The end result is a metal component with characteristics similar to basic parts used for construction and assembly in the world of metals. Of course, if necessary, farther post-sintering operations will be performed on the metal particles, such as stamping, machining, heat treatments, coating, and others. That is in order to achieve higher endurance or improved product attributes. The MIM process is very similar to the plastic injection process in its ability to produce many unique and advanced forms and the same configuration. However, the process is limited to relatively small and complex parts, since the larger the product, the more extensive or complex assembly operations will be required.
The advantages of the metal injection process lie in its ability to produce metal products with very high mechanical properties, while being a technological process enabling the production of complex shapes with high dimensional endurance. Metal injection molding is a process with high production capabilities of most geometric shapes, with high quality.
Metal injection molding (MIM) - offers an innovative production method, which produces very complex shapes in bulk quantities. The process is so unique, that replicating it manually is considered almost impossible! The process requires the combination of various metal powders such as bronze, titanium, steel etc. (usually less than 20 micrometers) and thermoplastic polymers like wax, to produce raw materials which are then fed into a metal and plastic injection machine. The product is called a "green" substance at this time, and has to be cooled until it is ejected from the design pattern. Next, removing the "green component"; Most of the binding material is removed by thermal processing or solvents, catalysts or a combination of several different methods. The fragile product is known as the "brown matter" at this time. Next, comes the final stage, which is the Sintering; Carried out in a controlled atmosphere of either a batch furnace or a continuous furnace, The "brown part" is placed carefully on a ceramic surface, and then exposed to a temperature which rises gradually up to 85% of the metal's melting temperature. If leftovers of the "green part" have stuck this far, this is the stage when they are completely removed, at the earliest part of this cycle. The pores are then removed and the metal particles are dissolved. The parts shrink in an isotropic manner, fitting their original design, and eventually becoming the desired dense solid.