Vacuum debinding and sintering furnaces from Elnik Systems LLC are a common sight in Metal Injection Moulding plants throughout Europe and the Americas. Thanks in part to the technical guidance and training available through its sister company, DSH Technologies, Elnik Systems’ market-leading position has seen it support a multitude of new manufacturing operations. Now, with the rise of sinter-based Additive Manufacturing, the need to meet the high demand for the company’s products has driven a relocation and major expansion. Nick Williams reports for PIM International.
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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. This article presents 2024’s award-winning MIM parts from the Metal Powder Industries Federation’s PM Design Excellence Awards. In addition, we also highlight the growing number of award-winning parts produced by sinter-based Additive Manufacturing. These examples present an opportunity for product designers and engineers to consider how they might use MIM and AM in their own projects.
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If you were to place a bet on which country was going to take metal Binder Jetting to the highest volumes of commercial production, China would probably be high on your list. As the world’s manufacturing hub for consumer electronics, China already accounts for nearly half of global MIM sales by value. So with markets on the doorstep, and sintering capacity and metal powder supplies ready and waiting, where’s Binder Jetting in China? Here, Dr Q and Dr James report on developments, including a new Sintering Application Center at BJ–TECH Co. featuring HP’s Metal Jet technology.
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MIM2024, the International Conference on Injection Molding of Metals, Ceramics, and Carbides, was held in Raleigh, North Carolina, from February 26 to 28, 2024. Attended by more than a hundred delegates from ten countries, this latest event in the well-established series was deemed to be an innovative success. This year was – to the relief of both attendees and the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF) – an in-person only event. Dr Animesh Bose, CEO, Optimus Alloys, reviews some of the highlights from the technical programme.
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Additive Manufacturing’s high geometric flexibility, when combined with the optimised properties of multi-material components, opens up new possibilities for designers and manufacturers. Recently, innovations in the design of the interfaces between different materials presents further opportunities with regard to the functionalisation and miniaturisation of components. In this article, Uwe Scheithauer, Fraunhofer IKTS, and Robert Johne, AMAREA Technology GmbH, explore the potential in the area of ceramic-based components produced using Multi Material Jetting (MMJ) technology.
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The 4th Workshop on Sinter-based Additive Manufacturing, organised by Fraunhofer IFAM, in Bremen, Germany, took place from September 13-14 2023. It convened global experts to discuss advancements and challenges in the field. The workshop explored the maturation and potential applications of sinter-based AM technologies and highlighted the latest technical advances. Sonja Böske da Costa reports on the workshop’s presentations and discussions.
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Metal Injection Moulding has been the technology of choice for the micro robotics industry for many years, delivering micro-sized precision metal components in medium to high volumes. As the complexity and number of applications increases, there is an opportunity for accelerated product development and more flexible manufacturing through the combination of sinter-based Additive Manufacturing and Computational Engineering. Here, Dr Gerald Mitteramskogler, Josefine Lissner and Dr Stefan Bindl consider how these technologies can be combined for the best possible results.
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The potential of sinter-based Additive Manufacturing for industrial production, along with the diversity of the processes that are being developed, continues to surprise. Switzerland’s Exentis Group AG has taken its own path to commercial success with what it terms ‘Additive Screen Printing’, and its speed and precision is delivering growth and opening up opportunities around the world. Dr Georg Schlieper reports on a recent visit to the company for PIM International.
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Titanium has long been recognised as a material with huge potential. Lightweight with excellent mechanical properties, it is also corrosion resistant and biocompatible. However, the challenge has always been cost – in part because of difficulties in machining. The Metal Injection Moulding of titanium – and more recently Binder Jetting – now present major opportunities to expand the material’s use. TriTech Titanium Parts, LLC is seizing this opportunity – whilst simultaneously maximising the scope of what it can manufacture by offering Investment Casting. Bernard North visited the company for PIM International.
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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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