For high-volume, high-precision needs of many automotive applications, metal injection
molding (MIM) is a growing, though largely overlooked, process that could result in
significant cost savings.
Industry statistics state the overall process has grown from $9-million in 1986 (the
original patents were awarded in 1980) to $382-million in 2004 to more than $1.5-billion
in 2015. The sweet spot for metal injection molding covers high-volume, small parts
of relative complexity. For automotive, this includes brake components, rocker arms,
injector nozzles, and numerous fittings and connectors.
The concept of using the injection molding process familiar to plastics processors
to shape a metal excites many design engineers, especially when they learn the final
METAL INJECTION
MOLDING EXPLAINED
By RAY CHALMERS, Contributing Editor
Complex, high-volume
parts are ideal for this process.
Small, complex, high-volume
parts could benefit from
significant process savings
from metal injection molding.
(Image courtesy Smith
Metals)
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