Standards for Metal Injection Moulding: Progress to-date and future challenges

Abstract

Metal Injection Moulding can today be considered as a maturing manufacturing technology for small, complex shaped metal components. A broad spectrum of materials is available for MIM production and a number of steels, titanium and titanium alloys, nickel superalloys and an increasing number of special materials such as copper, cobalt-chromium or tungsten are qualified for MIM. The need for new materials is primarily driven by upcoming applications in the automotive, aerospace and medical sectors. In order to help designers, engineers, manufacturers and customers to choose one manufacturing process over another for these new applications, it is very helpful if a reliable basis for comparison is available. Standardisation is an essential process to provide such a database of typically attain able results. In an exclusive report for Powder Injection Moulding International, Fraunhofer IFAMs Marco Mulser and Prof Dr Frank Petzoldt review progress to-date, summarise existing standards for MIM technology and consider the challenges that lie ahead in order to support the growth of new markets and applications