Metal Injection Molding (MIM) Service
Elimold’s Metal Injection Molding Services produce complex and precision parts at a fraction of the cost compared to other production options. Metal injection molding can produce products with excellent finish, durability, and unique shapes. Our metal injection molding facilities are well equipped to handle jobs of all sizes and have a variety of materials available.
Metal Injection Molding Company
With over 10 years of experience in metal fabrication services and molded product manufacturing, we offer professional metal injection molding services, from consulting, design, prototyping to production, becoming one of the top injection mold makers and manufacturers in a variety of industries.
Our capabilities span from top-quality and commercial-grade materials to end-use molded parts, custom prototypes, rapid tooling, and more, while always providing cost- and time-efficient low-volume or high-volume production for customers around the world!
We have an experienced design and engineering team, advanced technology, and best-in-class equipment in the industry. At every step, you can expect meticulous consultation, attention to detail, and customized services to meet your needs and produce high-quality results.
Our Capabilities
We can produce MIM parts ranging in weight from 0.1 to 250 grams, but above 100 grams the cost of the very fine powders used in the process begins to offset the cost advantages of MIM unless the complexity is extremely high. In addition, the wall thickness of the part should be no less than 0.13 mm (0.005 in) and no greater than 12.7 mm (0.5 in). Due to material flow restrictions, the distance from the gate to the furthest point of the part should be approximately 4 inches. MIM part tolerances are nominally ±0.3%–0.5%, but tighter tolerances can be achieved in some cases if deemed necessary.
Metal Injection Molding Materials
- Stainless Steel: 304L, 316L, 17-4 PH, 15-5 PH, 420, 430, 440
- Superalloys: Inconel, Hastelloy, Co-based Low Alloy Steels, 2-8% Ni (4600, 4650)
- Magnetic Alloys: 2-6% Si-Fe, 50% Ni-Fe, 50% Co-Fe
- Controlled Expansion Alloys: Fe-36Ni (Invar), F-15 (Kovar)
- Electrical Materials: Pure Copper, Beryllium-Copper, Brass
- Tool Steels: AISI M2, M3/2, M4, T15, M42, D2
- Heavy Alloys: Tungsten-Copper, W-Fe-Ni, Molybdenum-Copper, Custom compostions to suit customer specifications
Surface treatments of MIM products
- Radiation
- Electropolishing
- Galvanizing (chrome-6 free)
- Passivation
- Paint
- Powder coating
- Anodizing
- Prime
- Vibratory finishing
- CED coating
- Sand or glass bead blasting
Testing options for MIM parts
- 3D laser or measuring probe
- Impact strength
- Yield point
- Chemical analysis
- X-Ray
- Fluxing
- Ultrasound
- Tensile strengths
- According to customer requirements
Design Services for Manufacturing
Design for Manufacturability (DFM) is your secret weapon for transforming innovative concepts into production-ready injection molded parts. By collaborating with our DFM experts early on, you can identify potential roadblocks like complex geometries or uneven wall thickness. We’ll suggest adjustments that optimize your design for efficient molding, minimizing waste and production costs. This ensures your parts are not only functional but also manufacturable, saving you time and money while bringing your vision to life.
- Reduced Production Costs: Streamlined designs minimize material waste, optimize cycle times, and simplify the molding process, leading to lower production costs.
- Enhanced Quality: DFM helps avoid common molding defects like sink marks, warping, or short shots, ensuring your parts meet the highest quality standards.
- Faster Time to Market: By identifying potential issues upfront, DFM allows for a smoother transition from design to production, accelerating your time to market.
Have an upcoming metal injection molding project?
What is Metal Injection Molding?
Metal injection molding combines powdered metal with a polymer binder material to create metal parts. After the injection mold metal is melted, formed, and cooled, the unwanted polymer material is removed by applying high temperatures to reveal a high-density metal part. Recent process improvements now enable MIM to combine a wide range of ferrous and nonferrous alloys to produce corrosion-resistant metal parts with excellent strength and hardness properties. The metal injection molding process is an affordable option to manufacture high-volume, complex parts in a shorter time. It overcomes the processing challenges of metals such as nickel iron, stainless steel, and titanium. It also reduces scrap generation and shortens turnaround time.
