Powder Injection Moulding International September 2020 Vol

0 FOR THE MIM, CIM AND SINTER-BASED AM INDUSTRIES

in this issue Ceramic Injection Moulding ElementPlus: Ti-MIM for 3C MIM-Master Neo

Published by Inovar Communications Ltd www.pim-international.com Publisher & Editorial Offices ® Inovar Communications Ltd CataMIM 11 Park Plaza Battlefield Enterprise Park • A direct replacement for all current Shrewsbury SY1 3AF United Kingdom commercially available catalytic debind Tel: +44 (0)1743 211991 feedstocks Fax: +44 (0)1743 469909 www.pim-international.com • Improved flow Managing Director & Editor • Stronger green and brown parts Nick Williams [email protected] For the MIM, CIM and sinter-based AM industries • More materials available and better Publishing Director Paul Whittaker surface finish [email protected] • Custom scale-up factors available Deputy Editor Emily-Jo Hopson-VandenBos Simulating sintering www.ryerinc.com • Faster cycle times [email protected] • 65°C / 150°F mold temperature Assistant Editor Kim Hayes distortion: Can MIM get a [email protected] Consulting Editors boost from Binder Jetting? ® Prof Randall M German AquaMIM Former Professor of Mechanical Engineering, San Diego State University, USA • Water Debind As I wrote in the introduction to Desktop Metal’s article on its Dr Yoshiyuki Kato Live Sinter simulation package, published in the September 2020 Kato Professional Engineer Office, Yokohama, Japan • Custom scale-up factors available issue of PIM International, sintering distortion is a fact of life Professor Dr Frank Petzoldt • Large selection of available materials Deputy Director, Fraunhofer IFAM, Bremen, to which we are accustomed in the Metal Injection Moulding Germany industry. Thankfully, through the combination of an experienced Dr David Whittaker eye, the iteration of a part’s design, and the use of sintering DWA Consulting, Wolverhampton, UK supports when needed, stable, high-volume, high-quality ® Bernard Williams SolvMIM Consultant, Shrewsbury, UK production is achieved. Production Manager • Solvent, Super Critical Fluid Extraction (SFE) or Hugo Ribeiro Shortly after that issue was published, Simufact Thermal Debind methods [email protected] Engineering GmbH, Hamburg, Germany, part of the Manufacturing Intelligence division of Sweden’s Hexagon AB, • Hundreds of materials available Advertising Jon Craxford, Advertising Sales Director announced its own simulation package for metal Binder Jetting • Custom scale-up factors available Tel: +44 (0)207 1939 749 to enable manufacturers to predict and compensate for the Fax: +44 (0)1743 469909 [email protected] distortion that sintering may have on parts. As the saying goes – MIM/PIM you wait ages for a bus, and then two come along at once. Subscriptions Powder Injection Moulding International is published on a quarterly basis as either a free Two questions arose in some of the discussions that followed: digital publication or via a paid print subscription. how well will these packages work for metal Binder Jetting? And, The annual print subscription charge for four issues FEEDSTOCKS assuming they are effective, can they be adapted for MIM? The is £145.00 including shipping. industry has been waiting a long time for such a solution, and it Accuracy of contents Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the would be a significant step forward should an effective sintering accuracy of the information in this publication, simulation package for MIM become available. • At RYER, all our feedstocks are manufactured to the highest level of the publisher accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising quality, with excellent batch-to-batch repeatability. there from. Inovar Communications Ltd cannot Time will tell when it comes to how useful these packages will • RYER is the ONLY commercially available feedstock manufacturer to be held responsible for views or claims expressed be, but even if they take us just a part of the way to predicting by contributors or advertisers, which are not how a part will behave during sintering, they will be of value. necessarily those of the publisher. offer all five debind methods. Regarding the question of whether they could also be made to Advertisements • RYER offers the largest material selections of any commercially Although all advertising material is expected to work for MIM, the feedback is, so far, positive. conform to ethical standards, inclusion in this available feedstock manufacturer. publication does not constitute a guarantee or The rapid progress of Additive Manufacturing therefore continues endorsement of the quality or value of such product to have a positive impact for MIM, with a proliferation of powder • RYER offers technical support for feedstock selection, injection or of the claims made by its manufacturer. producers, more competitive powder prices, and, through molding, debinding and sintering. Reproduction, storage and usage Single photocopies of articles may be made for sinter-based AM, the opportunity to diversify whilst leveraging personal use in accordance with national copyright existing expertise. laws. All rights reserved. Except as outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, Nick Williams, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission Managing Director & Editor of the publisher and copyright owner. Printed by Cambrian Printers, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom ISSN 1753-1497 (print) ISSN 2055-6667 (online) Cover image Vol. 14 No. 4 December 2020 A variety of ceramic components produced by CIM (Courtesy Expert Group CIM of the © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd German Ceramic Society)

2020 Spring PIM Ryer ad.indd 2 05/02/2020 14:52:59 December 2020

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83 ElementPlus: Exploring opportunities for titanium In this issue MIM in the consumer electronics sector 55 Ceramic Injection Moulding: Asia’s burgeoning consumer Developments in production technology, electronics sector has been the materials and applications driving force behind much of Ceramic Injection Moulding has been a key driver in Metal Injection Moulding’s growth enabling the world of technical ceramics to expand from a over the past decade. Can this narrow range of industrial applications to a new generation sector now help drive the MIM of titanium? of uses in advanced engineering, high-end luxury goods, WHEN CONSISTENCY IS KEY innovative medical Leading Chinese Ti MIM specialist devices, and components Shenzhen ElementPlus Material THE RIGHT PARTNER IS EVERYTHING for electric and hybrid Technology Co., Ltd. believes that vehicles that are enabling competitive powder prices, cost History is important – as are innovations. Just imagine what 158 years of materials expertise and nearly society’s shift to a lower- reductions thanks to more flexible half a century in powder atomization could do for you. Sandvik adds true value to your business carbon future. through world leading R&D and the widest range of metal powders on the market — including processing, and the development Osprey® nickel-free stainless steel and premium titanium powder, tailored to perfection for In this extensive review, of new applications with specific technologies such as metal injection molding. Our in-house atomizing facilities produce customized Dr-Ing Tassilo Moritz performance requirements, have and highly consistent metal powders with excellent morphology, at any fraction your process requires. considers recent created the perfect conditions for So, when you expect more than just a material... The right partner is everything. developments in CIM a breakthrough. The company’s production technology, General Manager, Daomin Gu, materials and applications, and identifies trends that will shares her insights with PIM MEET OUR METAL POWDER AND ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING EXPERTS AT affect the outlook for the sector. >>> International and reports on MIM 2021 | February 22-25 | mpif.org progress to date. >>> PM China 2021 | May 23-25 | pmexchina.com TCT Asia 2021 | May 26-28 | tctasia.cn Additive by Sandvik: Material Matters | Interactive webinar series | metalpowder.sandvik/webinar

93 MIM-Master Neo: A new generation of the continuous debinding and sintering solution that changed the MIM industry When first introduced in the early 1990s, the MIM-Master continuous debinding and sintering furnace system from CREMER Thermoprozessanlagen GmbH, in combination with BASF SE’s Catamold® feedstock, transformed MIM technology into a truly viable high-volume manufacturing process.

Today, the system has been further enhanced, and the • Low weight ‘next-generation’ MIM-Master Neo promises even higher • Good mechanical stability AM METAL POWDER capacity, improved temperature homogeneity and reduced • Low heat capacity running costs. In this article, the company’s Jacqueline • Solvent and acid resistant Gruber, Hartmut Weber and Ingo Cremer tell the story of MIM-Master and outline the innovations in the new • high open porosity system. >>> • dust- and particle-free surface MANUFACTURER • homogeneous shrinkage • Absorbtion of the binder into 101 Small-scale, complex parts with a fine surface the pores during the finish: An AM solution from Incus meets the debindering process • Very smooth surface ﬁ nish C demands of MIM producers • Compatibility to Molybdenum, M There can be few Metal Injection Moulding companies who CFC, RSiC J are not actively exploring the potential of metal Additive • Good to very good thermal CM Manufacturing in their business. Whilst Binder Jetting shock resistance

MJ and Material Extrusion-based processes are gaining • Handling and assembly with robots possible CJ much attention, particularly for the production of larger components, things become more complex when it comes CMJ to producing the parts that fall at the smaller end of MIM’s N size range, where surface resolution and finish become Al2O3 ZrO2 LTCC MIM even more critical. Dentalceramics In this article, Dr Gerald Mitteramskogler shares insight into Incus GmbH’s Lithography-based Metal Manufacturing process with PIM International and explains CHARACTERISTICS APPLICATIONS why it is so well suited to use by MIM producers. >>>

Plasma Quality Powder Additive Manufacturing Traceability Metal Injection Molding Regular features... Keramische Folien GmbH & Co. KG Tel.: +49 (0) 96 45 - 88 300 Capacity Hot and Cold Isostatic Pressing 09 News [email protected]

AS9100 and ISO 9001 Thermal and Cold Spray 108 Advertisers’ index & buyer’s guide Discover the leading suppliers of materials and equipment for MIM, CIM and sinter-based metal AM, as well as part manufacturing partners and more. >>> Contact us for more information Subscribe to our mailing list 110 Events guide +1 819 820 2204 www.tekna.com/webinars View a list of upcoming events for the MIM, CIM & sinter- based AM industries. >>> TEKNA.COM

Industry News

Epson Atmix increases water high-performance mobile devices such as smartphones and laptop computers. The market for these powders atomised powder production is expected to expand further in the future thanks to capacity, anticipates growing an increase in the use of electrical components in automobiles and an increase in the number of inductors demand from AM installed in hybrid and electric vehicles. Epson Atmix’s magnetic-grade powders are said to contribute to the manufacture of magnetic components with low levels of Epson Atmix Corporation, Aomori, Japan, an Epson Group magnetic loss and, as such, also contribute significantly to company, has begun operations on a new production line reducing the power consumption and size of these types of at its Kita-Inter Plant, Hachinohe, Japan. Built with an components. investment of approximately JP¥1.5 billion, the new line www.atmix.co.jp uses the company’s water atomisation process to produce what it calls ‘superfine’ alloy powders. The line will enable Epson Atmix, which also produces superfine alloy powders at its Head Office Plant, to increase its total production capacity to around 15,000 tons per year, about 1.5 times its current production capacity, by 2025. The company’s water atomised superfine alloy powders are classified into two main types, depending on what they are made from and how they will be used: powders for magnetic applications and powders for Metal Injection Leaders in MIM/AM Debind + Sinter. Moulding. The company’s water atomisation process, in which high-pressure jets of water are used to atomise Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. a molten metal stream generated by a high-frequency induction furnace, enables the production of micron-order particles to create alloy powders that are well-suited to Elnik’s innovations and experiences in all areas of temperature and atmosphere management have led us to become MIM, with a uniform composition and characteristics. the benchmark for the Batch-based Debind and Sinter equipment industry. We have applied these core competencies Particle size can be adjusted according to the application across a wide variety of industries through our 50 year history and look forward to the emergence of new technologies to increase sintered part density and strength. that will continue to drive demand for new innovative products. Elnik is your partner for the future. The company’s water atomised MIM-grade powders are well established in the global MIM industry and are Innovation drives our manufacturing and design solutions used for components that have complex shapes and that Quality takes precedence in all areas of our business COMPLETE SYSTEM SOLUTION require high dimensional accuracy and strength, such as Experience motivates our team to always do what’s right FROM A SINGLE SOURCE parts for medical devices, automotive engine applications, Excellence is the benchmark for all customer relationships consumer electronics, and office-automation equipment. TISOMA Anlagenbau Furnace technology From First Stage Debind Equipment (Catalytic, Solvent, Water) and Second Stage Debind & Sinter Furnaces (All Metal or The company stated that, in addition to growth from und Vorrichtungen GmbH Graphite) to support with ancillary utility equipment, Elnik’s experienced team is driven to be the only partner you need for the MIM industry, demand is also expected to increase Gewerbepark am Bahnhof 3 MIM-technology all your MIM and Metal AM equipment needs. as metal Additive Manufacturing technologies become 36456 Barchfeld-Immelborn increasingly widely adopted throughout industry. Epson Germany Hard metal technology Phone +49 36 95/55 79-0 Atmix’s lineup of MIM-grade powders includes stainless Innovation. Quality. Experience. Excellence. E-Mail: postmaster@ti soma.de steels and low-alloy steels. Special constructions www.tisoma.de Magnetic-grade powders serve as the raw materials for electronic components such as inductors, choke Our clients do not want explanati ons, but solutions to their problems! 107 Commerce Road | Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 USA | +1 973.239.6066 | elnik.com coils, and reactors required to control the voltage of

8 Powder Injection Moulding International December 2020 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd December 2020 Powder Injection Moulding International 9

distribution and deliver the highest- Cobra Golf launches new putter possible Moment of Intertia (MOI) in EPSON ATMIX CORPORATION produced using HP Metal Jet, expands a blade shape (Fig. 1). During the final step of the range of MIM wedges manufacturing process, the surfaces of the putter were precision milled using a Computer Numeric Golf club manufacturer Cobra Golf, Developed over the past two Controlled (CNC) machine to headquartered in Carlsbad, Cali- years in collaboration with Cobra ensure precise shaping and detail fornia, USA, has launched the King engineers and the teams at HP while adding the finishing cosmetic Supersport-35 putter, the company’s and Parmatech – a leading MIM touches (Fig. 2). The Supersport first club produced using metal producer and launch partner in features a high MOI heel-toe Binder Jetting. The development of HP’s Metal Jet program based in weighted design for maximum this first additively manufactured Petaluma, California, USA – the stability, and a plumber neck hosel golf club follows the company’s limited edition Supersport-35 with a 35° toe hang suitable for earlier move into Metal Injection putter features a fully additively slight arc putting strokes. Moulding for its King MIM wedges manufactured 316 stainless steel Cobra Golf explains that the in 2019 and the recently announced body with an intricate lattice additively manufactured putter King MIM Black wedge. structure to optimise weight represents a revolutionary advancement in the way golf clubs are designed and manufactured. The Finer Powder Production company selected HP as its partner to pioneer Additive Manufacturing in Cleaner Powder Production golf due to the advantages that HP’s Metal Jet Binder Jetting technology, a sinter-based AM technology which Shape Control of Powders shares post-processing steps and some aspects of part design and quality with MIM, presented over traditional manufacturing and other AM processes. • Low Alloy Steel With its quicker processing time and greater design adaptability, the company states that its engineers • High Alloy Steel were able to design, prototype, and test multiple iterations and bring the Fig. 1 The limited-edition putter features an additively manufactured 316 stain- product to market much faster than • Stainless Steel less steel body with an intricate lattice structure to optimise weight distribution has previously been possible. and deliver the highest-possible MOI in a blade shape (Courtesy Cobra Golf) Cobra and HP began working together in early 2019 and created • Magnetic Materials thirty-five different design iterations over the course of eight months, showcasing the design freedom and • Granulated Powder speed of product innovation available using the HP Metal Jet machine, notes Cobra Golf. In addition to this launch, the brands are reportedly working together on a strategic, multi-year JAPAN product roadmap that leverages the Mr. Ryo Numasawa design and manufacturing benefits [email protected] U.S.A and SOUTH AMERICA of HP’s Binder Jetting technology Mr. Tom Pelletiers to deliver future golf equipment ASIA and OCEANIA [email protected] that raises performance and golfer Ms. Jenny Wong satisfaction. Cobra plans to launch [email protected] EU Fig. 2 The putter’s external surfaces are CNC machined to ensure precise two additional products in 2021 Dr. Dieter Pyraseh shaping and detail while adding the finishing cosmetic touches that feature Additive Manufacturing (Courtesy Cobra Golf) technology. CHINA [email protected] Mr. Hideki Kobayashi [email protected] KOREA Mr. John Yun 10 Powder Injection Moulding International December 2020 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd December 2020 Powder [email protected] Moulding International 11 Industry News | contents | news | advertisers | events | website | e-newsletter | | contents | news | advertisers | events | website | e-newsletter |

Bryson DeChambeau, SIK Golf partner and Cobra ambassador, reported, “I’ve had a lot of success over the years with my SIK putter and was really excited to work with Cobra GAIN A MATERIAL ADVANTAGE WITH to develop a new way to manufacture equipment and bring this new putter to market.” AMP’S MIM AND PIM FEEDSTOCK “HP’s Metal Jet technology is an incredibly advanced production method and very exacting, which is Our metal injection molding feedstocks – available in POM-based (Advacat®) pretty critical in golf equipment,” he ® continued. “I think golfers of all levels or wax-based (Advamet )binder systems – will allow you to produce will benefit from the combination of world-class precision parts for the aerospace/defense, automotive, firearms, Cobra’s high MOI design and SIK’s Descending Loft technology.” industrial, and medical/implantable markets.

