, high-precision titanium at scale. In this article, Professor Dr Jai-Sung Lee interviews MTIG’s founder and CEO, Dr Ji-Hwan Park, to explore the technologies, vision, and full-cycle innovation that set MTIG apart within the global MIM industry.
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Building on the previous ASTM ICAM 2024 review, Dr Animesh Bose highlights a selected set of ICAM 2025 presentations from the Value Chain track on sinter-based Additive Manufacturing. The 2025 sessions placed less emphasis on introducing new platforms and more on the practical requirements for industrial adoption – feedstock control, debinding and sintering optimisation, distortion and microstructure management, and qualification-relevant process monitoring across the powder-to-part workflow. This review captures how these priorities are shaping the track’s growing maturity and relevance for the Powder Metallurgy community.
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Semiconductor manufacturers increasingly rely on components that can withstand extreme plasma environments while delivering tighter process control and near-zero contamination. To meet these demands, Bosch Advanced Ceramics and Lithoz have transformed a previously two-part injector design into a fully integrated single ceramic component using ceramic Additive Manufacturing. By pairing high-purity alumina with precision AM technology, complex internal geometries could be unlocked, enhancing reliability and performance for advanced wafer production.
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Blesol Tech is emerging as a notable European supplier of metal and ceramic feedstocks for Metal Injection Moulding, Ceramic Injection Moulding, and sinter-based Additive Manufacturing. Based in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, and led by Dr Gemma Herranz and Dr Cristina Berges, the company brings together academic expertise and industrial-scale production. As this article outlines, its close collaboration with MIM and CIM producers offers clear insight into shifting market requirements, informing the development of tailored materials and adaptable feedstock solutions.
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Binder Jetting’s accelerating progress toward industrial production set the tone at Fraunhofer IFAM’s 6th Workshop on Sinter-based Additive Manufacturing, held on October 8-9, 2025, in Bremen, Germany. Alongside Binder Jetting, the programme highlighted advances across the wider family of sinter-based AM processes, with industry and research speakers presenting new applications, cleaner and more stable workflows, and expanding material options. This report, by Fraunhofer IFAM’s Lea Reineke and Michael Norda, reviews the event’s key findings.
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Element 22 GmbH has built its reputation on developing efficient ways to manufacture complex titanium components for demanding applications in medicine, aerospace, luxury goods and emerging hydrogen technologies. By leveraging Metal Injection Moulding, sinter-based Additive Manufacturing and carefully controlled finishing processes, the company demonstrates how titanium parts can be produced reliably and at scale. Dr Georg Schlieper recently visited the company for PIM International to explore its processes and ongoing developments.
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The 21st Plansee Seminar, held in June 2025, provided deep insight into the evolving landscape of sinter-based Additive Manufacturing (AM) for cemented carbides and tungsten heavy alloys. Presentations explored Binder Jetting, Material Extrusion, Direct Ink Writing, and other emerging techniques, with a focus on microstructural control, process–property relationships, and feedstock optimisation. While Binder Jetting remains influential, alternative approaches are gaining traction for finer powders and complex geometries. This article, authored by Bernard North, examines the key technical findings and perspectives shared at the event.
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