Metal Injection Molding Process
Feedstock Compounding
The MIM process starts with mixing APP’s proprietary MIM Feedstock, a combination of metal powder and binder.
Injection Molding
The MIM feedstock is injected into a mold with multiple mold cavities using automated injection molding machines to produce a “green part” that is 20% larger than the finished component.
Debinding
The parts then move through the first stage debinding. This removes most, but not all, of binders, and the part is prepared for sintering. This part is considered a “brown part”.
Sintering
During the high temperature sintering process, the part is heated near its melting point, all binder removal is completed, the part densifies, and the final part geometry is formed.
Secondary Operations
After sintering, parts can then be sent to secondary operations to improve dimension control, mechanical properties, and visual appearance, such as sizing, heat treating and coating.
Advantages of MIM
- Great geometric design freedom
- Production of complex parts
- Internal & external threads can already be formed during casting
- High dimensional accuracy
- Unique level of detail
- First-class surface quality
- Good dimensional tolerances of +/- 0.5%
- Better adhesion of anti-corrosion treatments
- Relative density of 95-98%
- Less complex processing
- Low manufacturing costs
- Economical even with medium quantities
Comparison of MIM And Other Processes
MIM vs. Conventional PM
- MIM can produce geometries that eliminate secondary operations.
- MIM offers superior density, corrosion performance, strength, ductility.
- MIM can combine two or more PM components into one, reducing part count.
- MIM parts offer superior magnetic performance.
MIM vs. CNC Machining
- MIM designs save material and weight.
- Molding from a single tool eliminates multiple set-up operations.
- Difficult-to-machine materials can be molded into a net shape.
- MIM provides cost savings through better material utilization.
- Sprues and runners can be reground and reused as feedstock with no compromise to final properties.
MIM vs. Investment Casting
- MIM can produce thinner wall sections, sharper cutting points.
- MIM produces better surface finish.
- MIM is better for small-diameter blind and through holes.
- MIM greatly reduces requirements for finish machining.
- MIM produces high volumes of small components at a lower cost, with faster lead times.
More Services
- Short lead times for new parts: Each new part requires one or more new molds, which take time to make. 3D printing can shorten the lead time for new parts you need urgently.
- Prototypes or small batch production: Small batches will cost more per part. These processes may work better here, including 3D printing or sheet metal production.
- Large parts: Parts that weigh more than 100 grams or are several inches wide are more difficult to produce and therefore more expensive. CNC machining can produce large parts with greater precision.
Markets Served
- Automotive
- Aerospace
- Medical
- Business Machine
- Computer Components
- Hardware
- Sporting and Consumer Goods
Metal Injection molding for medical device manufacturing
When it comes to medical-grade metal parts, cleanliness is paramount.
Elimold offers unparalleled medical molding capabilities with our state-of-the-art, ISO Class 7 clean room facility. This controlled environment minimizes airborne particles and contaminants, ensuring your medical components are manufactured to the strictest standards. This meticulous approach safeguards the integrity of your parts, fostering patient safety and regulatory compliance.
Trust us to deliver medical-grade MIM parts with unmatched quality and precision.
Designing for Manufacturability
The simplest MIM shape is produced in a mold made of two sections with plane surfaces that meet to seal off the cavity. One section consists of a core which fits into an impression in the other section with uniform clearances that produce shapes with uniform wall thicknesses. The core produces the internal features while the impression produces the external features. All features are designed to permit the cavity to release the solidified form, which is pushed off the core with ejector or knock-out pins.
Increased complexity in MIM components can be achieved with the addition of slides, cores, and other tools commonly used in plastic injection molding. While added features, along with their increased complexity, can have economic benefits by eliminating secondary processes or assembly operations, they typically entail additional costs associated with tooling and start-up engineering. These benefits and costs must be carefully weighed against each other at every stage of the design.
There are many critical aspects that must be considered when designing a MIM component in order to take full advantage of all the benefits of the process.
Contact US Now For Quality MIM Parts
Elimold can help you design your mold, select the right materials, and guide you through every step of the MIM process. We have helped clients in industries ranging from automotive to construction. Whatever your project requirements, our staff will turn your concept into reality.
If you would like to request a free, no-obligation quote or speak with a member of our experienced sales team, please send us an email.