Cobra Golf expands its MIM range Fig. 3 Cobra Golf has added King MIM Black wedges to its well-received King with King MIM Black wedges n Tight dimensional control MIM line (Courtesy Cobra Golf) Cobra Golf has also reported that it n is expanding its family of ‘King MIM’ Higher yield wedges, manufactured using Metal n Enhanced cracking resistance “At Cobra Golf we strive to deliver us to design products in a new and Injection Moulding, with the addition high-performance products that help superior way.” of its King MIM Black wedges to the n Excellent green strength golfers of all levels play their best and Uday Yadati, Global Head of HP well-received line. n enjoy the game,” commented Jose Metal Jet, HP Inc, stated, “The The wedge is produced from 304 Superior homogeneity Miraflor, vice president of Marketing, power of personalisation enabled stainless steel and, after sintering, n Lot-to-lot consistency Cobra Golf. “To do that, it’s critical to by 3D printing delivers completely robotically polished to exact specifica- use the most effective manufacturing reimagined consumer products tions, eliminating the variability that n Alloys never made obsolete processes to design, develop, and and experiences. This first of its can come from hand-polishing on a achieve optimal results, and we’ve kind putter is a shining example of wheel. The end-to-end process is fully certainly done that with this new the disruptive design and produc- automated to deliver consistency from putter. To continue innovating and tion capabilities of HP Metal Jet club to club, including on grind shapes transforming the way equipment is 3D printing technology. Cobra’s and bounce. The King MIM black manufactured, we worked with HP commitment to innovation and wedges have a glare-reducing Quench NOW offering... and Parmatech to take advantage of competitive excellence combined Polish Quench (QPQ) black finish. the benefits of Metal Jet technology.” with the technical expertise and The club faces and grooves are Toll Processing and Material “During the development of the leadership from Parmatech has led CNC-milled for maximum surface Rejuvenation Services King Supersport-35 Putter, we saw to a breakthrough design win for roughness to deliver the right spin immediate benefits from this process, golf fans around the world.” profile, with milling performed in a including design freedom, rapid In addition to the additively circular pattern in order to maximise Automotive Firearms Industrial Medical/Implantables design iteration, and high-quality manufactured design, the King spin on softer shots where the ball parts that meet our economic Supersport-35 Putter, which won’t go as deep into the grooves. The demands,” he added. 3D printing is comes in an oversized blade grooves are shaped uniquely to each accelerating design innovation, and shape, features SIK Golf’s Patented wedge, with weaker lofts featuring this breakthrough putter will help Descending Loft technology wider, shallower grooves, Grooves For more information visit www.ampmim.com or usher in a new era for the sporting re-engineered into an aluminium become narrower and deeper as loft contact [email protected] equipment industry at large.” face insert. The company states that decreases. “HP’s 3D printing technology this insert design strategically saves “When we introduced MIM Wedges or 724-396-3663 allows us to utilise a complex lattice weight from the front of the putter to last year, it marked a steep change in structure to remove weight from the be repositioned heel-toe and tunes the way wedges were manufactured,” centre of the putter-head and push the feel to a slightly softer feel than stated Tom Olsavsky, vice president of significant amounts of weight to the a traditional all-steel SIK putter R&D for Cobra Golf. “Since then, we perimeter. The result is superior face. Their signature face design have received requests from better MOI levels and massively increased utilises four descending lofts (4°, 3°, players asking for the type of black stability and forgiveness. So not 2°, 1°) to ensure the most consistent finish that is preferred on Tour.” only is the 3D production method launch conditions for every putting www.cobragolf.com more consistent but it also allows stroke. www.hp.com/go/3Dprinting

related patents pending globally, is binders FullFullFull-Full---MouldMouldMould ExOne previews new InnoventPro said to advance the field of binder metal Binder Jetting machine and jet Additive Manufacturing in critical Elemental Technologies ways. The company explains that, binder system because nanoparticles fill in the interstices between powder bed The BINDER for thermal debinding The ExOne Company, North on their feedback, we’re going to particles and can bond at lower Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, USA, has give them an updated entry-level temperatures, they enable stronger systems, capable of being recycled released details of its InnoventPro system that’s bigger, faster and green parts. In turn, this enables the concept, said to be the most advanced smarter than ever,” stated John Additive Manufacturing of larger parts entry-level model for metal Binder Hartner, ExOne CEO. and finer features, delivering sharper up to 10 times! Jetting. The InnoventPro will be The InnoventPro will feature corners and edges. These new deployed with ExOne’s NanoFuse the same recirculating print head binders are said to also improve ® • Just regrind the sprue, runner and unwanted green parts then reuse! binders, a new range of inkjet- modules used on the X1 25Pro and the resolution and sinterability of printable nanoparticle suspensions, X1 160Pro™ metal Binder Jetting high-demand metals, such as copper • Use 100% reground material without the need for fresh feedstock! and is scheduled for release in the Additive Manufacturing machines, and aluminium. • No change in the shrinkage ratio or physical properties! second half of 2021. allowing users to easily scale up Rick Lucas, ExOne CTO and VP, According to the company, the from R&D to high-volume produc- New Markets, commented, “Just • No change in mouldability! InnoventPro will be a major upgrade tion, explains the company. as the current Innovent+ served as • No need to modify debinding and sintering setup! of the Innovent+, which ExOne The recirculating print head the proving ground for our patented released in 2016. It will offer two new reportedly also enables ExOne to Triple ACT system, which now delivers build sizes, a three and a five litre offer particulate binders as an option industry-leading quality in metal version, with build speeds topping on a commercial Binder Jetting Binder Jetting, the InnoventPro will 3 700 cm /hour. The new AM machine system. According to the company, offer groundbreaking new features in Binder system design is said to be aimed at academics, its research team has been a commercial system. Our patented Binder System Design researchers, and a full spectrum of additively manufacturing a variety approach to 3D printing particulate Characteristics required for Binder The flow amount F, when the load S is applied to the thermoplastic manufacturers, from machine and of nanoparticles suspended in its inks in a print bed is opening new fluid, is given as following equation.  MIM shops to high-volume producers, binders for years. doors in Binder Jetting.”  High flowability at molding   who want to produce metal parts ExOne’s patented Triple ACT temperature quickly, affordably and sustainably. A new class of NanoFuse binders is a critical advanced compaction Binder design considering the viscosity at Here, a is the flow characteristic at load=1, n is Barus effect. “Customers around the world The all-new class of NanoFuse technology that, depending on the around the molding temperature. Barus effect already love the Innovent+, and based binders, first patented in 2018 with material, delivers final part density of  High expansion property in the mold 97+%, dimensional tolerances in Image of flow during injection moulding the range of < 1%–2.5%, and high behavior consistency, with part variation of just Wide moulding condition range because of the Barus Effect. (Fig.1 and 2) 0.3% across the powder bed. The company explains that Triple Impact on ACT has been so effective that it has  High thermal decomposition property the injection also sped up ExOne’s qualification in the de-binding process process There is no effect on the sinter quality, Jetting Cloud, Sink Good product of new materials. ExOne binder jet because there is no residue after de-binding. (cause of welding) (cause of dimensional error) systems now process more than (Fig.3) Fig.1 Schematic of the relationship between n value and flow characteristic twenty metal, ceramic and composite ※Since larger n value, material expands in the mould, dense green part is materials, with single-alloy metals obtained. making up more than half of those offerings. NanoFuse binders are expected to expand that material range and improve sintering dynamics. www.exone.com ■：use other company’s binder ◆：atect MIM Feedstock Discover our new Buyer’s guide... Find new suppliers of materials, Fig.2 Flow characteristic compared with pellets using the other company’s Fig.3 TGA Curve of Binder binder production equipment and finished ExOne’s InnoventPro is a new entry-level Binder Jetting system for additively ※All components are vaporized at around 500℃. ※With our binder, it is possible to obtain precise green part because material MIM or sinter-based AM parts on manufacturing metals, ceramics and composites (Courtesy The ExOne easily expands in the mould. pages 108–109 Company) atect corporation www.atect.co.jp 3275-1 Kamihaneda Higashiohmi Shiga Email :[email protected] 14 Powder Injection Moulding International December 2020 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 14 No. 4 Tel:Vol. 074-820-3400 14 No. 4 © 2020 Inovar Fax: Communications 074-820-3401 Ltd [email protected] 2020 Powder Injection Moulding International 15

infrastructure such as continuous Euro PM2020 Virtual Congress brings APP completes Blue Power and Amazemet develop casting machines and drawing PM community together online expansion compact ultrasonic atomiser benches. Very small batch sizes, of around The European Powder Metallurgy We had such a strong technical Advanced Powder Products, Inc. Blue Power Casting Systems The melting can either take place 100 g or less, are reported to be both Association (EPMA) held its Euro programme this year that it would (APP), Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, USA, GmbH, Walzbachtal, Germany, under vacuum or in a controllable technically and financially viable, PM2020 Virtual Congress from have been truly unfair to the a company specialising in MIM and in cooperation with Amazemet atmosphere. The powerful medium- while larger production capacity of October 5–7, 2020. The Virtual speakers not to have the opportunity metal Additive Manufacturing, has Sp. z o.o., a Warsaw University of frequency induction generator up to several kg (bronze) per hour is Congress, the first online edition to present their work,” stated Lionel announced the completion of a 2,300 Technology spin-off company, has produces excellent stirring/mixing possible. An increased powder yield of the EPMA’s annual Powder Aboussouan, EPMA Executive m2 expansion of its manufacturing developed a compact ultrasonic effect, improving the quality of the is made possible due to operating at Metallurgy Congress, included Director. facility. atomisation unit for R&D purposes alloying. “A crucible-based induction a higher frequency (up to 80 kHz). For over 160 oral presentations, with Ralf Carlström, EPMA president, With the MIM industry said to and small powder batch production. heating system has many economic example, bronze particle sizes in the interactive Q&A discussions with opened the Plenary Presentations be growing at a rate of 5–7%, APP Dr Fischer-Bühner, Head of R&D at benefits over plasma-assisted range of D50=40–60 µm can be easily the authors following each technical with an overview of the status explains that the expansion will Blue Power, stated that the atomiser ultrasonic atomisation,” commented achieved, with further improvements session. and trends in the European PM allow the company to better serve unit enables users to produce small Mateusz Ostrysz, co-founder of on the horizon. The technical programme industry. This was followed by its customers and facilitate its batches of high quality, spherical Amazemet. The ultrasonic process is said to represented all areas of Powder Jean-Marie Reveille of automotive continued growth, adding capacity for powder for the same target applica- The loss of alloy ingredients offer the flexibility users require in Metallurgy, including Additive benchmarking company A2MAC1 subsequent years. The new facility tion as gas atomised powder at an through evaporation is prevented terms of both inputs and outputs. The Manufacturing, functional materials, who presented on current and new houses a state-of-the-art quality lab, affordable price and without complex without the need for any sophisticated plant can reportedly handle almost any hard materials and diamond tools, opportunities for PM components in increased processing capabilities, infrastructure. and expensive filtration systems, non-ferrous metal in any shape with a Hot Isostatic Pressing, Metal new mobility. automation development facilities and The ultrasonic atomiser solution state the developers. The system is melting temperature less than 1300°C, Injection Moulding, new materials, “Our members are always a research and development centre. features a crucible-based induction not restricted to just pre-alloyed wire with the company also developing processes and applications, and enthusiastic about the latest The company’s growth plans include heating system which allows the and bar; the feedstock can be any an 1800°C version. No calibration is conventional press and sinter PM. research in PM and I think we found the hiring of skilled professionals, melting temperature to be precisely shape. This means that users can needed; pre-installed programs cover “Moving to a digital platform was a great method of delivering it to engineers, and technicians, as well as controlled, thereby preventing the avoid the time and effort needed to the basic materials and alloys. a big challenge, but I am delighted them,” concluded Aboussouan. entry-level manufacturing support. loss of alloy ingredients such as zinc produce complex and expensive wire, www.bluepower-casting.com with the event we were able to deliver. www.epma.com www.advancedpowderproducts.com and chromium through evaporation. no longer needing the associated www.amazemet.com It’s a matter of choice

High temp lab and industrial furnace manufacturer to the world

www.cmfurnaces.com [email protected] 103 Dewey Street Bloomfield, NJ 07003-4237 | Tel: 973-338-6500 | Fax: 973-338-1625

Call for Speakers issued for Ceramics Rapidia launches South China MIM & AM Expo 2021 Conference new rapid cooling summit highlights new PM Tooling furnace business opportunities for Smart Shows Tarsys Ltd, the • Energy storage and harvesting System organiser of Ceramics Expo, has • Composite and ceramic part manufacturers issued a Call for Speakers for the materials: synthesis and The EROWA PM Ceramics Expo 2021 conference, characterisation, structure and The second South China MIM & Additive Manufacturing which is scheduled to take place in design Technology and Application Summit took place Tooling System is Cleveland, Ohio, USA, from May 3–5, • Filtration on November 26, 2020, at the Lotus Villa Hotel in the standard inter- 2021. The free-to-attend conference Chang’an, Dongguan, China. Co-organised by China • Ceramic coating runs concurrently to the exhibition Powder Metallurgy Alliance (CPMA), Guangzhou face of the press and brings together industry leaders • Machining of CMCs Guangya Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd and Uniris Exhibition tools between the to share their technical expertise • Electronic packaging Shanghai Co Ltd, the summit welcomed over 200 in ceramics and provide real-world • Coatings (Thermal barriers) attendees and highlighted the latest developments toolshop and the case studies, new technologies and Rapidia’s new rapid cool sintering within the Metal Injection Moulding and Additive powder press materials, along with information on • Catalysts furnace enables an entire sintering Manufacturing sectors. industry trends. cycle to be completed in about twenty Industry experts and academic speakers shared machine. The 2021 conference will continue Materials properties hours (Courtesy Rapidia Inc) their market insights within the automotive, medical, Its unrivalled re- with the theme of enabling “a clean, • Electric consumer electronics, and communications industries efficient and electrified future.” This • Thermal and also unveiled the latest market intelligence setting time also approach will explore Ceramic matrix Sinter-based Additive Manufacturing • Optical and development opportunities. The summit was enables you to composites (CMCs), catalysts and technology developer Rapidia Inc, moderated and chaired by Professor Li Yimin of the • Wear and corrosion filtration, technical and industrial based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Powder Metallurgy Research Institute of Central South produce small coatings, metallisation of ceramics Canada, has launched a new rapid University and Deng Zhongyong, Dean of the Central Manufacturing series profitably. and ceramic coatings on metal alloys cooling sintering furnace. The new Research Institute of Shanghai Fuchi High-Tech Co Ltd. Process improvement (lead time and amongst many other key topics, furnace was developed while the Zhang Zhiheng, Secretary General of Professional cost), innovation, and best practice of: explains the organiser. company was in the process of Committee of CPMA, Professor Yan Biao, Chairman of www.erowa.com Abstracts are welcomed on the • Ceramic AM improving the insulation in its existing the Shanghai Powder Metallurgy Industry Association, following topics: • Improvement of forming sintering furnaces, to reduce heat and Louis Leung, Deputy General Manager of processes: Ceramic Injection losses and limit skin temperature Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd delivered Industry trends Moulding, slip casting, pressing, in AM parts. During this process, their opening remarks during the summit’s opening • Costs and industry financial tape casting, Hot Isostatic the company explains that the ceremony and stated that the convergence of AM issues, such as economic Pressing, etc. detrimental side effect of a lengthy and MIM technologies is presenting new business cool down time became apparent. forecasting, material availability, • Improvements in resin formula- opportunities for part manufacturers. The rapid cooling furnace is said to etc. tion, slurries, additives, rheology In addition, twelve experts representing the National mitigate this effect. • Workforce development Tungsten Engineering and Technology Research Center, • Coatings Rapidia’s new furnace is available Shanghai Materials Research Institute, University of more info • Overviews of technical hurdles • Improvements in debinding and in the same compact size as the Science and Technology Beijing, Tongji University, that need to be overcome in sintering processes company’s earlier furnace designs, Southern Medical University, Southern University of future markets • (Precision) finishing sized to fit through an office door and Science and Technology, Guangdong University of • Raw and precious materials occupy a minimal footprint. In the new • Testing and analysis Technology presented their research and perspectives acquisition model, the need to install a vent to the • Applications of Big Data in on AM and MIM, as well as an analysis of industry • Industrialisation building exterior has been eliminated manufacturing processes trends and market prospects. by the addition of a high-end activated Approaching the end of the summit, Dr Yaohong Qiu, Abstracts should be submitted by Applications carbon filter, while the power require- Chief Lecturer and founder of the You Need Technology January 17, 2021. Further informa- ments remain unchanged. • Ceramic matrix composites Consultation Company, hosted the Summit Salon, tion and submission guidelines are Using the rapid cooling furnace, which was the final session of the event that included • Mobility available via the event website. the entire sintering cycle can opportunities for networking and a Q&A session for • Sensors www.ceramicsexpousa.com reportedly be completed in about participants and speakers. twenty hours. As parts produced The organisers stated that they view the summit as using Rapidia’s Material Extrusion a ‘warm-up’ event for the Formnext + PM South China Publish your MIM, CIM and sinter-based AM (MEX)-based AM process, which uses trade show, which will take place for the first time on news with us... water as the binder, do not require September 9–11, 2021, in Shenzhen, China. The summit a debinding step, it is said that parts advocated the importance and advantages of the new Submitting news to PIM International is free of charge and reaches a global can be built and sintered to comple- fair to the industry and featured the expected highlights audience. For more information contact Nick Williams: tion in under twenty-four hours. of the upcoming exhibition. [email protected] www.rapidia.com www.formnext-pm.com

