Whilst Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) and sinter-based Additive Manufacturing processes such as Binder Jetting (BJT) are already recognised as ‘greener’ technologies than conventional processes such as casting, the drive towards energy efficiency in the sintering process is crucial to further reduce the product carbon footprint of sintered parts. Here, Plansee High Performance Materials, a Plansee Group company, introduces a new generation of hot zones that reduce energy consumption by as much as 27% – while maintaining high performance.
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Arburg GmbH + Co KG, Lossburg, Germany, a pioneer in the use of
sustainable energy in its own operations, is now leveraging that expertise
to support its customers in their mission to reduce energy consumption
and improve the sustainability of injection moulding operations. Here,
the company reports on its ‘Action Plan: Energy’, launched earlier this
year, which has the specific goal of identifying and implementing a broad
range of energy- and cost-saving opportunities.
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From the creation of increasingly elaborate high-strength components with complex geometries to decorative elements, Metal Injection Molding has become the go-to manufacturing process for the eyewear industry. Italy’s Visottica Group is a leading supplier to this sector and, in recent years, has expanded its capabilities through acquisitions, resulting in the optimisation of the entire production chain. Luca van der Heide reports for PIM International.
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Steinbach AG is considered a pioneer in the use of Additive Manufacturing for the serial production of high-performance technical ceramics. This case study describes its pioneering path to successfully implement the manufacturing of a new type of ceramic tube, with highly complex geometries, to be used in Da Vinci Surgical Systems robotic solutions for endoscopic surgery. With this application, Steinbach has achieved an annual production rate of 12,000 units and, in so doing, established itself as a leading service provider in ceramic AM.
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HP’s Metal Jet has undergone significant refinement in the years since it was first unveiled in 2018. Now, by incorporating nearly the whole Binder Jetting workflow in one solution, HP hopes that the Metal Jet S100 – commercially launched at IMTS 2022 and showcased at Formnext 2022 – will tempt the wider manufacturing community into the world of AM. As Binder Jetting’s evolution moves from the intricacies of process optimisation to real application development and growth, Emily-Jo Hopson-VandenBos reports on a recent visit to HP’s Barcelona 3D Printing campus and the company’s progress and growing momentum since 2018.
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Founded as a press and sinter PM parts maker, Denmark’s Sintex has proactivity in its DNA. Having establishing itself in this field, the company initially expanded into Metal Injection Molding in order to meet customer demand for more complex geometries. In recent years, to be able to meet the need for mass customisation, it has explored metal Binder Jetting. In addition, custom alloys have been optimised for applications that require excellent corrosion resistance. Peter Kjeldsteen, Peter Valler and Poul Søgaard offer insight into the history and future of innovation within the company.
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Tritone’s MoldJet is unique as an Additive Manufacturing process – not Binder Jetting, Material Extrusion, nor Material Jetting, the MoldJet process involves a number of steps that share features with common sinter-based AM technologies, but don’t quite fall under their definitions. But this isn’t simply a novel fringe technology: Tritone’s founders have drawn on extensive experience within Israel’s 2D and 3D printing ecosystem to build a robust AM platform that is very simple, yet highly sophisticated. Joseph Kowen visited Tritone and here reports on the MoldJet process and its potential applications.
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No matter which market report you choose to believe, all recent analysis of the ceramic AM market points to major growth. But this is still an emerging technology, and in terms of its commercial development, ceramic AM is said to be five years behind metal AM. Now, as global manufacturers of high-performance ceramics enter the market, an even faster acceleration in technology adoption is promised. Here, Claus Falkner, of CeramTec, a producer of technical ceramics by processes that include Ceramic Injection Moulding, explores the benefits of ceramic Binder Jetting and considers the process as a compelling solution for complex parts.
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There can be few Metal Injection Moulding companies which are not keeping one eye on metal Binder Jetting (BJT). This rapidly progressing Additive Manufacturing process offers the promise of tool-free, high-volume production that can leverage much of an existing MIM producer’s expertise and equipment. Indo-MIM Inc., one of the world’s largest MIM producers, with operations in India and the US, started its exploration of Binder Jetting in 2019. Here, the company’s Jag Holla shares his insight into what the company has learnt so far, and where he sees the dividing line between MIM and BJT.
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In recent years there has been a surge in interest in sinter-based metal Additive Manufacturing, with many of these technologies adapting the materials used in Metal Injection Moulding. Whilst Binder Jetting (BJT) and Material Extrusion (MEX) processes lead the field in terms of market penetration, sometimes something radically different comes along. This is certainly the case with Germany’s Headmade Materials, whose Cold Metal Fusion (CMF) AM process takes a completely new approach. Dr Georg Schlieper visited the company and reports for PIM International on the company and its technology.
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