Often times, excellent and complex design solutions tends to fail commercially – but why? Usually the component is finished with labor-intensive technologies to ensure the right profile and structural design, or maybe it is 3D-printed to avoid the post-finishing. This results in high costs of production and the inability to quickly ramp up large volumes. This is where the technology of Metal Injection Molding comes into play as shown in the graph below.
Watch the video below where our Senior Process Specialist, Poul, gives an introduction to our technologies within Metal Injection Molding and its advantages.
The MIM process involves very few steps.
At Sintex, the process is automated and optimised for high volume.
Components are sintered in a controlled atmosphere in high-technology furnaces at temperatures just below the melting point of the given material.
During this stage, the workpiece shrinks by 16-22% in size, which means control of the process must be very finely tuned.
Sintex has two process lines, where all steps from injection moulding to the finished workpiece are fully automated. This allows us to meet the strict quality requirements, and ensure efficient handling of the high volumes.
See the film about the MIM process above.
Earlier, the pump manufacturer Grundfos produced one of its sensor housings in plastic, but more demanding requirements led to the company considering a solution in metal. There was a wish for greater strength because the sensor housing is primarily used for industrial purposes in environments that degrade plastic materials both thermally and chemically
MIM technology has given one of our partners a sensor housing in the same geometry as plastic, but with the same strength as steel.
MIM technology has given one of our partners a sensor housing in the same geometry as plastic, but with the same strength as steel.
Earlier, one of our partners produced one of their sensor housings in plastic, but more demanding requirements led to the company considering a solution in metal. There was a wish for greater strength because the sensor housing is primarily used for industrial purposes in environments that degrade plastic materials both thermally and chemically. With the technology behind MIM, Sintex is able to produce a sensor housing with the same geometry as plastic, but with the same strength as steel. At the same time, MIM enables the entire sensor housing to be produced as a single component – in a single process.
MIM was quickly identified as an alternative to plastic, but other metal machining processes were also looked at as mim did not immediately appear to be the most cost-effective solution. Sintex was involved as a competence centre and was able to optimise the design so that the costs of the mim process were offset by savings in the new design, subsequent processing and the additional advantages that a mim component offers.
As an example, it can be noted that the sensor housing was previously installed by means of a retaining plate produced by the traditional PM process. A redesign with a thread at the bottom of the sensor housing has made the retaining plate – and thus its assembly – redundant. This was of course possible due to the increase in strength thanks to the component being produced in steel.
The sensor housing is fitted into a flow pipe that is used to measure flow and pressure in pipe systems. The housing is used to protect and enclose the electronics for the measurements.
How has our partner benefitted from collaboration?
… and not least experience with a first-class technology within powder metallurgy – a technology that is now used by our business partner in several other different areas.
Powder metallurgy is recognized as green technology, and at Sintex, we aim to advance processes within several areas – not only to ensure a sustainable technology, but also to streamline and optimize our solutions for high-volume production. Click here to read more.
Sintex - rethinking components of tomorrow