services to advise on gas supply Linde launches options and best practice for cylinder Steinbach invests in Lithoz’s CeraFab gas for optimal storage. System S65 to develop high- According to Linde, the tailored sintering in the argon/hydrogen mix of ADDvance performance ceramics Desktop Metal Sinter250 is for use on parts made from stainless steel powders, but Steinbach AG, Detmold, Germany, of industrial Additive Manufacturing Studio System the company states that it will also reports that it has expanded its machines for high-performance supply a pure argon 5.0 gas for machine park by investing in an ceramics, as well as furnaces, Linde, a global industrial gas the manufacture of parts made additional CeraFab System S65 from Steinbach states that it is meeting Steinbach has invested in a CeraFab specialist headquartered in from low-alloy steel and tool steel Lithoz GmbH, Vienna, Austria. the growing demand for additively System S65 from Lithoz (Courtesy Guildford, Surrey, UK, has launched powders. Steinbach offers prototyping manufactured high-performance Lithoz GmbH) ADDvance® Sinter250, a new gas “Linde has long been a in series quality as well as series ceramic components. mixture designed to deliver optimal pioneer in the development of Linde has launched a new gas production for a wide range of The CeraFab System S65 can be atmospheric conditions in sintering innovative gas mixtures to optimise mixture to optomise sintering in applications and industries, expanded to up to four production CeraFab 3D printers because we furnaces as part of Desktop Metal’s manufacturing processes,” stated Desktop Metal’s Studio System including medical technology, units to meet the needs of industrial are convinced of the outstanding sinter-based Additive Manufacturing Pierre Forêt, senior expert Additive (Courtesy Linde/Desktop Metal) high-temperature applications, series production. In combination quality and also find competent process. The argon/hydrogen Manufacturing, Linde. “In this and the electrical, automotive and with optimised process parameters, and fast support in our daily work,” gas mixture has reportedly been rapidly developing world of Additive developed a standard gas offering aerospace industries. a significant increase in productivity commented Volker Sämann, Business developed for Desktop Metal’s Manufacturing, we are delighted to optimised for Studio System and is With the addition of the CeraFab is achieved, notes Steinbach. Unit Manager of Steinbach AG. European customers, for use with the be collaborating with an innovator able to offer this streamlined solution System S65 and the company’s “We continue to trust in the www.steinbach-ag.de company’s Studio System™. in the space such as Desktop Metal to our European Desktop Metal investment in the latest generation cooperation with Lithoz and their www.lithoz.com Linde states that it will also to supply this gas mixture to their customers. This enables us to expand supply customised installation kits customers.” our horizons and bring added value to to simplify the implementation of the Arjun Aggarwal, VP of Business our business.” and auditing according to ISO 50001 Studio System, allowing for faster Development & Product, Desktop www.linde.com Zimmer Group converts production underlines its successful measures. start times, as well as consultancy Metal, commented, “Linde has www.desktopmetal.com to sustainable carbon-neutral “More than 100 current measuring points were installed for consumption system monitoring and analysis,” he stated. “This enabled us to identify many The Zimmer Group, Rheinau, Zimmer, Managing Director, Zimmer more potential savings and to derive Germany, reports that it marked its Group. measures from them.” One further Thermal Process Equipment 40th anniversary this year with the “The Zimmer Group is thus example is the use of heat pumps conversion of its production to a becoming another piece of greener for air conditioning its buildings and sustainable CO -neutral system. The and more regional infrastructure,” he cooling its machines, the optimisation for PIM Manufacturing 2 Thermoprozessanlagen GmbH company’s portfolio of manufacturing continued. “All in all, these measures of the company’s compressed air

capabilities includes a Metal Injection will save a total of 5,595 tonnes of CO2 network, and the switch to LED HIP/CIP for Optimum Material Moulding operation for in-house and per year, which corresponds to about lighting. third-party production. fourteen fully-fueled jumbo jets. As part of the Zimmer Group’s Properties According to the group, one million The climate-neutral eco gas saves a future plans, it also wants to sensitise further 295 t CO .” its employees to environmental • pmax = 2000 bar kilowatt-hours of green electricity 2 The Zimmer Group explained that protection and energy. For this • T = 2000°C are generated annually from the max Süwag hydroelectric power station it is also taking steps in the area of reason, five trainees were recently

• Shorter cycle times in Willstätt, 15 km away. Now, the electric mobility to minimise CO2 qualified by the Southern Upper emissions. At both company sites in Rhine Energy Chamber of Commerce • High cooling rates Zimmer Group states that it gener- ates approximately the same amount Freistett, a total of sixteen charging and Industry and advised by Michael for heat treatment of CO2-neutral electricity. Several points will be set up in the car parks Fischer. applications photovoltaic systems are already to charge electric vehicles during As part of the ‘Energy Scout’ installed on the company roofs in working hours; the company’s vehicle project, these trainees looked for new Furnaces for Debinding Freistett, and the group plans for fleet is also being successively ways to save energy and identified another photovoltaic system to be converted to electric vehicles and them in the compressed air guns that and Sintering put into operation on its newly built plug-in hybrids. the company needs for production, Batch and Continous production hall. Michael Fischer, the Zimmer among other things. The necessary “Consuming electricity where it Group’s Environmental and Energy nozzles are now being developed is generated in an environmentally Management Officer, explained in-house to enable the compressed friendly manner directly on site is an that the group is committed to air guns to consume considerably less essential component of our envi- the continuous optimisation of energy. www.cremer-polyfour.de ronmental strategy,” stated Günther environmental protection services, www.zimmer-group.com

The hole patterns in the mounting Arburg launches additional functions for platens take into account all its Allrounder 270 S compact machine standard requirements for mould technology in this size class, option- Arburg GmbH + Co KG, Lossburg, parting line, enabling a wider range of ally for Europe or the USA. To comply Germany, has launched additional moulds and processes. with current safety standards, the functions for its hydraulic Allrounder In order to work with a wider range socket combinations of the machine 270 S compact injection moulding of materials, highly wear-resistant are equipped with RCD protection as machine in order to expand the range chrome nitride-coated cylinder CHINA’S LEADING standard. of applications. modules are optionally available The machine can now be config- states Arburg. For automated Direct distribution to reduce cost ured online via the arburgXworld applications, the Allrounder 270 S and delivery times SUPPLIER OF MIM POWDERS customer portal and ordered directly compact can also be equipped with an With the hydraulic Allrounder 270 S with short delivery times. It also now Integralpicker V. In addition, machines compact now being directly available offers more modular configuration in the field can be retrofitted with a online, Arburg explains that in order options and functionality. robot interface if required. to benefit from this new option, ADOPTING ADVANCED GAS AND WATER According to the company, the customers must initially register free Additional functions and features compact machine stands out for its of charge on the customer portal COMBINED ATOMIZATION TECHNOLOGY The company explains that its minimal footprint, a control cabinet via the company website and then Allrounder 270 S compact with 350 kN integrated into the machine base and activate the configuration app. With of clamping force and a size 100 energy-saving servo hydraulics (ASH). this tool, standardised machines can injection unit is now available with The Selogica control system with its be individually configured by adding a parting line unit. By repositioning range of functions is said to ensure defined options and then ordered the injection unit, it can also be reliable quality even for demanding with fixed conditions. used to vertically inject in the mould cycles. www.arburg.com

Sandvik Additive Manufacturing joins GE Additive’s binder jet beta partner programme

GE Additive reports that Sandvik to involve developing the beta H2 Additive Manufacturing, a division system into pilot lines, and eventually of Sandvik AB, headquartered in into a commercially-available factory Stockholm, Sweden, has joined its solution in 2021. binder jet beta partner programme. “Our approach to binder jet is GE Additive’s H2 Binder Jet beta Sandvik has one of the widest alloy making additive mass production a machine, which will continue to programmes for Additive Manufac- reality in every industry,” stated Jacob be developed as part of the first turing, marketed under the Osprey® Brunsberg, Binder Jet Product Line phase of the binder jet beta partner brand. Leader, GE Additive. “And while it programme (Courtesy GE Additive) Sandvik will work closely with GE would be relatively easier to launch Additive to become a certified powder individual machines, we continue to supplier for a range of Osprey alloys hear from customers, especially in commented, “Sandvik is a leading that complement GE Additive and the automotive industry, that they expert in gas-atomised Additive AP&C’s own materials portfolio, and need a complete solution that can Manufacturing powders, as well will reportedly also use GE Additive’s scale.” as in optimising the materials to H2 Binder Jet beta machine to Brunsberg continued, “Attracting customers’ specific print processes support its internal and external partners like Sandvik – with know- and applications. The materials customers. how in industrialising innovation, deep collaboration with GE Additive offers GE Additive’s binder jet beta materials knowledge, and a shared great opportunities to qualify our partner programme hopes to leverage vision for the potential for additive wide range of Osprey metal powders its strength in industrialising Additive technology – remains a cornerstone for their new binder jet platform, to Manufacturing technology with strong of our binder jet commercialisation enhance end-customer productivity technical and innovative partners strategy.” and product performance.” to rapidly grow its Binder Jetting Kristian Egeberg, president of www.ge.com/additive technology. The first phase is said Sandvik Additive Manufacturing, www.additive.sandvik

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defects might occur. Manufacturers Full Series Debinding and Sintering Furnace Simufact introduces new module to can use this information to make compensate for sintering distortion in changes earlier in their product for Metal Injection Molding development and reduce the need Binder Jetting for costly redesign. Designed for busy manufacturing professionals, the simulation tool can automate the model setup, preparing the CAD or CAE file for manufacturing simulation, and simulations can also be automated through Python scripts. To validate the sintering compensation and increase confidence in quality, the optimised geometry from the tool can be immediately compared to both the initial design (CAD) geometry and a metrology scan of a manufactured part within the user interface. “We are pleased to introduce the first solution for simulating the metal Binder Jetting sintering Three phases of automated optimisation show compensation for distortion process to the market so that using the metal Binder Jetting module in Simufact Additive. The results show manufacturers can take advantage the deviation between the simulated part and its initial CAD geometry – blue/ of this important new method,” red = bad; green = good (Courtesy Simufact) commented Dr Gabriel McBain, Senior Director Product Manage- ment, Simufact & FTI. Simufact Engineering GmbH, sintering, and the simple shrinkage “We know customers see Hamburg, Germany, part of the models used for other processes metal Binder Jetting as a pivotal Manufacturing Intelligence division cannot predict this distortion for technology for manufacturing, of Sweden’s Hexagon AB, has AM. Until now, costly physical particularly where there’s a need introduced its metal Binder Jetting trials were required to perfect the to produce intricate parts at high Improve YOUR sintered parts' tolerance to (BJT) module for its Simufact Additive Manufacturing of each part, volumes like the automotive 2‰ Additive simulation software, which preventing many manufacturers industry. This development was only enables manufacturers to predict from realising the low cost and possible through close collaboration Basic furnace Hiper Pro furnace and prevent the distortion that flexibility BJT offers, notes the between our manufacturing and sintering processes can have on company. printer equipment partners and Tolerance：0.08 mm parts during design. The new simulation tool, which our highly experienced research Variance：0.02 The company states that its was made available to existing & development department,” new simulation tool marks a Simufact Additive customers in concluded McBain. Tolerance：0.4 mm significant step forward for Additive August 2020, extends its capabilities www.simufact.com Manufacturing because it helps for BJT processes. Manufacturers www.hexagonmi.com Variance：0.1 manufacturers achieve the high can predict the shrinkage caused by Material： 316L quality they require while exploiting factors such as the thermal strain, ：D50=10um(water atomization） the unique benefits BJT offers for friction, and gravity during sintering Powder volume production. It is understood without specialist simulation Publish your MIM, Size： 9*9*55mm that there is also interest in applying knowledge. CIM and sinter-based this technology to support the By compensating for these Weight： 27g sintering distortion simulation of changes, parts can be additively AM news with us... Description：Square、long、half hole parts produced by Metal Injection manufactured as they are designed, Our Technology， Submitting news to PIM Moulding. and production teams can ：Hard to get uniformity sintering International is free of charge and Challenge Simufact explains that one key significantly reduce the proportion reaches a global audience. For challenge in metal Binder Jetting of parts that must be scrapped or dimension because of half hole your more information contact Nick Future! has been the prediction of changes re-processed. Sintering-induced Williams: during the sintering process. A part mechanical stress is also predicted [email protected] can shrink as much as 35% during before the build, indicating where Hiper is the leading MIM furnace manufacturer in the world l Graphite/Metal hot zone debinding and sintering furnace E : [email protected]/W: www.hiper.cn l All-in-one walking beam continuous debinding and sintering furnace No.365 Xinxing Yi Road,Cixi,Zhejiang,China 24 Powder Injection Moulding International December 2020 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd December 2020 Powder Injection Moulding International 25 Industry News | contents | news | advertisers | events | website | e-newsletter | | contents | news | advertisers | events | website | e-newsletter | Industry News

ising facility produces the highest Dr John Johnson to lead Operations quality metal powders of their kind Tritone announces installations of and Technology at MIM powder globally, in the finest range of sizes its Dominant sinter-based metal AM available through gas atomisation. specialists Ultra Fine and Novamet Novamet Specialty Products machines Corporation was formed in 1976 to Ultra Fine Specialty Products, LLC, His research has encompassed apply technology to the develop- Tritone Technologies, a metal AM “We continue to add more options (Ultra Fine) an affiliate of Novamet all methods of powder production ment of nickel-base powders and technology company based in Rosh of raw materials to address the Specialty Products Corporation, and consolidation, especially Powder technologies into different morpholo- Haayin, Israel, has installed its first market demands. The Runout installa- ® Inc, Lebanon, Tennessee, USA, Injection Moulding, extrusion, die gies, shapes, and sizes for various Tritone Dominant beta AM machine tion marks a significant milestone for has announced the appointment compaction, isostatic pressing, and industrial uses, focusing on nickel at Israel-based Runout, a provider Tritone. We are ready to support them A Tritone Dominant beta metal AM of Dr John Johnson, PhD, as vice freeform fabrication, and he is said powders produced by its then-parent, of CNC machining and milling for in making the best use of the system machine has been installed at Runout president, Operations and Technology to have helped pioneer the rapid Inco. industrial, high-tech and aerospace and looking forward to additional for producing industrial metal AM parts of both companies. In his new prototyping of iron-copper mould The company was acquired by applications. A further beta installa- deployments,” Sagi concluded. (Courtesy Tritone Technologies) position, he will be responsible for inserts. Johnson has published over investors in 2010 and, after nearly tion of Tritone Dominant is planned www.tritoneam.com the manufacturing and technical a hundred papers in the areas of forty years in Bergen County, New before the end of 2020 at a customer facilities located in Tennessee and Powder Metallurgy, ceramics and Jersey, USA, moved its headquarters site in Germany. Rhode Island, USA. PIM. He is the recipient of numerous and manufacturing facilities to Tritone Dominant enables the Johnson is said to have an awards, and was granted APMI Fellow Lebanon, Tennessee. Novamet industrial-scale production of extensive background in particulate status in 2019. currently processes and distributes high-quality metal parts and is materials processing of metals and Ultra Fine was purchased on June various metal powders and coated based on Tritone’s patent-pending ® ceramics, including compositions 30, 2020, from Carpenter Technology products for the Metal Injection MoldJet technology, a sinter-based based on tungsten, molybdenum, by a group of investors, including Moulding, aerospace, automotive, process designed for producing large titanium, iron, nickel, copper, Johnson, all of whom are affiliated coatings and electronic materials quantities of high-density parts with silica, alumina, silicon nitride and with Novamet Specialty Products. markets. complex geometries, explains the aluminium nitride. According to the company, its atom- www.novametcorp.com company. Since its introduction at Formnext 2019, Frankfurt, Germany, Tritone states that it has improved the Dominant AM machine and increased Markforged, access to strong 3D its set of available alloys to address Markforged names new president and printed parts was limited to those the rigorous requirements of industrial who could afford million-dollar Chief Executive Officer applications. “Tritone Dominant is an machines.” important addition to our operations,” Markforged, Watertown, Massa- of the Americas region at Kornit “Today, we have parts flying stated Arnon Langevitz, co-CEO and chusetts, USA, has announced the Digital, a global specialist in 2D in space, and on commercial and founder of Runout. “With its high- promotion of Shai Terem to president digital printing for textiles, and held military jets; we have hundreds of quality AM capabilities, we are better & Chief Executive Officer. Gregory various product marketing, finance, thousands of parts used by frontline equipped to serve our customers in Mark, founder of Markforged, has now and operations roles within the AM workers to fight COVID,” he continued. various applications. We are able to transitioned to the role of chairman. company Stratasys. “All are printed on a platform that is produce very accurate, repeatable The leadership announcements are “I have been fortunate to spend robust enough for end-use aerospace, parts in short timelines at a reduced the results of a planned succession the majority of my career in this and affordable to high schools and cost.” and are said to be designed to position industry – experience that gives colleges. We have democratised “The Dominant system opens new the company for continued success in me profound appreciation for the metal and carbon fibre 3D printing, opportunities of re-engineering and the next phase of its growth. immense value that Markforged and we’re just getting started.” designs for our customers, which As CEO, Terem will lead the brings to organisations around the “We believe Shai will continue were not feasible before,” Langevitz development and execution of world,” stated Terem. “Our tools are this progression and grow into more continued. “We can now support them short- and long-term strategies and designed to allow manufacturers to factories, schools, and design shops with weight reduction, producing a day-to-day operations, with the aim go from design to a functional part around the world,” he added. “With single merged part instead of separate of positioning Markforged to continue with unmatched efficiency to truly his operator chops and considerable pieces before, and complex internal delivering value to its key stakeholders optimise the supply chain. It is an Additive Manufacturing experience, passages.” as the company continues to scale. honour to take the helm of such a Shai has the right combination of Omer Sagi, VP Products and Since joining Markforged in pioneering company, and I’m eager skills to continue our rapid growth.” Business Development at Tritone, December 2019 as president and to play my part in our mission to In his new role as chairman, Mark commented, “We are very excited Chief Operating Officer, Terem has reinvent manufacturing.” will focus on promoting adoption of to see Runout utilising the Tritone reorganised the company to incorpo- Gregory Mark stated, “Leading the company’s Additive Manufacturing Dominant. Following the unveiling of rate a channel-first approach while Markforged for the past seven years platform among engineers, designers Dominant last year, we have made building a strong infrastructure for as Chief Executive Officer has been an and manufacturing professionals all tremendous progress in adjusting it to rapid, efficient and scalable growth. amazing journey, and I’m incredibly over the world. the needs of serial production, from Previously, he served as president proud of what we’ve built. Before www.markforged.com cut design to end parts.”

was said to be resistant to specific Ricoh develops Binder Jetting process solvents due to the cross-linking. for aluminium part production Immersing the parts in a solvent for a set time therefore enables the efficient removal of excess powder, particularly from small internal channels. Following a solvent drying stage, the parts undergo a liquid-phase sintering operation. A target liquid phase amount of approximately 20–30% is required, with the parts maintaining a temperature Fig. 1 Binder jet sample parts incorporating internal channels appropriate for elution of the liquid (Courtesy Ricoh) phase amount for between two and five hours. The researchers reported that With metal Binder Jetting (BJT) to form complex internal channels tensile strength testing, thermal systems now offering the potential during the process – an option the conductivity testing, cross-section for the high-volume, cost-effective company says is not possible with structure observation, and X-ray CT Additive Manufacturing of complex conventional processes (Fig. 1). internal observation were performed parts, there is a growing demand For the development of this new on the resulting sintered parts. to broaden the range of material binder system, the team used an The tensile strength and stretch options available. Aluminium is AlSi alloy powder with an average values of the test sample seen in one such metal that could offer the particle size of 35 µm, coated with Fig. 2 were reported to be 100 MPa, potential to produce a variety of new what is described as a resin. The equivalent to that of a typical pure parts; however, the metal can be main objective of the resin coating, aluminium material. Using a xenon difficult to process in the sintering explains Ricoh, is to allow bonding flash analyser, thermal conductivity stage. through a mutual interaction with was determined to be 188 W/mK, To alleviate this problem, a team the binder liquid, as well as reducing equivalent to AlSi die-cast products. of researchers at Ricoh Company the risk of explosion. The binder An X-ray CT image of a sintered Ltd, based in Kanagawa, Japan, has liquid used incorporates an organic block, measuring roughly 15 mm developed a unique binder material solvent and an additive to ensure per side, is shown in Fig. 3. The that, when combined with a suitable the cross-linking of the resin-coated sample’s relative density reached debind and sinter stage, offers the powder particles. 98.4%, and it was confirmed that potential to use typical aluminium Ricoh used a prototype Binder sintering was accomplished well, powders in the Binder Jetting Jetting machine, developed with no large pores. The results of process. Furthermore, the use of a in-house, to create a powder layer microstructural observations (Fig. 4, liquid immersion technique devel- thickness of 84 µm with a binder overleaf) found that grain sizes were oped at Ricoh for removing excess liquid drop resolution of 300 x approximately 50 µm, equivalent to a powder is said to make it possible 300 dpi. The resulting green body typical cast structure.

