Metal Injection Molding, Ceramic Injection Molding and sinter-based Additive Manufacturing

Metal Injection Molding articles: deep-dive MIM industry insight

Parmaco Metal Injection Molding AG: Swiss precision engineering that pushes the limits of MIM and micro MIM

ArticleApplicationsCompany ProfilesMetal Injection MoldingProcessing
December 15, 2023

Since the earliest days of Metal Injection Moulding’s commercialisation in Europe, in the early 1990s, Swiss company Parmaco Metal Injection Molding AG has been instrumental in perfecting the process for the most advanced applications. As well as a focus on ‘Swiss precision’, producing MIM parts to the highest dimensional accuracy, the company is also renowned for the production of complex microMIM® components. Dr Georg Schlieper reports on a recent visit to the company for PIM International. ... Read more »

CMG Technologies: The UK’s only MIM producer on its acquisition by Indo-MIM and expansion into filament-based AM

ArticleCompany ProfilesMarketsMetal Injection Molding
December 15, 2023

CMG Technologies Ltd, the UK’s only producer of components by Metal Injection Moulding (MIM), has had a busy few years. Most recently, the company hit the headlines when it was acquired by Indo-MIM, widely considered to be the world’s largest MIM producer with significant operations in India and the US. Prior to this, CMG had been expanding its presence in the metal Additive Manufacturing arena, developing its own range of filaments and providing toll debinding and sintering services to users of BASF’s Ultrafuse products. Dr Martin McMahon visited the company and reports on developments. ... Read more »

Plansee: Innovation drives energy reduction in vacuum furnaces for MIM and sinter-based Additive Manufacturing

ArticleCompany ProfilesMetal Injection MoldingProcessingSinter-based Additive Manufacturing
September 25, 2023

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. ... Read more »

Discover what MIM could do for you: Explore award-winning parts from the 2023 PM Design Excellence Awards

ArticleApplicationsMetal Injection Molding
September 25, 2023

Metal Injection Moulding is one of the most capable manufacturing processes for small precision components, yet it is also one of the least well known. MIM parts are everywhere, from smartphones to watches, cars to aircraft – but these examples are rarely noticed by those outside of the industry. Here, we present the 2023 award-winning MIM and sinter-based AM parts from the Metal Powder Industries Federation’s Powder Metallurgy Design Excellence Awards. These examples offer an insight into the technology, as well as the opportunity for product designers and engineers to consider how they might use MIM in their own projects. ... Read more »

Metal Injection Moulding in Japan: Applications and materials insight from the 2022 JPMA MIM Market Report

ArticleApplicationsMarketsMaterialsMetal Injection Molding
September 25, 2023

The Japan Powder Metallurgy Association’s (JPMA) annual statistics report on Metal Injection Moulding provides unique insight into the ongoing evolution of the country’s MIM industry. As well as revealing a continued upsurge in production in 2022, changes in the applications and materials mix offer visibility into growth areas for the industry. We present the published data along with insight from the JPMA into wider factors that influenced the broader Japanese PM industry in 2022. ... Read more »

Evaluating Metal Injection Molding as a green production technology

ArticleMaterialsMetal Injection MoldingProcessing
June 11, 2023

Sustainability is a topic that concerns all of us, from individuals to societies and industries. As we face increasingly difficult environmental challenges, discussions about sustainability and our contribution towards it are ongoing in many areas of our daily lives. This is, of course, also true for the Metal Injection Molding industry. Whilst MIM is already considered a green technology compared to alternative processes, there are still considerable opportunities for improvement that can be identified through life cycle assessment and carbon footprint analysis. Dr Frank Petzoldt and Dr Sebastian Boris Hein consider the complex task of evaluating Metal Injection Molding as a green technology within this context. ... Read more »

Simulating sintering furnaces: A ‘check-and-act’ solution to optimse MIM and sinter-based AM production

ArticleMetal Injection MoldingProcessingSinter-based Additive ManufacturingSoftware
June 11, 2023

The consistent high quality of sintered parts produced by Metal Injection Moulding, or AM processes such as Binder Jetting, can only be achieved with stable manufacturing conditions. Inhomogeneous and transient temperatures in sintering furnaces are one area where variability can be difficult to manage. This article outlines how simulation can lead to an optimal set up for the sintering process – or at least a best compromise – via the assessment of many possible process variations. Dr Götz Hartmann and Dr Wilfried Schäfer, MAGMA GmbH, and Dr Jesper Thorborg, Technical University of Denmark, share the results of recent research. ... Read more »

MIM2023: Industry insights from the International Conference on Injection Molding of Metals, Ceramics and Carbides

ArticleMarketsMetal Injection MoldingProcessingSinter-based Additive Manufacturing
June 11, 2023

The 2023 International Conference on Injection Moulding of Metals, Ceramics and Carbides (MIM2023), organised by the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF)’s Metal Injection Molding Association (MIMA), was held in Costa Mesa, California, USA, from February 27 to March 1, 2023. As well as being the annual meeting point of the US Metal Injection Molding community, the event attracts an international audience and has broadened in scope to include sinter-based Additive Manufacturing processes. Dr Animesh Bose reviews some highlights from the MIM2023 technical programme. ... Read more »

Greening MIM: How Arburg is supporting energy and cost reductions in injection moulding facilities

ArticleCompany ProfilesMarketsMetal Injection MoldingProcessing
June 11, 2023

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. ... Read more »

Visottica Group: Integrated workflows and the value of Metal Injection Molding in eyewear and beyond

ArticleApplicationsCompany ProfilesMetal Injection MoldingProcessing
March 11, 2023

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. ... Read more »

In the latest issue of PIM International…

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Extensive MIM, CIM industry and sinter-based AM industry news, plus the following exclusive deep-dive articles and reports:

  • Metal Injection Moulding in Asia: Scale, supply chains, and growing overlap with metal Additive Manufacturing
  • Chanel’s J12: How Ceramic Injection Moulding became part of the luxury narrative
  • Ceramic AM enables 500 mm dual-channel gas distribution ring for high-speed PEALD and ALE in the same chamber
  • From hypersonics to EVs: Sintering non-oxide ceramics for next-generation technologies
  • ColdMetalFusion: A new approach to metal Additive Manufacturing

Buyer’s Guide: feedstock, powder, production technology and MIM, CIM and AM parts

Discover suppliers of these and more in our advertisers’ index and buyer’s guide, available in the back of PIM International.

  • Metal powders
  • MIM, CIM & AM parts producers
  • Binders & feedstocks
  • Feedstock mixers
  • Furnaces & furnace supplies
  • Atmospheres & gas generation
  • HIP systems & services
  • Injection moulding machines
  • AM technology
  • Debinding systems
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