Volume 7 Issue 10 April 2011 ` 100

Metal Injection Molding (MIM)

Materials and their Metallurgical Advantages
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IV

Powder Injection molding (PIM) which encompasses Metal injection Molding

(MIM) and Ceramic injection molding (CIM) is the technology to produce the
small, precise and complex parts by using fine powder as the raw materials.
Hence most of the Metals, alloys, ceramics, cemented carbides and cermet
materials available in required powder form can be processed by Powder
Injection molding.

In this fourth series of articles on Emerging Technology - MIM, we will discuss the
Metal Injection molding (MIM) materials and their metallurgical advantages.

MIM Materials: Material Selection:

Most of the metals and alloys available in
MIM grade powder form can be processed by
Metal Injection Molding. But the metals and
alloys that melt at temperature over 1000
Deg C (1832 Deg F) are more successfully
processed by MIM. Hence Aluminum, Zinc
and Magnesium are not suitable candidates
for MIM. Besides the common metals alloys,
modified chemistries are emerging to take
advantages of the technology.
For complex chemistries, there are three
possible starting forms Mixed elemental
powders, fully compounded powders, or a
hybrid of partially compounded and
elemental powder. The single largest
limitation on MIM compositions is the
powder availability.
Selection of the proper material for a
particular application often decides the
success of a PIM project. Table lists some
available metal alloy and Ceramic systems
and potential applications. The specific
features are as compared within the family of
material. From this, a design engineer can
obtain an approximate idea of the proper
material for an application. Sometimes,
multiple materials are evaluated for an
application and a decision is made based on
Fig4.- Part made out of Specific
performance, cost, and input from a MIM
material density requirement of 8.5 gm/cc
part supplier or expert.

If the material is available or can be custom

fabricated as a small powder then MIM is a
viable production route. Of course, powder
cost impacts the final component cost but
the powder availability is the first
consideration.
Fig 5.- MIM parts for medical applications
made out of SS 316 L, SS 17-4 PH
Fig2.- Lock part made out of SS 440 C
material for good wear resistance

Fig 6- MIM Properties similar to wrought steel

Fig1.- Printer part made out of Fe-3%Si Density is within 96- 99 % of the theoretical
material for good soft magnetic properties Fig3.- Microstructure of Austenitic SS 310Nb density which ensures tensile properties same as
wrought steel.
 Volume 7 Issue 10 April 2011 ` 100

Following MIM materials have been offered by Indo-MIM

Material Category Types Typical Materials Typical MaterialsTypical features &

applications

Low Carbon, 4600 series High toughness & good surface wear resistance
Case Hardening (Fe-Ni-Mo) General engineering applications
Low alloy steels
Med Carbon, 4630-4605 High strength
Through Hardening (Fe-Ni-Mo-Cr) General engineering applications

High Carbon, 4680, 52100 High strength & high wear resistance
Through Hardening Bearing steel

Best corrosion resistance, High ductility

Austenitic 304L, 316L watch links, medical devices parts, food processing
Stainless steels equipment parts, Medical & dental device,
marine components & non magnetic housings

High strength & wear resistance and medium

Martensitic 410, 420, 440A/B/C corrosion resistance
Multi utility hand tools, mobile phone components
Medium strength & wear resistance and
Precipitation 17-4PH good corrosion resistance
hardening Sporting weapons, mobile phone
Components, general engineering applications
Good magnetic
Ferritic 430
properties with medium corrosion resistance
Magnetic probes, sensors, armatures and pole piece

Die steels S-7, D-2

Tool steels High strength & wear resistance
Hydraulic slides, high wear resistant applications
High speed steels M-2, T-15, 10-V

Non-ferrous Copper Cu + Ni-Sn combinations High thermal and & electrical conductivity

Titanium CP Ti, Ti6Al4V Light weight, high strength and best

corrosion resistance

W+ Cu-Ni-Fe
Refractory alloys Tungsten base High density
combinations

Magnetic materials Si-Fe, Fe -49 Co-2V Good Soft magnetic properties

Specialty and
super alloys
Electronic packaging Kovar, Fe-Ni (Invar) Low thermal expansion
materials

High temperature Co-Cr (F-75), Inconel, High temperature resistance and strength
materials Hastelloy, HK-30, 310Nb, Turbocharger parts

Ceramics Alumina, Zirconia Al203, ZTA High wear & chemical resistance, light weight

Table 1 - Metal injection Molding (MIM) Materials


MIM materials metallurgical
advantages -
l MIM produces an annealed
microstructure which has no residual
stresses
l MIM materials are sintered to 96
to 99 % of the theoretical density
l Homogeneous microstructure and
Isotropic material properties
l Amenable for all the secondary
operations possible on wrought or cast
materials like heat treatment, surface
treatment, machining and joining and
hipping operations.
l Parts can be fabricated out of
difficult to melt alloys like tungsten
heavy alloys
l No interconnected porosity which
are normally present in the PM parts.
l Minimum density achievable 96 %
as against 85 % on PM Parts
l Increased density ensures tensile
properties almost double that of PM part
l Co-sintering of two different suitable alloys
possible
l Taylor made chemistries are possible
l Microstructure can be tailored as per the
application
Fig 7- MIM Properties double to basic PM
materials
Minimum density achievable 96 % as against 85
% on PM Parts. Increased density ensures tensile
properties almost double that of basic PM part.
Volume 7 Issue 10 April 2011 ` 100
Fig 8.- MIM Vs PM part
Increased density ensures tensile properties
almost double that of basic PM part and
hence the MIM part will be smaller in size as
compared to the PM part for the same
functional strength requirement.
The author Sachin Malgave is with Research
& Development Group of Indo US MIM Tec
Pvt Ltd, Bangalore and he can be contacted at
sachin.m@indo-mim.com