Fig. 2 The tension test specimen, for which mechanical processing was Fig. 3 X-ray CT of the sintered sample, performed on a resulting sintered body (Courtesy Ricoh) approx.15 x 15 mm (Courtesy Ricoh)

Since the year 1996 Fig. 4 Grain sizes were approximately 50 µm, equivalent to a typical cast part (Courtesy Ricoh) Fig. 5 Resin coating amount / minimum ignition temperature (Courtesy Ricoh) The No.1 MIM powder manufacturer in China with a capacity of 6,000 TONS/ Year in the year 2020 中国最大MIM粉末厂家，始于1996，预计2020年产能将达到6000吨。 The relationship between the uncoated powder. The researchers it is now working on the creation amount of powder coating resin state that the resin coating appears of a prototype with a larger and the minimum ignition energy is to suppress the transfer of explo- build chamber and even thinner highlighted in Fig. 5, showing that sive energy between particles. internal channels. The team is when the resin amount exceeds This testing confirmed that it also working to expand the range 2 wt.%, the minimum ignition was possible to form 90 mm long of alloys that this method can be energy increases, greatly stabilising internal channels with diameters used with. the coated powder in comparison to of 2 mm. The company states that www.ricoh.com Producaon process: Water-gas combined atomizaaon, Gas atomizaaon 生产工艺：水气联合和气雾化

CEO, notes that design processes Syqe Medical were constrained, requiring many MIM powder：304L 316L 17-4PH and F75 turns to XJet for adjustments; consequently, produc- 主要产品：304L 3 1 6L 17-4PH 和 F75等 tion costs were high, delivery times high-temperature long – yet still the materials were not ceramic parts durable enough. Main applicaaon industry: MIM, “Realising we needed another XJet Ltd., Rehovot, Israel, reports solution, we turned to XJet,” 3D prinang etc that Syqe Medical, Tel Aviv, Israel, a commented Itay Kurgan, Product 主要应用领域： MIM 3D打印等 pharma-tech company and manu- Manager at Syqe Medical. “We have facturer of a revolutionary medical a wealth of experience with Additive inhaler, is using XJet NanoParticle Manufacturing technologies and Jetting™ (NPJ) technology to create whilst the polymer materials don’t Syqe Medical states that XJet parts which are said to be impossible have the heat resistance we needed, ceramic materials deliver the high- to produce with other manufacturing XJet ceramic materials are resistant temperature resistance and electrical methods. to temperatures even higher than our insulation needed for the company’s Syqe Medical’s Selective-Dose requirements and of course they are new test facility (Courtesy XJet Ltd) inhaler aims to increase the electrically insulated.” effectiveness of patient treatment “Minor design adjustments are by delivering a range of drugs at very easy, and results are precise Dror Danai, XJet CBO, stated, breakthrough levels of precision. This and repeatable, so we can achieve “Syqe Medical is making life-changing allows patients to reach the optimum optimum accuracy and delivery times advancements in the field of patient balance between symptom relief are very fast,” he continued. “Where care so, we’re delighted to see them and adverse events, and regain their all other options were flawed in at reaping the rewards of XJet’s unique quality of life. least one aspect, XJet provided the capabilities. Ceramics have some Finding a need to build a high- perfect solution.” very valuable material properties, but precision, high-temperature and The XJet Carmel 1400 AM it can be difficult to exploit them due electrically-insulated test facility for machine, which features the to difficulties in the manufacturing product development, Syqe Medical company’s patented NPJ technology. process. XJet delivers all the benefits first looked to PEEK materials and produces ceramic parts with super- of ceramic materials, with accuracy traditional manufacturing methods fine details, smooth surfaces and high and precision, but without the difficul- because of the heat resistance accuracy which are preserved with ties of traditional manufacturing.” Internaaonal sales: Vivian requirements. However, Perry the use of soluble support material, www.xjet3d.com Email: [email protected] Davidson, Syqe Medical’s founder and explains Syqe Medical. www.syqemedical.com Tel: +86 311 89650555 Mobile: +86 13290511818 Web：www.lidemimpowder.com 30 Powder Injection Moulding International December 2020 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd December 2020 Powder Injection Moulding International 31

BASF’s Forward AM launches Ultrafuse New dates announced for Ceramitec as Call for Papers for 17-4 PH filament for metal AM 2021 event postponed Euro PM2021 applications The next edition of Ceramitec will protection and hygiene concept,” The European Powder Metallurgy now be held from June 21–24, 2022. stated Gerhard Gerritzen, a member Association (EPMA) has issued a Forward AM, an Additive Manufac- new filament, combining stainless Typically held once every three years, of Messe München’s Manage- Call for Papers for its Euro PM2021 turing solutions brand of BASF 3D steel powder with a polymer binder, the trade show last took place in ment Board and responsible for Congress & Exhibition, which will Printing Solutions GmbH, headquar- complements the company’s existing April 2018, but the decision has ceramitec. “However, due to trade take place in Lisbon, Portugal, fair policy reasons, the Exhibitors’ on October 17–20, 2021. Authors tered in Heidelberg, Germany, has Ultrafuse 316L filament. The new metal filament Ultrafuse been taken by the organisers, Messe ® Advisory Board has asked for a are invited to submit abstracts of launched Ultrafuse 17-4 PH for Offering high mechanical strength 17-4 PH (Courtesy Forward AM) München, in close cooperation with the Material Extrusion (MEX)-based and hardness, the new AM material the Exhibitors’ Advisory Board, to postponement to the year 2022. We papers for presentation which will Additive Manufacturing process Fused is said to be ideally suited for a wide postpone the 2021 event due to comply with this proposal.” be allocated to oral and poster Filament Fabrication (FFF). The range of applications, such as tooling, jigs and fixtures, and functional current trade fair policy. Ceramitec is “We are all convinced that sessions by the Technical Programme prototypes, states Forward AM. Good one of the leading international trade postponing the event by one Committee (TPC). corrosion resistance and the ability shows for ceramics, and covers the year with the opportunity to have Oral sessions will each contain to be fully heat treated to high levels full spectrum of the industry from Ceramitec running in parallel to four presentations, with twenty of strength and hardness make classic ceramics to raw materials, Analytica and Automatica is the minutes scheduled for each paper, Ultrafuse 17-4 PH a suitable choice heavy clay and industrial ceramics, right way to realise a successful fair including discussion time. Poster for a range of industries including through to technical ceramics and on-site with the usual high share of presentations will be in allocated petrochemicals, aerospace, automo- Powder Metallurgy. In total, 633 international participants. We will topic zones and will be on display for tive, and medical, it added. exhibitors from thirty-eight countries continue to develop and digitally the duration of the event. Abstracts Ultrafuse metal filaments are and more than 15,000 participants complement our platform to add should be submitted using the specifically developed to work from ninety-three countries attended fresh momentum to the ceramics EPMA’s online submission form on all common open source Ceramitec 2018. industry – both at our home base in before the deadline of January 20, FFF machines, from beginner to “From today’s perspective, Munich and worldwide,” Gerritzen 2021. Further information is available MIM debind and sinter industrial level, which the company Ceramitec could take place thanks concluded. via the organiser’s website. notes makes it one of the easiest to Messe München’s sophisticated www.ceramitec.com www.europm2021.com pim international 2016-09.pdf 1 30/08/2016 vacuum furnaces and most cost-effective technologies in metal Additive Manufacturing. Over 6,500 production and laboratory furnaces manufactured since 1954 In 2019, Forward AM launched the company’s first metal filament with • Metal or graphite hot zones Ultrafuse 316L. “Ultrafuse 17-4 PH is an • Processes all binders and feedstocks outstanding result of our strong STOCK CODE:000969 • Sizes from 8.5 to 340 liters R&D commitment,” commented METAL POWDERS (0.3–12 cu ft.) Firat Hizal, Head of Metal Systems • Pressures from 10-6 torr to Group, BASF 3D Printing Solutions. SINCE 1958 750 torr “We filamented more than ten AT&M Expands Capacity To 10000 Tons, Possess 13 Production lines, • Vacuum, Ar, N and H different metals from titanium 2 2 C Focus On Soft Magnetic Powders and MIM Powders, The New Joint • Max possible temperature to tool-grade steels, and several M Venture Located In Bazhou City,Hebei Province,China 3,500°C (6,332°F) alternative materials to print Y • Worldwide field service, support structures within this year. rebuilds and parts for all Going forward we will continue to CM makes introduce the new filaments that MY

the market and our customers CY demand.” TM CMY Hizal added, “We have already MIM-Vac K ® established a distribution network Injectavac that collaborates closely with our Centorr Vacuum Industries debinding and sintering service 55 Northeastern Blvd Nashua, NH 03062 partners in different regions and USA can thus deliver an integrated Advanced Technology (Bazhou) Sales Agent in Europe Tel: +1 603 595 7233 Special Powder Co.,Ltd Fax: +1 603 595 9220 end-to-end solution. We are proud to Burkard Metallpulververtrieb GmbH Email: [email protected] extend our portfolio with Ultrafuse No.76 Xueyuan Nanlu, Haidian Tel. +49(0)5403 3219041 Beijing,100081, China E-mail: [email protected] 17-4 PH.” Tel:+86(10)-62182464 www.forward-am.com Email:[email protected] www.vacuum-furnaces.com http://www.atmcn.com

fifty years yet are by far the most LightForce Orthodontics raises common treatment tool; aligners $14 million in Series B funding round are esthetic and patient-specific, but because of patient compliance and LightForce Orthodontics, Cambridge, alike. We are pleased to partner with biomechanical limitations, they only Massachusetts, USA, a digital such an impressive team of doctors serve a small fraction of our patients platform specialising in orthodontics and engineers and contribute to today.” has raised $14 million in a Series B LightForce’s success.” “This opportunity to help patients funding round led by Tyche Partners Currently, a vast majority of ortho- and orthodontists was why we with follow-on investment from dontic cases are treated with the applied modern 3D software and Matrix Partners and AM Ventures. same ‘one-size-fits-all’ braces that ‘mass-customisation’ to what Founded in 2015 by Dr Alfred have been used for decades, states we know today as ‘braces’,” he Griffin, DMD, PhD, MMSc along with the company. LightForce’s platform continued. “We’ve seen LightForce Dr Lou Shuman, DMD, LightForce enables mass-customisation to provide shorter treatment times, enables orthodontists to utilise its better treat each individual patient fewer appointments, and an overall Additive Manufacturing technology through a highly-integrated platform more efficient experience for to create custom braces for each that helps orthodontists determine patients and doctors. In the last individual patient, significantly the best treatment plans and create year our business has doubled reducing the number of adjustment each patient’s unique bracket every quarter, and that tells me visits needed. The company explains system. that LightForce has pinpointed a that it will use the new funds to Orthodontists who treat patients true need within the orthodontic further develop its technology and with LightForce technology begin space. We look forward to growing product offerings, as well as to scale the process by sending LightForce with our investors, partners and the operations to meet the recent surge technicians a scan of the patient’s orthodontic community to provide COMPLEX in demand for more efficient dental teeth and their treatment plan. the best experience and outcomes technologies. The LightForce team then creates for our patients.” COMPONENTS Weiji Yun, Managing Partner the fully-customised brackets and LightForce offers a variety of at Tyche Partners, stated, “We’re trays and sends them directly to products which include: always looking for visionary entre- the practice for the orthodontist to • LightPlan (Treatment Software SOLUTIONS preneurs utilising the latest cutting- efficiently bond to the patient’s teeth by LightForce) – With complete edge technologies to transform and via trays. control of every aspect of the revolutionise industries. Alfred and LightForce technology uses treatment plan and a simple Shanghai Future High-tech Co., Ltd. was founded in 1999. With over 20 years’ MIM development and Lou’s inspirational vision offered ceramic material which is said cloud-based interface for manufacturing experiences, we have become one of the leading MIM manufacturers in the world. We us an opportunity to expand our 3D to be virtually identical to injec- adjustments and approvals printing investment portfolio and the tion moulded brackets, but is • Cloud Brackets (Braces by have three production bases，two in Shanghai and another in Shenzhen, to provide best-in-class prod- company’s rapid growth is proof that specially formulated for Additive LightForce) – LightForce’s Cloud ucts at a competitive cost to our customers. the industry is primed for a solution Manufacturing. Dr Alfred Griffin, brackets are white, patient- that improves the orthodontic LightForce CEO and co-founder, specific AM ceramic polycrystal- We’re providing new products from design, prototype, small batch to volume production to our custom- experience for patients and doctors stated, “Braces haven’t changed in line alumina brackets ers with one-stop technical support. Our main product applications covering automobile, medical, con- • LightTray (Indirect Bonding Trays by LightForce) – The sumer electronics, tools, locks, etc… LightTray is a patient-specific indirect bonding (IDB) tray additively manufactured from a proprietary material. The tray ·95% + feedstock self-developed ·47+ materials application design is the result of seven 3D ·95+ MIM patents ·Molding machine : 350+ sets algorithms unique to LightForce that are all intended to optimise ·In-house tooling workshop (design & fabrication) ·In-house equipment design & modify the clinical user experience and ·Early involvement in customer design stage ·Dedicated automation department bonding accuracy • TurboTrays (Bite Turbos by LightForce) – LightForce TurboTrays are additively manufactured to aid in the LightForce Orthodontics will use the new funds to further develop its patient’s bite correction. technology and product offerings (Courtesy LightForce Orthodontics) www.lightforceortho.com

http://www.future-sh.com +86-021-56445177 [email protected]

Ruger completes acquisition of MIM2021 virtual Formnext Connect celebrates success Marlin Firearms conference and as a digital hub for AM

Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., Southport, for the Northern District of Alabama PIM tutorial The organisers of Formnext, community and target industries for Connecticut, USA, a leading manufac- on September 30, 2020. The purchase Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH, dialogue, business, and innovation,” turer of firearms for the commercial price of approximately $28.3 million The virtual edition of the MIM2021: report that on the first Formnext commented Sascha F Wenzler, vice sporting market, has completed was reportedly paid with available International Conference on Injection Connect successfully fulfilled its president Formnext at Mesago Messe the acquisition of substantially all cash on hand. Molding of Metals, Ceramics and role as an international digital hub Frankfurt GmbH. “Formnext has thus Formnext Connect’s programme of Marlin Firearms’ assets, as of Christopher J Killoy, Ruger CEO, Carbides, is set to take place on for the AM world, highlighting, even demonstrated that, even in a purely of stage events and sessions were November 23, 2020. commented, "Since we announced February 22–25, 2021. The conference in challenging times, the continuing digital format, it is indispensable as watched by 45,000 spectators Established seventy years ago, the agreement to purchase Marlin will include presentations on the importance of one of the world’s a globally-important catalyst for the (Courtesy Mesago Messe Frankfurt Ruger offers consumers almost 800 in September, we have heard from latest advancement Metal Injection leading exhibitions for the Additive technological and economic develop- GmbH) variations of more than forty product countless members of the firearms Moulding and related technologies, Manufacturing industry. ment of this future-oriented industry.” lines. Ruger also operates a Metal community – consumers, retailers, including advances in applications, The digital event, which ran Accompanying Formnext Connect Injection Moulding facility, Ruger distributors, writers, and collectors materials and processing. from November 10–12, attracted was the varied programme from as a digital platform and will continue Precision Metals (formerly Megamet – who are delighted that legendary Delegates will benefit from 203 exhibitors, with about 2,200 the ‘Additive Manufacturing Capital to form an important part of future Solid Metals Inc.) in Earth City, Marlin rifles are now part of the Ruger e-handouts of the presentations as representatives, and showcased 1,412 Studio’, featuring a number of high- exhibitions,” he stated. Missouri, USA, that makes compo- product family." well as a virtual exhibit featuring the products. Approximately 8,500 active profile guests. This was broadcast Despite this, Wenzler states that nents for its own firearms production "We are excited to start moving latest process and product innova- participants from more than a hundred on the main stage in consideration he is of the firm belief that the digital as well as serving external customers. these assets to our Ruger facilities tions and access to several industry countries used the event’s AI-powered of different timezones and featured format can never make up for the The company states that the and setting up the manufacturing publications. matchmaking function, which gener- discussion panels among tech- direct contact and personal interac- agreement to purchase the assets of cells that will produce Marlin rifles An optional PIM Tutorial will be ated more than 450,000 product and nology experts from the various tion of a physical event: “That is why Marlin Firearms stemmed from the for years to come. We look forward instructed by Matt Bulger, the former networking recommendations. exhibitors as well as interviews with we look forward to future editions of bankruptcy of Remington Outdoor to re-introducing Marlin rifles in the president of MIMA (Metal Injection In addition, 23,311 new connections representatives from various user Formnext, which we hope will once Company, Inc. and was approved by latter half of 2021," he concluded. Molding Association). were made between attendees and industries, including automotive, again be held in person, so that we the United States Bankruptcy Court www.ruger.com www.MIM2021.org 4,733 business meetings held in the aerospace, construction, mechanical may bring the vibrant Formnext form of video calls. In a programme engineering, medicine, and tool and atmosphere, which we are all familiar of 221 lectures and presentations, mould-making. from previous years, back to the a range of global experts discussed Wenzler believes that the success Frankfurt show floor.” current and future trends, develop- of the digital format will also play a The next edition of Formnext is ments and applications for AM. role in future trade fair formats. “Born scheduled to take place in Frankfurt, “The newly-developed digital format out of necessity due to the worldwide Germany, from November 16–19, of Formnext Connect has enabled corona [COVID-19] restrictions, 2021. Simplifying the complex us to meet the demand from the AM Formnext Connect has proven itself www.formnext.com Solving the impossible International Powder Metallurgy PMCC&AC EXPO 2020 reports success Technology Development Forum. and announces dates for 2021 show During the forum, presentations were PolyMIM® - Water soluble binder system given by experts including Dr Q, Chief The Shenzhen International Powder groups also joined the event, Lecturer, You neeD Technology Office; Metallurgy, Cemented Carbide including Foxconn and Huawei. Dr Yu Peng, Southern University of PolyPOM - Catalytic binder system & Advanced Ceramics Exhibition Due to the coronavirus (COVID- Science and Technology; and Prof Li (PMCC&AC EXPO) 2020 was held 19) pandemic and the resulting Xiaofeng, North University of China. - 3D-Printing Materials from September 13–15, at The restrictions placed on travel and The Second International Symposium GranuPrint Shenzhen Convention and Exhibi- the changes to working patterns, on Amorphous Alloy Powder tion Center in Shenzhen, China. more enterprises were said to be Technology and Application and The According to the event organ- focusing on the domestic market. 10th China Small Motor & Magnetic Three systems with excellent characteristics during production. isers, which include Wise Exhibition Over 200 companies participated in Materials Industry Development Global presence and application support. (Guangdong) Co.,Ltd., Guangzhou the exhibition, where they exhibited Summit were also held alongside PolyMIM GmbH Machine Tool & Tool Industry, raw and auxiliary materials, PMCC&AC Expo 2020. Am Gefach and Donguan Numerical Control products and equipment relevant The 2021 Shenzhen International 55566 Bad Sobernheim Cutting Association, the PMCC&AC to Metal Injection Moulding, Powder Metallurgy, Cemented Phone: +49 6751 857 69-0 EXPO 2020 covered an area of Powder Metallurgy and Additive Carbide & Advanced Ceramics Fax: +49 6751 85769-5300 15,000 m2 and attracted 19,310 Manufacturing. exhibition will be held from July 1–3, Mail: [email protected] visitors from a number of different Running alongside the 2021. PolyMIM GmbH a subsidiary of the Polymer-Group www.polymim.com www.polymer-gruppe.de cities. Thirty-two purchasing exhibition was the 2020 Shenzhen www.pmccexpo.com

Chris Weirman, Director of Wall Colmonoy adds Desktop Metal Technology at Wall Colmonoy Comparing cost and environmental Shop System Limited (UK), stated, “We identified impact assessment of Binder Jetting and the Desktop Metal Shop System as Top plate Wall Colmonoy Limited (UK), and marine, with the quality, surface the ideal choice for our first step MIM to produce microreactor plates Pontardawe, Wales, UK, the European finish and tolerances needed to in the metal AM journey due to headquarters of the global powder co-exist with machining. its speed, size and flexibility, plus Manufacturing process design (MPD) to be economically produced using and components manufacturer Wall Wall Colmonoy is reported to the relationship between Desktop is used to model environmental conventional subtractive methods Colmonoy, has purchased a Desktop be the first company in the UK to Metal and its UK reseller Tri-Tech impacts and will become increasingly such as laser cutting. Middle plate Metal Shop System from UK-based purchase a Desktop Metal Shop 3D. This builds upon our knowledge important in the assessment Metal BJT and MIM were both Additive Manufacturing equipment System. Having been established as of polymer 3D printing for complex of the technical advantages studied for production of the middle reseller Tri-Tech 3D. a materials engineering business for investment-cast forms.” and disadvantages of different and bottom microreactor plates Desktop Metal’s Shop System was over eighty years, the company serves The Shop System is already manufacturing processes for specific used in dimethyl ether production Bottom plate launched during Formnext 2019. The the aerospace, automotive, glass, said to be allowing Wall Colmonoy products. MPD investigates the and the authors compared the two high-speed, single-pass system was oil & gas, mining, energy, and other to partner with several Additive physics and the chemistry of the manufacturing processes for annual designed to introduce high-quality industrial sectors. Its Pontardawe Manufacturing customers. The capital equipment, shaping tools production volumes ranging from Fig. 1 Exploded assembly view of metal Binder Jetting (BJT) to the facility recently celebrated its fifty-year company now supports the design, and work holding tools for the unit 1,000 to 100,000 parts. They stated DME microreactor plates (From market of machine shops and metal anniversary. prototype, and product qualification manufacturing processes (UMPs) that, whilst the technical advantages paper: ‘Cost and environmental fabrication job shops, a global The company has seen a surge in of AM parts for customer-specific for a product, in order to generate and disadvantages of MIM and BJT impact assessment of stainless steel industry estimated to be worth nearly requirements from existing and new requirements, and can also develop supporting process flows and related have been explored in prior research, microreactor plates using binder $180 billion. customers for highly-complex parts solutions to overcome existing costs in a bottom-up manner. Life little has been reported on the relative jetting and metal injection moulding The Shop System can be used and tooling in recent years. With the technical challenges. cycle analysis (LCA), meanwhile, sustainability of their performance. processes’, by K. Raoufi, et al., to additively manufacture end-use Shop System, it will use Binder Jetting www.desktopmetal.com functions by (1) defining the goal and Binder Jetting does not directly Procedia Manufacturing, Vol. 48, 2020, metal parts for a variety of industries, alongside sophisticated software to www.wallcolmonoy.com scope of the study, conducting both fuse the metal powder layers, as 311-319) including manufacturing, tooling, maximise its Additive Manufacturing www.tritech3d.co.uk (2) an inventory analysis and (3) an in Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) AM, automotive, consumer electronics, efficiency and effectiveness. environmental impact assessment but rather uses a binding agent to and (4) interpreting results. bond the powders together layer production scenarios were obtained Research undertaken at the by layer, creating a green part. The from the MPD analysis. The life cycle School of Mechanical, Industrial BJT process does not, therefore, inventory (LCI) data for the processes and Manufacturing Engineering, require a heat source to produce the in the system boundary were captured Oregon State University, and HP Inc., green part, reducing cycle time and from the literature and by consulting both located in Corvallis, Oregon, improving cost-effectiveness relative with design and manufacturing USA, provides a comprehensive cost to PBF in high production volumes for practitioners, as well as using the Years of customer feedback to combine ADVANCED VACUUM and environmental assessment many applications. ecoinvent 3 database. innovation and reliability. Entrust to our cutting- of producing a specific product, The basic process flow for Detailed materials and energy edge know-how to enhance your production TECHNOLOGIES namely microreactor plates, using producing microreactor plates inputs for the BJT and MIM processes with economical benefits in terms of cost and both Binder Jetting (BJT) Additive using BJT involves four major steps: flows are reported. SimaPro 9, an FOR THE PIM INDUSTRY lead time reduction. Manufacturing and Metal Injection building, depowdering, debinding and, industry-standard LCA software, was Our product range to process metallic or Moulding (MIM). Results of the finally, sintering. The AM process used to capture data and conduct ceramic powders includes: research have been published in a starts with spreading a layer of 316L the impact assessments. Impact paper by Kamyar Raoufi,et al. in stainless steel powder, followed by assessments used the cumulative • HIGH TEMPERATURE VACUUM SINTERING Procedia Manufacturing, Vol. 48, 2020, depositing the binder, and finally by energy demand (CED), IPCC 2013 • DEBINDING/SINTERING FURNACES 311-319. The paper was originally curing the powder/binder layer using V1.03, and ReCiPe 2016 methods. • DEBINDING/PRE-SINTERING FURNACES scheduled to be presented at the 48th a heat source (e.g. a lamp). This cycle CED was said to capture indirect SME North American Manufacturing repeats until all layers of the green and direct energy use over the life • HIGH PRESSURE SINTER-HIP FURNACES Research Conference (NAMRC 48), part are built. The green part then cycle. The IPCC 2013 method applied which was cancelled due to the undergoes debinding and sintering. assumes a 100-year time horizon to coronavirus (COVID-19). MIM involves injection moulding estimate global warming potential. The microscale chemical reactor of the 316L stainless feedstock to The production cost models for plates are made from 316L stainless produce a green part, followed by the cost of goods sold (COGS) showed steel and are used to convert syngas primary debinding to produce the a reduction of COGS with increasing into dimethyl ether (DME) at operating brown parts, removal of the secondary annual production for the middle and temperatures of 250–280°C and binders by thermal debinding, then bottom reactor plates using the MIM TAV VACUUM FURNACES SPA ph. +39 0363 355711 pressure of 7–20 bar. Fig. 1 shows sintering to densify the material and and BJT processes, as can be seen [email protected] an exploded assembly view of the provide the required properties. in Fig. 2. MIM results in lower COGS www.tav-vacuumfurnaces.com DME plate reactor with three plates. The authors reported that the than BJT for all production volumes. In this study, the top plate was not required materials, consumables and At 1,000 reactors per year, the unit included, as its design allowed it utilities for each UMP under both cost for MIM ($294) is 17% lower

Raoufi et al. / Procedia Manufacturing 00 (2019) 000–000 5

6 6 than for BJT ($356). As productionRaoufiRaoufi et al. et / al.Procedia / ProcediaManufacturingManufacturing5,000 00 (201 00 (2019) 0009) –000000–000 volume increases to 10,000 reactors BJ per year, COGS for both processes MIM decrease with the same relative cost savings, while at 100,000 reactors 356 Unlock the power of AM 294 per year, COGS for MIM is 22% less 500 140 than that for BJT. 130 116 Using the production cost curves 101 by cost elements and process steps, it was found that the main cost driver COGS per reactor ($/unit) was capital tooling cost. Specifically, 50 MIM was found to have lower capital 100 1,000 10,000 100,000 tooling cost, coupled with a shorter Annual Production Volume cycle time for making the green Fig. 2 Effect of annual production volume on cost of goods sold (COGS) for the part. Equipment utilisation in the production of DME microreactor plates using the MIM and BJT processes (From injection moulding step exceeds the paper: ‘Cost and environmental impact assessment of stainless steel microre- capacity of a single tool at a higher actor plates using binder jetting and metal injection moulding processes’, by K. production volume (100,000) than the Raoufi, et al., Procedia Manufacturing, Vol. 48, 2020, 311-319) equipment in Binder Jetting (20,000). The other key cost driver in the BJT process was the labour cost associated with the depowdering step. BJT for an annual production volume facturing alternatives, the products The authors established that of 1,000 reactor plates. Impacts explored should be producible the labour cost in the BJT process are mainly due to consumables, by all selected processes. For is double that for the MIM process primarily the mould in the injection example, to investigate the potential at an annual production volume of moulding step and the solvent in the advantages of a broader set of 1,000 reactors. Labour costs were debinding step. As production volume metal Additive Manufacturing found to decrease as the annual increases, however, the environ- processes over MIM, which is production volume increases, mental impacts per part reduce limited by moulding, more complex but still remained higher in BJT significantly for the MIM process due geometries (product shapes and compared with MIM. This cost to amortising the associated impacts sizes) should be investigated. This differential indicates an opportunity of the mould and solvent across would provide richer information for for improving the economic perfor- more products. However, this effect design and manufacturing decision mance of the Binder Jetting process of amortisation is not as apparent makers about process capabilities, by automating the current manual for the BJT process since the main production costs and product depowdering step. environmental drivers are raw environmental impacts for various Life cycle assessment results material and the utilities. product complexities. indicate that the MIM process has The authors concluded that, in www.journals.elsevier.com/ higher environmental impacts than order to analyse and compare manu- procedia-manufacturing

Injection moulding, $2.2% Printing, $20.15% Debinding, $2.2% Debinding, Sintering, $16.16% $1.04%

De-powdering, $14.11% Explore our video library now at Sintering, Raw material, Raw material, $12.9% www.renishaw.com/amvideos $79.78% $84.65%

Fig. 3 Cost breakout by process step using the MIM (left) and BJT (right) processes for an annual production volume of 100,000 reactors (From paper: ‘Cost and environmental impact assessment of stainless steel microreactor plates www.renishaw.com/xxxxxxxxxxxxwww.renishaw.com/amvideos using binder jetting and metal injection moulding processes’, by K. Raoufi, et al., Procedia Manufacturing, Vol. 48, 2020, 311-319) Renishaw plc New Mills, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, UK, GL12 8JR +44 (0)1453 524524 [email protected] © 2020 Renishaw plc. All rights reserved. 40 Powder Injection Moulding International December 2020 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd December 2020 Powder Injection Moulding International 41

Phoenix highly complex shaped components. described as the injection length, the wax, 2 vol.% of stearic acid, and 1 blended using a planetary mixer at Simulation of They further stated that, over the melt front velocity, the filling time, vol.% of ethylene vinyl acetate. 10 rpm for 15 min under vacuum Scientific low-pressure past thirty years, conventional high the shear deformation rate profile, This specific formulation was and then injected to produce the Industries Ltd viscosity feedstocks (e.g., 103 Pa∙s), the pressure at the gate and the developed to produce a relatively high green cylindrical parts. Viscosity Powder Injection typically injected at pressures ranging powder volume concentration. The viscosity of about 5–7 Pa.s at low profiles obtained at the three different Advanced Process Solutions Moulding of from 50-200 MPa, have been modified boundary conditions and process shear rates (i.e., near-zero shear rate temperatures are shown in Fig. 1. to develop lower-viscosity feedstocks parameters used for the simulations directly after the mould filling) and a The temperature of the moulds metallic feedstock suitable for the LPIM process and are summarised in Table 1, low viscosity < 1 Pa.s for a shear rate was maintained at 35°C and seven High throughput injected at a pressure generally lower assuming a no-slip condition on the > 10 s-1 (i.e., during the mould filling). injections were run for each feedstock continuous gas Injection moulding is one of the than 700 kPa. The viscosity values solid walls. The powder and binder were mixed condition. most important stages in the of these new generation feedstocks The authors stated that, since in a planetary mixer under vacuum VirtualDub software was used to atomisation systems process of shaping a PIM component are typically in the 1–20 Pa∙s range, the feedstock’s properties depended for 45 min to produce homogeneous record the mould filling at fifteen while avoiding defects such as but generally lower than 10 Pa∙s, to on its formulation, it was necessary feedstock. Powder loading in the frames per second, while the melt PhoenixFor the sinks, voids, dead zones, warpage, accommodate an LPIM press using to prepare and characterise a feedstock was 60 vol.%. Feedstock front velocity was captured using cracks and faulty weld lines. air pressure. powder/binder mixture to increase properties were characterised a superimposed scale in Avimeca production of Conventional ‘high-pressure’ PIM Numerical simulations are already the quality of the input data for the using rheological, calorimetry, and processed using the Regressi metal powders already successfully uses numerical used to predict the flow behaviour model and improve the accuracy density, thermal diffusivity and software. Between two injections, simulation software packages to for ceramic-based feedstocks during of the numerical simulation. They thermogravimetric tests. the feedstock remaining in the optimise the injection moulding of the injection stage of LPIM, but, as prepared feedstock using a gas Injections were performed using injection cylinder was returned into defect-free, complex components stated above, this is not the case for atomised 17-4PH stainless steel a laboratory injection press in the container to be re-blended. The from metallic feedstock. However, the LPIM of metallic feedstock, where having nominal particle size of which a new injection concept was injection was performed using a numerical models predicting the injection parameters and feedstock 12 µm mixed with a wax-based developed to minimise segregation controlled constant volumetric flow flow behaviour of metallic feedstock properties are currently still defined molten binder (90°C) formulated of low-viscosity feedstocks and to of 1.15 cm3/s (value at the gate for using Low-Pressure Powder Injection using empirical trial and error from four polymeric constituents in quantify the full mouldability potential a Ø15.9 mm), while the injection Moulding (LPIM) have received very techniques. the following proportions: 30 vol.% of the LPIM process. Feedstock pressure value was recorded using little attention to date. The aim of this study was, of paraffin wax, 7 vol.% of carnauba was heated up to 80, 90, or 100°C, a load cell located in the injection A research project carried out therefore, to verify the ability of the with the support of MITACS Globalink Moldflow simulation software tool to ScientificGraduate Fellowship and the represent the physical phenomena PSI provide excellence AeroCREATE Program in Competitive associated with the injection stage Manufacturing for the Aerospace of LPIM metallic feedstock. The in rapid solidiﬁcation Industry undertaken by the Ecole de authors used Moldflow Synergy 2019 systems to the technologie superieure, Montreal, (Autodesk Inc) to perform numerical Canada, sought to develop the first simulations of injection moulding worldwide AM, SLM, simulation of LPIM for metallic to produce green parts 11.75 mm INNOVATION THAT HIP and Solar feedstock, and a research paper diameter x 100 mm long in a outlining the results of the research cylindrical cavity. OPENS UP NEW PATHS. industries was published by Mohamed Aziz Ben The Moldflow software is said to Trad and colleagues in the journal take into account only one particle It’s our passion for details that makes USD Advanced Powder Technology Vol. 31, characteristic, which is the average Powder GmbH your reliable partner. From 3, March 2020, pp 1349-1358. size of the particles (D50). Input assistance in design and development to The authors stated that main parameters were, therefore, arranged the selection of production techniques – Industriesadvantages of LPIM are related to in terms of geometry, material Ltdwe combine high-tech with German the relatively low production costs properties and operation parameters, craftsmanship. combined with the flexibility to design while the output parameters were iPowder® - our brand that stands for unique gas-water combined atomized metal powders enables you to produce small and big sized parts with complex Mold temperature (°C) 35 shapes. As part of our portfolio we have developed Feedstock temperatures (°C) 80, 90, and 100 austenitic and ferritic stainless steel, low Injection flow rate (cm3/s) 1.15 and high alloy steel, nickel, cobalt and copper alloys as well as magnetic material. Gate position Bottom centre Visit us: www.usdpowder.de AdvancedPSI Limited - Apex BusinessProcess Park Table 1 Boundary conditions and process parameters used for the simulations Solutions Hailsham - East Sussex - BN27 3JU - UK (From the paper ‘Numerical simulation and experimental investigation of mold ® Tel: +44 (0)1323 449001 filling and segregation in low-pressure powder injection molding of metallic [email protected] - www.psiltd.co.uk iPowder by feedstock’, by Mohamed Aziz Ben Trad, et al., Advanced Powder Technology, intelligent powder solutions Vol. 31. No. 3, March 2020, pp 1349-1358)

