Sprue, Runner, and Gate
Sprue, runner, and gate manufacturing considerations. In mold designs MIM molders try to produce as little waste as possible.
Sprue, runner, and gate manufacturing considerations. In mold designs MIM molders try to produce as little waste as possible.
MIM standards start at the national level and then become adopted in the powder community, spread to national bodies, eventually becoming part of ISO standards.
Measures of the MIM growth are possible through several parameters, including patents, powder sales, feedstock purchase, continuous furnaces and component size.
MIM has exhibited enormous growth since the first sales statistics were gathered in 1986. Today, MIM continues to grow and is sustaining 14% per year growth.
Industry standards for MIM cover testing procedures for the powders and sintered materials, composition ranges, and property levels for sintered materials.
Smith Metal Products adds TIMIM capabilities
The tool cavity or mold for MIM is constructed as an enlargement of the final part. The space taken up by binder in the feedstock is annihilated by sintering.
Because tooling and engineering are large initial costs, extension of mold life is important to the economics of MIM.
Tool cost for MIM is based on principles encountered in plastic injection molding. The most accurate approach assumes purchase of a standard mold base.