What is metal injection molding used for?

Metal injection molding (MIM) is a versatile manufacturing process that produces small-size, complex, high-precision metal parts and components in high volumes for various industries and applications. Here is an overview of some of the critical uses and capabilities of MIM:

Medical Industry

MIM enables small stainless steel and titanium components like orthopedic knee and hip implants, dental implants, surgical instruments, scalpel handles, fracture plates, and spinal fixation devices. MIM provides the needed intricacy, durability, biocompatibility, and volumes for these applications.

Aerospace and Defense

Lightweight, complex MIM parts made from titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel alloys are used in guidance systems, GPS components, actuators, triggers, fasteners, connectors, nozzles, and other critical aerospace and defense assemblies. MIM enables small intricate geometries.

Automotive

The automotive industry utilizes MIM for fuel injection components, valves, impellers, turbocharger parts, locks, scissors, levers, and precision metal components where high strength, good corrosion resistance, tight tolerances, and production volumes are needed.

Electronics

MIM enables small precision metal parts unattainable with other methods. Miniature micro gears, connector pins, integrated circuit lead frames, RF shielding, heat sinks, switch components, and relay parts for electronics can be made via MIM.

Industrial

For industrial applications like fluid power systems, MIM produces valves, hydraulic manifolds, fuel injectors, gears, nozzles, pumps, tooling components, specialty fasteners, and other metal parts where precision engineering is critical.

Consumer Goods

MIM facilitates reasonably priced production of small intricate metal components for consumer products like sporting equipment, timepieces, jewelry, locks, zippers, hinges, fasteners, mobile phone accessories, and more.

Advantages of MIM process

Produce tiny, complex geometries with fine details and thin walls that are not die-cast or machined.

Achieve tight tolerances down to ±0.005 in. for precision.

Make small parts in very high production volumes economically.

Use diverse high-strength metals from stainless steel to titanium.

Manufacture ready-to-use components requiring little or no secondary machining.

Metal injection molding delivers capabilities and economics unachievable with most other manufacturing methods for small up to moderately sized complex metal parts needed in high volumes. MIM is highly valued across medical, aerospace, automotive, electronics, industrial, and consumer industries.