42 Powder Injection Moulding International December 2020 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd December 2020 Powder Injection Moulding International 43 HighPhoenix throughput continuousScientific gas atomisationIndustries systems Ltd Advanced Process Solutions For the High throughputproduction of continuousmetal powdersgas atomisation systems For the production of metal powders

PSI provide excellence in rapid solidiﬁcation systems to the worldwide AM, SLM, HIP and Solar PSI provide excellenceindustries in rapid solidiﬁcation systems to the worldwide AM, SLM, HIP and Solar industries

PSI Limited - Apex Business Park Hailsham - East Sussex - BN27 3JU - UK Tel: +44 (0)1323 449001 [email protected] - www.psiltd.co.uk

axis. The filling times, of about 10 9–10 s, obtained in this study were 80°C significantly higher than those 90°C generally attained with a conventional 100°C LPIM press using air pressure (i.e., n-1 filling of the mould cavity in a few tenths of a second). The simulation of segregation after injection was 1 captured by the Moldflow Synergy 2019 package and validated using

thermogravimetric analysis. Viscosity (Pa·s) The authors concluded that the injected length, the melt front velocity and the filling times predicted by the numerical model 0.1 were in good agreement with the 0.10 1 10 1001 1000 000 10000 experimental observations, with Shear rate (1/s) a relative difference varying from 3.1–4.4%. Also, since the injections Fig. 1 Viscosity profiles of the 17-4 PH stainless steel feedstock measured at were performed and simulated 80, 90 and 100°C (From the paper ‘Numerical simulation and experimental at constant volumetric flow into a investigation of mold filling and segregation in low-pressure powder injection constant cross-section mould cavity, molding of metallic feedstock’, by Mohamed Aziz Ben Trad, et al., Advanced the mould filling results confirm that Powder Technology, Vol. 31. No. 3, March 2020, pp 1349-1358) the feedstock temperature has no influence on the injected lengths, but, rather, on the injection pressure. The absence of segregation homogeneous distribution of the simulation capabilities observed during injection was also captured powder (i.e., no segregation) within a for the injection behaviour and by the software simulation code, simple shape mould cavity. segregation obtained for simple where experimental local solid Finally, as the present work, to the shape green metallic components loading measurements confirm authors’ best knowledge, represents should be tested for more complex the capability of the numerical the first simulation of LPIM of shape parts in any future work. model to successfully predict the metallic feedstock, the interesting www.elsevier.com/locate/apt

6 s 6 s 6 s 6 s 75 75

65 65 6 s 6 s 3 s 3 s 3 s 3 s 55 55

45 45 Injected length (mm)

Gate Gate Injected length (mm) 35 3 s Gate Gate 35 3 s (b) Experiment Simulation (b)25 Experiment Simulation (a) 25 70 80 90 100 110 (a) 70 80Temperature 90 (°C) 100 110 Temperature (°C) Fig. 2 Experimental and simulated injected lengths: (a) typical results after short shots of 3 and 6 s with feedstock at 80°C, and (b) injected lengths for different injection temperatures, with white symbols for simulation and black for experiment (From the paper ‘Numerical simulation and experimental investigation of mold filling and segregation in low-pressure powder injection molding of metallic feedstock’, by Mohamed Aziz Ben Trad, et al., Advanced Powder Technology, Vol. 31. No. 3, March 2020, pp 1349-1358)

methods and electrolytic solutions Analysis. Trends. Forecasts. CoCrMo alloy processed by that simulate the biological MIM gives good properties for environment. The authors stated that the Feel the pulse of the 3D printing industry biomedical applications starting material used was a water atomised Co28Cr6Mo powder Cobalt-based alloys, initially the microstructure of F75 alloys, (F75) containing 0.085 wt.% C containing nickel, which was allowing a finer grain size in the with particle size D90 lower than replaced due to its high allergy sintered alloys, leading to further 18 μm and spherical particles, risk with elements such as Cr and improved properties. as can be seen in Fig. 1 (a) and Mo, have been used widely in the A team of researchers led (b). The feedstock used in the biomedical and dental sectors by Professor Gemma Herranz, MIM process was produced by for many decades. The CoCrMo Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, mixing the appropriate amount alloys (ASTM F75, F799) have high and Professor Cristina García, of F75 alloy powder with a strength, including high cycle fatigue, Universidad de Valladolid, both in thermoplastic binder containing ductility, high corrosion and wear Spain, has undertaken extensive High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) resistance, in addition to meeting the research on the feasibility of and Paraffin Wax (PW) in the ratio requirements for biocompatibility in producing a low-carbon-content HDPE50:PW50. Results showed terms of cytotoxicity, carcinogenicity, CoCrMo alloy using the MIM process. that feedstock containing 65 vol.% mutagenicity, pyrogenicity and A paper containing the results of their powder loading exhibits adequate allergenicity. research work to date was published torque values and the best flow There is already a significant in the Journal of the Mechanical behaviour. amount of data available on the Behaviour of Biomedical Materials The feedstock was injection properties of cast and wrought (Vol. 105, May 2020, 103706). moulded at 180°C to produce CoCrMo alloys used for surgical The researchers first studied the cuboid and ‘dog-bone’ green test implants, with cast components different stages of MIM processing pieces, which were subsequently showing poorer mechanical of the CoCrMo alloy, including debound in a two-step debinding properties compared with those which mixing of the powder with the binder process: first in heptane at 60°C for have been forged. However, both the system, rheological studies, the 5 h followed by a thermal debinding casting and forging processes have injection process, and debinding and cycle at up to 450°C. The debound limitations regarding the production sintering, followed by subsequent brown shapes were then sintered of complex, net-shape and high- characterisation of the as-sintered at 1380°C to achieve the desired tolerance implant components, and samples. Characterisation included carbon content of 0.05 wt.% and Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) has both static and dynamic mechanical hardness of 280 HV. Analysis of the emerged as a potential manufacturing performance evaluation to estimate sintered MIM parts’ microstructure process, which overcomes these the components’ durability in real showed polygonal grains of different shape limitations. Additionally, MIM applications, as well as a tribological sizes, together with residual round- offers the potential to better control and corrosion study with different shaped pores (around 1%).

40 100 b) a) D90=17.2 μm

D50=8.0 μm 20 50 ■ Undisputed, industry-leading report for 25 consecutive years ■ Input and analysis from the largest groups of experts worldwide ■ New sections on AM partnerships, software, and Frequency (wt.%) Frequency D10=3.3 μm (wt.%) Cumulative emerging applications ■ Expanded sections on AM investments, materials, and post-processing 0 0 100 101 102 Particle size (μm) Order your new 2020 report today! Fig. 1 Granulometry (a) and SEM micrograph (b) of water atomised CoCrMo alloy powder (From paper: ‘Mechanical performance, corrosion and tribological evaluation of a CoCrMo alloy processed by MIM for biomedical applications’ by G. Herranz et al., Journal of the Mechanical Behaviour of Biomedical Materials, Vol. 105, May 2020, 103706.) wohlersassociates.com 46 Powder Injection Moulding International December 2020 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd December 2020 Powder Injection Moulding International 47 Industry News | contents | news | advertisers | events | website | e-newsletter | | contents | news | advertisers | events | website | e-newsletter | Industry News

to be achieved by post-processing a) b) Ε σy 0.2% σmax Elongation Tensile test treatments such as Hot Isostatic (MPa) (MPa) (MPa) (%) Pressing (HIP) to minimise porosity in . 4 . 4 the sintered material. 16 10 ± 3 10 420 ± 11 683 ± 11 15 ± 1

The dynamic properties of the Εf σy 0.2% σf Elongation Bending test MIM CoCrMo material have also (MPa) (MPa) (MPa) (%) been studied. The results obtained 49.103± 5.103 657 ± 25 1433 ± 56 18 ± 2 from the four-point bending fatigue tests (107 cycles) showed fatigue Table 1 Static mechanical characterisation of sintered CoCrMoparts in terms strength in MIM CoCrMo alloys to of Tensile and Bending tests (From paper: ‘Mechanical performance, corrosion be higher than 200 MPa, which was and tribological evaluation of a CoCrMo alloy processed by MIM for biomedical comparable to the cast CoCrMo alloys applications’ by G. Herranz et al., Journal of the Mechanical Behaviour of and acceptable for most applications Biomedical Materials, Vol. 105, May 2020, 103706.) within the human body.

Corrosion and wear studies c) Two types of electrochemical tests (Ecorr), the corrosion current density to have a higher corrosion potential

were carried out to evaluate the (Icorr), the passivation current density and lower current density than parts

corrosion resistance of the MIM (Ipass) and the breakdown potential processed by other technologies.

CoCrMo material: the ‘Open circuit (Eb). The electrochemical tests Finally, wear parameters confirmed potential’ test to evaluate the were performed in three different remarkable values for low-carbon thermodynamic corrosion resistance electrolytic solutions that simulated cobalt alloys, abrasive and tribo- under equilibrium conditions in biologicalWorld environments: NaCl, RingerLeading oxidation being the main wear different environments; and the and PBS solutions at 37°C ±1 in a mechanisms found in pin-on-disk ‘Anodic polarisation test’ to evaluate nitrogen atmosphere. testing. the anodic corrosion behaviour andMixer MIM Extruders parts produced from Zwww.elsevier.com/locate/jmbbm Blade Mixers calculate the corrosion potential low-carbon CoCrMo alloy were found • Easy Clean • Easy Clean • Vacuum • Vacuum • Heating • Heating • 2 - 500 litres • 0.25 - 500 litres Fig. 2 Microstructural characterisation of the optimised components sintered by LOM-colour etching (a), by SE-SEM World leading (b) and EDX-SEM analysis of the intergranular carbides (c) (From paper: ‘Mechanical performance, corrosion and tribological evaluation of a CoCrMo alloy processed by MIM for biomedical applications’ by G. Herranz et al., Journal of the Mechanical Behaviour of Biomedical Materials, Vol. 105, May 2020, 103706.) mixer-extruders

World Leading Grain size was found to be in the The predominant phase in the cobalt modulus, the yield strength at 0.2% of • Mixing, binding, range 150–200 μm, which pointed alloy after the sintering process is permanent deformation, the ultimate Mixer Extruders Z Blade Mixers to an adequate equilibrium between a face-centred cubic (FCC) solid tensile strength, the flexural strength extruding and relative density, microhardness and solution, together with a residual and the maximum elongation at • Easy Clean pelletising for• Easy MIM Clean and microstructure. hexagonal-centred phase (HCP), as fracture. Test results are shown in • Vacuum • Vacuum The low-carbon F75 sintered MIM was confirmed by X-ray diffraction Table 1. CIM applications • Heating • Heating cobalt alloy produced in this research characterisation. Regarding the comparison with was found to lead to a small amount other forming technologies, the • 2 - 500 litres• Easy clean design• 0.25 - 500 - fully litres of carbides, mainly intergranular Mechanical properties values obtained for MIM were found carbides, and, although chromium Key to the application of the MIM to be of the same order of magnitude removable blades and and molybdenum carbides are CoCrMo alloy in implant applications as those typically achieved for extrusion screw present in the intergranular region is its performance after many cycles casting (ASTM F75), but were below Model shows a 75 litre Mixer Extruder with pelletiser of this material, the homogeneous of use. The authors undertook the ASTM F1537 norm for wrought Model shown is a 75 litre Mixer Extruder with pelletiser sintered microstructure achieved still static testing, such as tensile and materials. However, the authors +44 (0)1256 305600 provides high chromium availability to bending strength measurements, stated that further improvements [email protected] oxide film formation and, therefore, and determined values for Young in the mechanical properties of the +44 (0)1256 305600 | [email protected] | www.mixer.co.uk good corrosion resistance (Fig. 2). modulus, the flexural Young Ni-free CoCrMo alloys are expected www.mixer.co.uk

48 Powder Injection Moulding International December 2020 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd December 2020 Powder Injection Moulding International 49

Model shows a 75 litre Mixer Extruder with pelletiser

Titanium hydride powder addition a) lowers cost of titanium Metal Injection Moulding

Metal Injection Moulding has 0.1% O). Four different raw material played a significant role in the samples were used to prepare the 50 μm development and production of MIM feedstock with the samples T1

small, complex-shaped, high-quality, and T4 based on only TiH2 powder and b) lightweight titanium components pure spherical Ti powder respectively. having high specific strength, good The raw materials for samples T2

biocompatibility, oxidation resistance, and T3 were a mixture of TiH2 powder non-magnetic and non-toxic and spherical titanium powder in the properties. However, the high cost of mass ratio of 3:2 and 2:3, respectively. spherical titanium powder suitable for These samples were mixed with a processing by MIM has held back the polyoxymethylene (POM)-based binder 20 μm development of many potential new system consisting of 88 wt.% POM, applications in a number of sectors. 5 wt.% ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), c) The reduction in the cost of Ti PIM 5 wt.% high-density polypropylene products has, therefore, long been the (HDPE) and 2wt.% stearic acid challenge and focus of a number of (SA). The solids loadings, referring research projects. to volume ratios of powder in the Some researchers have prepared feedstock, were T1=50 vol.%, T2=52 Ti MIM samples using less expensive vol.%, T3=56 vol.% and T4=60 vol.%, non-spherical HDH or titanium respectively. 50 μm hydride (TiH ) powder instead of Injection moulding was done at a 2 d) spherical Ti powder, or mixtures of maximum pressure of 95 MPa and HDH Ti powders and gas atomised with injection temperatures from spherical Ti powder with naphthalene the barrel to the nozzle being 155°C, as the principal binder constituent. 175°C, 180°C, 185°C and 195°C. Tensile strength comparable to Catalytic debinding, primarily to wrought Ti could be achieved. remove most of the POM, was done However, there has been limited at 120°C for 8 h with nitric acid as the 20 μm research on the application of TiH2 catalytic medium. The remaining POM powder for Ti MIM parts using the and SA decomposed and volatilised e) mainstream POM-based catalytic at 265°C–410°C, while EVA and

binder system. HDPE decomposed and volatilised at 97.8 99.48 98.02 99.55 Joint research undertaken at the 405°C–510°C. 96.76 Guangdong Academy of Sciences in The thermal debinding, 81.54 68.87

Guangzhou, and the Central South dehydrogenation of TiH2 and sintering

University in Changsha, China, has steps were performed in a vacuum 47.48 focused on the use of a POM-based furnace at 10−3 Pa. with a holding binder with a mixture of lower-cost time of 2 h at 750°C for a thorough T1 T2 T3 T4 irregular shape TiH powder ($30/kg) promotion of dehydrogenation. The 2 catalytic debinding percentage (%) and gas atomised spherical Ti powder final sintering temperature was relative density (%) ($280/kg) with the aim of lowering set at 1300°C and held for 2 h. The the overall cost of PIM-produced determination of the sintering process Fig. 1. SEM image of feedstock: (a) Ti components. The results of this parameters for sample T1, T2, and T2, (c) T4. SEM image of sample after research were published by Kai Hu T3 were based on the results of the catalytic debinding: (b) T2, (d) T4. (e) and colleagues in Powder Technology differential scanning calorimetry catalytic debinding percentage and Vol. 367, May 1, 2020, pp 225-232. (DSC-TG) experiments. relative density of samples (From The researchers used an angular, The authors found that, because of paper: ‘Effect of titanium hydride

irregular TiH2 powder having a D50 the angular and irregular shape of the powder addition on microstructure

particle size of 14.9 μm (0.018% C and TiH2 powder used in sample T1, the and properties of titanium powder 0.3% O) whereas the gas atomised binder was not as easily removed as injection moulding’ by Kai Hu, et al., spherical pure Ti powder had a D50 the binder in sample T4, which used Powder Technology, Vol. 367, May 1, particle size of 16.6 μm (0.011% C and only the pure spherical Ti powder. 2020, pp 225-232)

In the use of a mixture of irregular Sample T1 T2 T3 T4 Ti grade 4a TiH2 and spherical Ti powders in the feedstocks for samples T2 and σ (MPa) 319 507 683 838 550 T3, there was high friction between σ0.2 (MPa) 163 405 543 729 483 DOWNLOAD ALL the powders, meaning the mixing between the powder and the binder δ (%) 1.1 2.7 5.1 6.3 15 was not uniform, and more POM Hardness (HV) 454 389 353 330 221 binder remained adhered to the Abrasion loss (mg) 6.7 8.4 7.9 10.5 14.6 BACK ISSUES OF irregular TiH2 powder surface.

