Once the proper material is selected, the key steps for the MIM process are as follow:
Step 1: Feedstock – very fine metal powders—usually <15 microns—are mixed with a primary paraffin material and a secondary thermoplastic polymer .
Step 2: Molding – the feedstock is fed into our multi-slide MIM machinery or our conventional molding equipment, then heated and injected into a cold cavity under high pressure. Once it is removed, the component is referred to as a “green part.”
Step 3: Debinding – the “green part” is then put through a controlled process called debinding that removes the binder and prepares the part for the final step. Once the debinding is complete, the component is referred to as “brown.”
Step 4: Sintering – the “brown” part is held together by a small amount of binder and is still fragile. During sintering temperatures reach near the melting .
MIM Tooling
When choosing a MIM manufacturer you want to make sure that whatever tooling process you choose delivers consistent parts efficiently and repeatedly. At HZMIM we offer:
Conventional tooling – comes in single cavities, meaning only one part is created per cycle. Our conventional tooling process is suited to larger parts and is designed to offer you efficiency in production and lower costs.
Multi-slide tooling – uses four or more perpendicular slides enabling very complex and accurate casting. In some cases, we use up to six slides, with angles other than 90 degrees. This new process helps meet tighter tolerances and offers better part-to-part consistency.
Heat Treating for MIM Components
MIM materials may be heat treated to increase strength, hardness, and wear resistance. The degree of hardening is determined by the percentage of carbon, alloying elements, and residual porosity of the component. Heat treated parts are given the ultimate tensile strength. To ensure optimum strength and durability, tempering or stress relief is required after quenching.
Calibration after Sintering
After your components are completely rid of all binding material, it may need to be calibrated. Calibration can include these three processes:
Coining
Sizing
Straightening
During the sintering process, parts can be distorted, and start to sag or drag. The three processes above correct these issues and return the part to its original design. Some manufacturers will ship your components elsewhere for calibration, however HZMIM does this process in-house.