Further additions of TiH2 C content (%) 0.22 0.18 0.16 0.12 0.08 powder to the mix containing O content (%) 0.67 0.48 0.37 0.30 0.4 pure Ti powder led to increases in the residual POM amount. H content (%) 0.005 0.003 0.002 0.003 0.015 Nevertheless, the relative density Table 1 Mechanical properties and impurity contents of the sintered samples of the sintered samples T1, T2, T3 METAL AM (From paper: ‘Effect of titanium hydride powder addition on microstructure and T4 reached 99.48%, 98.02%, and properties of titanium powder injection moulding’ by Kai Hu, et al., Powder 97.8%, and 96.76%, respectively, Technology, Vol. 367, May 1, 2020, pp 225-232) MAGAZINE FOR FREE which suggests that the sintered density of the samples increased

with the addition of TiH2 powder. The authors put this down to the

phase change mechanism of TiH2 basketweave to the β-Ti phase lower to those for the sintered sample powder during the dehydrogenation distributed with equiaxed α-Ti T4 (spherical titanium powder).

process. Fig. 1 shows the catalytic phase and in-situ TiC particles were Increasing the proportion of TiH2 debinding percentages, i.e. the formed with different morphology. powder in the T2 samples enhanced ratio of removed POM to total, for This resulted in the TiC-particle the sintered density of the titanium samples T1, T2, T3 and T4 were reinforced titanium matrix MIM samples, though the strength 47.48%, 68.87%, 81.54% and 99.55%, composite having greatly improved and elongation values were lower. respectively. Fig. 1 also shows the strength, hardness and wear Wear properties, as measured by relative densities of the samples and resistance, but reduced elongation abrasion resistance, were significantly SEM images of the feedstock used. compared with the T4 sample and improved in samples T2 and T3 The authors also concluded the ASTM titanium grade. compared with sample T4 and the

that the TiH2 powder additions to The sample T1 was found to ASTM titanium grade. pure spherical Ti powder greatly have the highest sintered density The results suggest that the cost influenced the microstructure and hardness values but poorest of titanium MIM can be significantly

and properties of the samples strength and elongation (Table 1). reduced by adding TiH2 powder investigated. The sintered The mechanical properties of the and the material has potential

microstructure of the mixed TiH2 sintered sample T3 (TiH2 powder for applications in several fields, powder and pure Ti powder samples and spherical titanium powder with including wearable devices. was found to gradually change from the mass ratio of 2:3) were slightly www.elsevier.com/locate/powtec

52 Powder Injection Moulding International December 2020 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd December 2020 Powderwww.metal-am.com Injection Moulding International 53

Ceramic Injection Moulding:

April 26-29, 2021 Developments in production McCormick Place, Chicago, IL technology, materials and applications

Ceramic Injection Moulding has been a key driver in enabling the world of technical ceramics to expand from a narrow range of industrial applications to a new generation of uses in advanced engineering, high-end luxury goods, innovative medical devices, and components for electric and hybrid vehicles For 30 years, the additive manufacturing community has helped that are enabling society's shift to a lower-carbon future. In this extensive shape RAPID + TCT into North America’s most vital event, where review, Dr-Ing Tassilo Moritz considers recent developments in CIM production technology, materials, and applications and identifies trends that will affect the world-renowned American ingenuity drives the adoption and outlook for the sector. advancement of the technology.

Stay tuned this fall as we announce our best lineup yet. The world’s most influential technology leaders and innovators will share their expertise and In 2009, PIM International published and innovative materials that can be Ceramics are in vogue as inspire your next big move in additive. a review of Ceramic Injection processed by this technology, and never before Moulding, which introduced the promising new applications. It will technology, its advantages and also examine how CIM is positioned As a class of materials, ceramics wide-ranging areas of application, in comparison to competing, more have never been as in vogue as VISIT RAPID3DEVENT.COM TO LEARN MORE and the latest trends [1]. Now, ‘hyped’ technologies such as Addi- they are today. The uses for these eleven years later, this update will tive Manufacturing (AM). Finally, the materials have moved from solely present the developments in CIM outlook for CIM will be considered, functional precision components, over the intervening period. It will including wider trends that influ- used in a relatively narrow range offer an overview of the process ence the sector and the opportuni- of industrial applications, to a new, variants that have emerged, the new ties presented by digitalisation. elevated position in the worlds of advanced engineering, medical, consumer and luxury applications. Ceramic components are also being developed for a new generation of technical applications, from heat management devices for LED lights to components for electric and hybrid vehicles [2]. Fig. 1 shows the variety of ceramic components that can be produced using CIM technology. With its proven ability to deliver high volumes of precise and complex, net shape components with high surface quality and high dimensional accuracy [3] compared with traditional forming technologies such as slip casting, cold isostatic Fig. 1 A variety of ceramic components produced by CIM (Courtesy Expert pressing and dry pressing [4, Group CIM of the German Ceramic Society) 5], CIM is in a strong position to

Fig. 2 Black zirconia frame for a gearshift lever (Courtesy Fig. 3 Automotive interior equipment – a selector button Oechsler AG) made of black zirconia (Courtesy Oechsler AG)

capitalise on these opportunities. however, are influenced by the Over the PIM industry as a Between 2000 and 2009, the Powder sintering process, the particle size whole, however, success is not Injection Moulding sector as a of the ceramic powder, feedstock uniform, with just 10% of firms whole, encompassing both Metal viscosity and powder loading [9]. controlling two-thirds of sales Injection Moulding and Ceramic and enjoying 80% of the industry’s Injection Moulding, has generally profits. This inequity is important experienced growth, mostly in the PIM and CIM markets because significant changes are range of 8–14% per year [6]. Today, overview coming and to further grow PIM will CIM is identified as one of the lead require some changes, including technologies in the field of technical In 2013, Randall M German [6] improvements in production ceramics. predicted two potential trends processes, application diversity and Originally seen as an attractive for PIM – a nearly flat growth, materials development [7]. option for the high-volume resulting in projected 2017 sales From a regional perspective, the production of primarily smaller of around $1.8 billion, or sustained Asian PIM industry, led by China, Precise, durable and components [7], the technologies high growth, resulting in projected is by far the strongest, generating underpinning this forming method 2017 sales of around $3.9 billion. about two-thirds of the world’s have evolved to such an extent In reality, the result fell between MIM parts sales. Europe has an wear-resistant. that medium- and low-volume the projections, with 2017 global estimated market share of about runs can be managed effectively PIM sales estimated at nearly 20%, with the US reported to hold a Ceramic can be used where other materials fail. maxon develops and manufactures and be commercially feasible [8]. $2.6 billion. When comparing his slightly lower level than this. Today, customizable CIM (Ceramic Injection Moulding) components for your special applica- Today, CIM technology can deliver estimated value to the actual total Europe and North America are tion with specific requirements. Our Ceramic parts are used in various industries like components with feature sizes sales value reported on in 2017 by believed to achieve approximately drive technology, industrial automation, medical devices or clock technology. greater than 10 µm, aspect ratios Georg Schlieper [10] of $2.5 billion, $1.2 billion of combined metal and greater than 15, tolerances to within with an annual growth rate of 12%, ceramic parts sales. The CIM sector Find out more: 3 µm and surface roughness (Ra) German’s estimation of four years represents roughly 15% of this total ceramic.maxongroup.com as fine as 0.2 µm. All these values, prior was surprisingly accurate. PIM market [10].

to slumping and distortion during debinding [19]. If needed for special applications, nanopowders [20, 21] as well as ceramic powders with particle sizes of greater than 20 µm have been processed successfully into ceramic feedstock [18]. Feedstock manufacturers often complain that it is not easy to maintain consistent feedstock quality, even for standard grades, because of the variations in the characteristics of commercially available ceramic powders. This is tied to the fact that ceramic powder suppliers generally show little enthusiasm for supporting the specific requirements of the CIM industry, since production volumes are much lower than in the die pressed ceramics industry [18].

Fig. 5 Feedstock preparation with a shear roller (Courtesy Binder systems Fraunhofer IKTS) Process stability, as well as the quality and properties of final parts, depend on the choice of a suitable binder system [22]. The minimum requirements for binder Feedstock-related research activities systems include low viscosity to ensure the complete Despite the higher energy input of the shear roller in filling of mould cavities, relatively high mechanical comparison to a twin-screw extruder and a sigma-blade stability to ensure safe removal from a mould, good kneader, powder agglomerates cannot be completely shape retention and low shrinkage during debinding and avoided. In order to produce high solid loaded submicron sintering [23, 24]. and nanoparticle-containing feedstocks, Sommer et al. All binder systems are made up of several compo- [31] suggest a pre-milling of the powders, which is effec- nents: a basic, low-molecular-weight binder that is tive in dispersing and deagglomerating ceramic powders. easily extracted during the first phase of debinding; Fig. 4 The starting materials for CIM feedstock preparation: organic binder and ceramic powder (Courtesy Inmatec a backbone binder that provides strength [19] and Technologies GmbH) additives such as lubricants or dispersing agents. The low-molecular-weight organic binder component acts as a plasticiser [25] between the long polymer chains of the backbone polymer to lower the feedstock’s dynamic Ceramic injection moulded CIM feedstock: Binder part distortion, eventually leading viscosity and provide the flowability required for Tailor-made Feedstocks parts are used for structural as systems and preparation to a failure of the manufacturing complete cavity filling during injection of the feedstock FROM EXPERTS FOR EXPERTS well as for functional applications. process [13,14,15,16,17]. Accord- into the mould [22]. However, it is the coloured ingly, a significant proportion Since CIM, like any other ceramic Standard binder materials are usually based on long- INMATEC Technologies GmbH zirconia market for aesthetic shaping process, is a powder-based of published papers on CIM chain olefines, mostly LDPE (low-density polyethylene) Ceramics – Ceramic Injection Moulding applications that has grown technology, the properties of the technology deal with feedstock and short-chain waxes [22, 25, 26, 27, 28]. Each ceramic Feedstock Development – Feedstock most strongly over the last ten initial powders and the preparation of preparation and characterisation. powder particle in the feedstock must be coated with Production – Quality Control or so years [11]. The production highly-particle-filled, homogeneous the binder, but only the minimum effective amount Consulting – Service of translucent CIM parts is also feedstocks that offer reproduc- Ceramic powders should be used in order to achieve the required viscosity Mould construction a strong growth area for the ible mould filling behaviour play Particle size distribution, specific for injection moulding. The binder polymers should have industry [11]. a key role in process stability and surface and chemical composition low viscosity, but, at the same time, have good adhesion CIM is considered to be roughly the quality of the final parts. The are the main characteristics of to the powder [29]. ten years behind MIM in terms importance of feedstock homogeneity ceramic powders. CIM generally of market penetration, but a has been highlighted by part manu- uses powders with particle sizes Feedstock preparation more rapid development of the facturers and researchers alike, with in the range of 0.2–1 µm and a The feedstock preparation process is today quite CIM market has nevertheless all agreeing that variations induced specific surface area of between standard: the ceramic powder blend and binder system been observed. In comparison in the early process stages cannot 5– 20 m2/g. For shrinkage control, are first mixed mechanically and then plasticised and to MIM, CIM needs to create its be eliminated by the subsequent however, these characteristics homogenised by a pair of heated shear rolls. The objec- own markets and applications process steps of moulding, debinding must be specified within much tive of shear roll processing is to remove agglomerates and build confidence in the and sintering. The homogeneity of closer limits [18]. and coat each powder particle with a polymer layer so technology, resulting in a longer the feedstock is therefore a critical A smaller particle size provides as to make injection possible and reduce abrasion in incubation time compared to characteristic for these later steps in a higher sintered density, but the the injection moulding machine [10]. Because of the MIM, where a wider range of the CIM process. solids loading will decrease due to powder’s fine particle size, a very strong shearing action Heerstraßenbenden 10 Telefon: + 49 - 2226 9087 - 0 applications can more easily be Inhomogeneities can lead to agglomeration. On the other hand, is required to produce a high quality feedstock and the D-53359 Rheinbach Telefax: + 49 - 2226 9087 - 10 converted from competing metal powder/binder separation, as well a larger particle size exhibits total processing time is dependent on powder proper- Germany E-Mail: [email protected] processing technologies [12]. as defects such as cracks, voids and lower interparticle friction, leading ties [18, 30]. Internet: www.inmatec-gmbh.com

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tion or non-homogeneous binder deeply feedstock producers and CIM manufacturers extraction during the debinding step are interconnected. This is, firstly, because the binder [14, 25]. system determines the manufacturing process chain At the Universidad Carlos III, and, with it, the equipment (debinding equipment, Madrid, Spain, an eco-friendly sintering furnaces) and workflow in the factory. Secondly, binder system for PIM, based on the solid loading determines shrinkage and, hence, the polyethylene glycol (PEG) and mould scale and dimensions of the final component. cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), has Generally, a decision has to be made by CIM manufac- been developed. CAB is a naturally turers as to whether to purchase feedstock or to produce derived product with a zero balance it in-house. The latter is often chosen when specific

of CO2 emission when degraded needs have to be fulfilled (e.g. specific powder mixtures). thermally. Mouldable feedstocks with Nevertheless, commercial feedstock producers zirconium silicate powder have been serving the market often supply customer-specific tested [32, 33]. feedstocks in addition to their standard materials. Hausnerova et al. [34] developed Some commercial CIM feedstock providers offer a novel binder system in which feedstocks manufactured from a range of binder carnauba wax (CW) and acrawax (AW) systems. As an example, INMATEC Technologies GmbH, (N,N0-Ethylene Bis-stearamide) were Rheinbach, Germany, offers three standard types considered to replace the synthetic of binder system: one is based on wax-polymer and backbone polymers (polyolefins) in suitable for partial debinding in water; another, based Fig. 6 Different CIM feedstocks and components made of black zirconia alumina CIM feedstocks. For both on polyamide, requires partial bebinding in acetone; the (Courtesy Inmatec Technologies GmbH) proposed substitutes, there was third is based on polyoxymethylene (POM) and requires a significant reduction in viscosity catalytic debinding in a nitric acid environment [10]. in comparison to polyolefin based Recently, interest has also grown among ceramic — The injection pressures needed for During the injection moulding binder and commercially avail- powder producers in manufacturing their own VISIT US AT: feedstocks from pre-milled powders process, the moulding compound able binders and, in the case of feedstocks. For example, zirconia feedstocks are were shown to be about 200 bar undergoes extremely high pressure CW-based feedstock, there was also available from Tosoh, Japan, and Saint Gobain, France. WWW.LITHOZ.COM lower than the pressures needed for and shear rates of up to 106 s-1, which a significant reduction in processing AlzChem, Germany, provides silicon nitride feedstock. — non-milled feedstocks. may lead to powder/binder segrega- temperature, which is essential for the injection moulding of reactive CIM feedstocks for Additive Manufacturing powders. PIM feedstocks are not only suitable for Powder Most research has highlighted Injection Moulding, but also for Material Extrusion CERAMIC 3D PRINTING, powder effects on rheological (MEX) Additive Manufacturing processes such as Fused READY FOR SERIAL PRODUCTION properties, although some research Filament Fabrication (FFF). The extrusion process is examined binder effect. Kate et al. capable of generating complex profiles with very thin — [35] covered the effects of nano- wall thicknesses in a range of materials. FFF has LITHOZ CERAFAB SYSTEM particle contents on the rheological been evaluated for the production of prototypes and secure your lead in the ceramic industry properties of bimodal feedstock. Yang small series of ceramic components using flexible et al. [36] studied the effect of poly- thermoplastic filaments basing on CIM feedstocks ethylene glycol binder with different that can be coiled and ‘printed’ like plastic filaments molecular weights on rheology and on low-cost machines. The resulting green parts are found that larger molecular weight machinable by milling, as commonly performed on CIM AEROSPACE binder leads to higher yield stress green parts, and the debinding and sintering steps are and shear stress. Rheological behav- identical. iour and the mechanical properties of PMN–PZT ceramic feedstock with MEDICAL different binder compositions were The challenges of tooling studied for a successful complete- INSTRUMENTS filling and demoulding process in Tooling is perhaps the most expensive and time- micro-PIM [37]. consuming step in a CIM part’s development. Two main trends can be identified in this area: one trend goes in Commercial considerations the direction of low-cost moulds, whilst the other is The efforts made in feedstock towards high-performance tools. INDUSTRIAL research and development highlight the critical position of feedstock in The low-cost route the CIM process. When BASF decided Low-cost moulds can either be made using cheaper @ Fig. 7 Extrusion of filaments for FFF by means of a single screw extruder to stop producing CIM feedstocks a materials, or ‘lost’ tool inserts can be created by Additive Find us on: Lithoz GmbH / LithozAustria (Courtesy Fraunhofer IKTS) few years ago, it became clear how Manufacturing [38]. Low-volume and prototype parts are

A commercial example of this trend is in the production of ceramic burner components for HID lamps at Philips’ Uden plant in the Nether- lands. Here, multiple cavities and hot runners are standard and the number of cavities has been continuously increased from a single-cavity to over eight per mould. The injection moulding process is monitored by temperature sensors in each cavity and the hot nozzle temperature is adjusted on each gate separately. Feedstock viscosity, which is affected by temperature, is therefore controlled to ensure that all mould cavities are uniformly filled [42, 43].

Mould filling simulation

Simulating the flow of PIM feedstocks Fig. 10 Simulation result of the cooling behaviour of an injection moulded can help to anticipate possible micro turbine impeller (Courtesy Fraunhofer IKTS) moulding defects at the start of the tool design process, enabling them to be corrected prior to the actual Fig. 8 Ceramic tool insert made of Si3N4 for avoidance Fig. 9 Demonstration frame for a mobile phone made by mould being manufactured. Addition- mixed with an even greater variety of A comparison of simulation and of iron impurities resulting from tool abrasion (Courtesy MIM showing the potential for PIM parts with high aspect ally, simulation can help to improve powder types. Additionally, guidelines experimental results shows promise. Fraunhofer IKTS) ratios (Courtesy Arburg GmbH) mould filling. The thermal balance of or standards for the acquisition of In 2C-PIM, the sintering step involves the mould and heat flow is of prime such material data, or for the appli- high temperatures, holding times, importance for efficient injection cation of simulations, do not yet exist. diffusivity and, consequently, the moulding. A simulation model must Attempts have been made to interdiffusion of alloying elements often made first from single-cavity ture is considerably lower than tempered mould of a thin-walled cover all heat-relevant parts of the describe the behaviour of PIM and phase formation, which are aluminium tooling; such tooling can the melting point of the feedstock part [39]. Ultimately, as PIM parts mould, including their thermophysical feedstock analytically, which shows essential aspects for the interface last for up to 10,000 cycles and cost material, high injection speeds become larger and ever more properties and the heat transfer promising results [44], and some of materials with differing chemical far less than the tool steel equivalent are required. Without these higher complex, this system guarantees between neighbouring parts [10]. material studies on feedstocks have compositions [49]. The effect of [39]. speeds, adequate filling of the cavi- the highest possible part quality for Process simulations are based been reported in recent years. Still, various heating rates and the orienta- Lost mould inserts are interesting ties cannot be achieved before the the final product, with maximum on the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) almost all of these investigations tion of the parts in relation to the heat for manufacturing extremely premature freezing of the feedstock reproducibility. method, and a number of commercial focus on a limited selection of mate- source on temperature gradients complex-shaped or individualised material. packages are available on the market, rial properties – mostly either on the in the furnace load has also been components without mould parting Accordingly, a new approach is A trend towards multi-cavity including Autodesk Moldflow®, rheological or thermal aspects [45, studied by computer simulation [10]. planes and can be used for low- for the mould temperature to be moulds Moldex3D® and Sigmasoft®. However, 46, 47]. volume or single-piece production. brought up to the melting point There is currently also a notice- the simulation software developed to A collaborative research project, This is a territory that so far has of the feedstock in a controlled able trend towards the use of date for PIM originates from the injec- undertaken at the Technical Univer- The debinding process primarily been occupied by AM. manner during each injection cycle. multiple cavities in Powder Injection tion moulding of plastic feedstock and sity of Denmark, the University of Variotherm temperature control Moulding production. When it comes there are limited data to enable the Applied Sciences Northwestern Swit- Following the actual shaping process Advanced tool design and systems are now being used as the to incorporating multiple cavities simulation of PIM feedstocks where, zerland and Germany’s Karlsruhe by injection moulding, a processing production basis for dynamic mould tempera- in a PIM tool, it is essential that the of course, the material being injected Institute of Technology, focused step intrinsic to PIM is the removal of The opposite trend to low-cost or ture control in PIM. By switching route of the runner to each cavity is comprises a mixture of a binder and on a broad and comprehensive the organic binder system immedi- single-use moulds focuses on highly between defined temperatures, of equal length [41]. The sprue and ceramic or metal powder. Such PIM characterisation of two ceramic ately before densification of a compo- sophisticated and optimised tools the user can directly influence the runner must therefore be branched feedstocks have significantly different feedstocks, with the material data nent is carried out by sintering. The for improved mould filling behaviour, surface flow and the solidification accordingly. To guarantee this properties to pure or even filled obtained potentially allowing the debinding step must be performed improved surface quality of the injec- behaviour of the feedstock [40]. A parameter, Arburg GmbH, Lossburg, plastics. development of material models for very carefully to avoid common fail- tion moulded parts and optimised further advantage of variothermal Germany, has reported on the use One of the reasons why there the simulation of mould filling during ures such as distortion, the formation cycle time. temperature control becomes of a temperature-controlled, liquid- are almost no material data, and no injection moulding [48]. of cavities, or surface defects. PIM processes have, in the past, obvious when the available injection based hot runner system: stable material models of feedstocks widely Simulation tools for multicom- The debinding process can be typically relied on an isothermal, pressure of the injection moulding temperature control, it stated, available, is because there are no ponent plastic injection moulding time consuming – up to several days or constant, mould temperature to machine would be insufficient to cannot be sufficiently guaranteed ‘standard’ feedstocks, but rather a have been extended by developing depending on the binder constituents produce parts. Since this tempera- completely fill an isothermally- using electric hot runners [39]. wide variety of binder types that are a 2C-PIM simultaneous simulation. and particle size of the ceramic

650 Water debinding Powder testing control registers the pressure at In order to investigate flow In contrast, partial water debinding The most important test during the switchover point. From the pressure behaviour experimentally, several 600 Feedstock not ok followed by rapid thermal pyrol- incoming inspection of powder is values, information about feedstock approaches have been developed 550 ysis, with its high efficiency and the weight loss of the powders by quality can be extracted which can to visualise the flow pattern. They 500 environmental acceptability, has annealing in air at 1025°C, according be applied directly to an injection follow approaches such as direct 450 emerged as a good alternative [57, to ISO 26845. The weight loss moulding machine’s process param- melt observation, evaluating surface 400 59]. For this approach, the water- determines the content of organic eters (see Fig. 11). marks, introducing tracer particles The most common method, widely into the melt and interrupting the 350 soluble binder is firstly removed as substances and humidity in the the interconnected pore channels powder. After feedstock production, applied in industry, is to analyse injection process. For direct observa- 300 Batch 1 Batch 2 are formed from the exterior to the the weight loss of the feedstock the melt progression by producing tion, the melt flow is recorded inside 250 Batch 3 interior. Insoluble binders remain is measured for a reverse cross- a short shot study [63, 64, 65]. By the mould by high-speed cameras.

Switch over pressure [bar] pressure over Switch Batch 4 200 Feedstock not ok in the contact region between the checking of the powder-binder ratio. interrupting the injection process Special tools need to be applied in Batch 5 150 powder particles, with the pore Each feedstock batch is injected with at different points, a sequence which one cavity wall is substituted 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 channels serving as escape paths reference parameters into a standard of filling stages is created. The by a transparent window to allow Injection speed [cm3/s] for decomposed gas during the mould to monitor batch-to-batch obvious advantage is its universal connecting of the camera [66]. subsequent thermal debinding consistency. Injection moulded applicability to all tools using normal Fig. 11 Curves which are created with Arburg's feedstock test (Courtesy Arburg for insoluble binders. PEG/PMMA parts are also retained as reference production conditions. Furthermore, Powder/binder separation GmbH + Co KG) (polyethylene glycol/poly methyl samples [18]. it requires only modest time and For detecting binder separation methacrylate) binder systems cost. However, the produced within the injection moulded bulk powder. Debinding time is closely The time and temperatures are among the most widely used Feedstock testing samples show only the state at one material and at the joining zones of connected to the level of porosity required for solvent debinding depend water-soluble binders for CIM [49]. The homogeneity of feedstocks can moment and do not reflect the flow two-component parts, the micro- in the component: the higher the on the wall thickness of the parts be determined by measuring the vari- pattern in the final part. structures of green samples have porosity, the easier the diffusion of the and the particle size of the powder Significant progress has been ation in density using a gas pycnom- decomposed binder from deep inside a used. Simon et al. describe the water made in debinding technology eter [60]. Low variations in densities part to the surface. debinding step for the optimisation of in recent years; in addition to show that binder system and powders There are four major debinding feedstock formulations and the short- the catalytic debinding approach are homogeneously mixed through approaches applied in Ceramic Injec- ening of processing time [55]. Solvent originally developed by BASF the compounding process. With the tion Moulding: thermal debinding, debinding can significantly reduce SE, which offered excellent average measured density of powders partial solvent debinding followed debinding times and greatly improve performance in terms of extremely and binder system, the volume frac- by thermal debinding, partial water productivity [53]. short debinding times, thermal tion of powder can be determined debinding followed by thermal Suitable solvents depend on the debinding and solvent debinding using the rule of mixture. debinding [50] and catalytic debinding employed binder system: for PE-wax are now widely used [50]. It Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) [51, 52, 53]. For Low Pressure binder, n-hexane is a typical solvent, should be noted that innovation and Differential Scanning Calorimetry Ceramic Injection Moulding (LP-CIM) whereas, for PA- based binders, in this area has in large part (DSC) have been used to determine feedstocks, which contain wax as acetone and ethanol can be used [56], been driven by the demand for the powder distribution and segrega- one constituent of the binder system, Williams mentions further trichloro- CIM components from the luxury tion of silicon nitride powder within wicking of molten wax using a porous ethane or heptane as solvents [57]. Liu watch industry, where an interest injection moulded test bars [61]. With powder bed is an established process. et al. adopted low-toxicity, low-cost in technological innovation and the TGA experiments, the powder For thermal debinding, the process kerosene as organic solvent to study environmental responsibility go content in the feedstock or test bar is is time consuming because the the solvent debinding behaviour of hand in hand. determined by the remaining weight debinding rate has to be slow in order green zirconia bodies containing PW, fraction of specimens. to avoid internal pressure build-up HDPE, PP and SA as binder constitu- According to Walcher et al. [62], a from gas released by the decomposing ents [58]. The solvent bath is usually Testing and quality constant feedstock viscosity is key for binder, which can cause cracking and heated from 25 to 60°C in order to management for CIM PIM component quality and reproduc- blistering [54]. accelerate the diffusion processes. materials ibility. To address this, an alternative method for feedstock validation on Solvent debinding Thermal debinding For component manufacturers a real injection moulding machine Depending on the binder composition, For thermal debinding, heating ramps delivering parts for the automotive by measuring the flow behaviour solvent debinding can be performed and dwell times may differ not only industry, Quality Management has been developed. In this method, in water or in an organic solvent. for different binder systems, but also systems certified according to ISO the maximum injection pressure at The purpose of solvent debinding is for different powders [18]. For organic TS 16949 are standard. A large the switching point to the holding to remove the first stage binder and solvent debinding, the organic solvents amount of processing parameter pressure in an injection moulding to create a network of open porosity are mostly flammable, carcinogenic data is recorded electronically and machine working under thermal in the CIM compacts. This will allow and not environmentally acceptable. continuously; other data are typed equilibrium conditions is deliberately the evaporating backbone binder to At the industrial scale, debinding into the system by the operators. estimated. The testing tool used escape during later thermal debinding equipment is available that works in When it comes to CIM materials, produces parts while the tool cavity is Fig. 12 Radiographic image of an injection moulded test part. The flow lines of without causing the internal pressures a closed loop and captures/recycles there are some specific areas that filled to less than 100% with different the feedstock are visualised by means of a so-called tracer feedstock (Courtesy that might destroy the parts. solvent by distillation. should be highlighted. injection speeds. The machine Fraunhofer IKTS)

through the integration of UV-LIGA, MicroCIM and variothermal mould temperature control technologies.

Micro-powder in-mould labelling Micro-powder in-mould labelling (MicroIML) is a variant of macroscopic in-mould labelling. It is capable of applying a functional material on the surface of a MicroPIM part of complex geometry. For this approach, a thin ceramic or metallic green tape, made by tape casting, is inserted into the cavity of the injection moulding tool. Next, the ceramic or metallic feedstock is injected and combined with the green tape by using the applied injection pressure of the feedstock and by a certain inner tool surface Fig. 13 MicroCIM parts made of zirconia (Courtesy KIT-IAM) microstructure [77, 78]. After Fig. 14 LTCC pressure sensor made by Inmould Labelling (Courtesy Fraunhofer IKTS) [91] debinding and sintering, the functional material is firmly connected with the substrate material [79]. been studied. Since conventional CIM process variants Combining Ceramic Multilayer generate even more geometric The lost core was then extracted and machining processes such as UV-assisted nanoimprint Technology & CIM flexibility, a sacrificial material was the ceramic component debound grinding and polishing modify the MicroCIM lithography According to Ziesche, an observed used to create embedded undercuts and fired to form a monolithic original structure, for example As a near-net shape technology, Mühlberger demonstrates the trend in circuit board technology or channels by the injection of a lost ceramic component (Fig. 14) [83]. when particles are pulled out of the micro-Powder Injection Moulding successful replication of biological is an increase in geometrical core. The best results were achieved binder matrix and smeared onto the (MicroPIM, or MicroCIM in the surface structures, specifically the complexity combined with an with polyoxymethylene (POM), which surface, a special ceramographic case of ceramics) is characterised surface of the ventral snakeskin, increased functionality [82]. For the was removed before the ceramic Ceramic materials method for the preparation of cross- by low cost, high precision and onto foils using UV-assisted manufacturing of novel functional firing process by thermal extraction. processed by CIM sections was applied. high efficiency [69, 70, 71]. It nanoimprint lithography (NIL) [80]. ceramic components, Ceramic The manufacturing process This approach, developed by can produce parts with complex Such parts are used, for example, Multilayer Technology (MLC) has consisted of several steps. Firstly, Early successful ceramic materials Mannschatz et al., is based on broad shapes on a large scale and can in production equipment for compo- been combined with CIM [82]. For this the LTCC-multilayer laminate was for CIM were oxide ceramics, ion beam techniques and enables be used to make ceramic parts nents with a high friction load, and application, low-temperature co-fired inserted into the injection moulding notably alumina, which remains the simultaneous polishing of hard with micro-holes. In particular, nanostructured ceramic surfaces ceramic (LTCC) dielectric base tool. Then the lost core, which a mainstay for the Ceramic Injec- ceramic particles and soft polymer it has significant advantages in may play an important role for material was tape cast. The LTCC creates the pressure chamber after tion Moulding industry [7]. By the molecules without destroying the the production of ceramic array MEMS, smart surfaces, sensorics powder was mixed with the same the sintering process, was injected. late 1980s, the main focus was on structure or producing protrusions micro-holes. and other intelligent components. organic binder components used as In the third step, the LTCC media oxides, alumina, silica and zirconia, on the surface [67]. In the analysed As a common and widely used binder for the tape and an injection port was injected around the lost with some efforts in silicon nitride samples, binder accumulations type of micro-feature, micro-holes Sintered magnetic materials moulding feedstock prepared. To core and upon the LTCC-laminate. and silicon carbide. were found along flow lines, at weld act as transfer and exchange media Drummer et al. describe the lines, at the boundaries of so-called in the form of micro-channels MagnetPIM process, which combines dead water regions and at the inter- or nozzles that can be used as the advantages of sintered magnetic face of two-component parts. fuel injection nozzles, spinnerets, materials with injection moulding to A further visualisation method jet turbine blade cooling holes, produce magnetic components with is introduced using a tracer printer jets, micro-structures for highly complex geometries [81]. In material which can be detected an array hole in a micro-pump and this process, the binder system is Ceramic by X-ray computed tomography micro-hole structures in fibre optic mixed with magnetic particles. In Injection [68]. A marker material feedstock connectors and biomedical filters the case of anisotropic particles of that differs in X-ray attenuation, [72, 73, 74, 75]. magnetically hard materials, these Moulding but has the same flow behaviour, Wang demonstrated the particles can be oriented during the Glowplug is added to the base feedstock capability of MicroCIM in fabricating injection step by a three-dimensional during the moulding process. Due thin multilayer microparts with magnetic field applied to the injec- to inhomogeneous mixing, the flow microstructures [76]. A part with tion moulding tool. This enables the pattern becomes visible in CT scans microchannels and microholes manufacture of complex multi-polar Fig. 15 Ceramic glowplug made of electrically insulating and conductive silicon nitride by multi-component injection (see Fig. 12). was designed and fabricated components. moulding (Courtesy BorgWarner)

thermal conductivity and electrical forced oxide ceramics by CIM insulation [42]. [92, 93]. • Pre-ceramic polymers were Materials R&D activities used as organic vehicle forming Over the past decade, many papers a ceramic matrix after pyrolysis have been published, which report [94, 95]. Carbon short fibres on the processing of new materials were chosen as the fibre by CIM. material. The Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) is formed by • As previously mentioned, pyrolysis of the polysilazane Drummer et al. used injection precursor with an amorphous moulding for the manufacturing Si-C-N network as the matrix of complex- shaped magnetically for the short-fibres. hard components consisting of

SrFe12O19 [81, 84]. Glass components by CIM • Thermoplastic forming of Ceramic Injection Moulding has also alumina-SiC nanocomposites been successfully developed for has been carried out by Kern et Fig. 16 Internal screw thread in an alumina part made by CIM (Courtesy Kläger the manufacture of sintered glass al. [85]. Fig. 18 Microstructured testing bars made of sintered coloured glass by CIM Spritzguss GmbH) components. Since conventional (Courtesy Fraunhofer IKTS) • Liu et al. developed a method glass components are usually for doping zirconia preforms by shaped from a melt by blowing, infiltration of debound injection drawing, rolling, or casting, this does moulded green bodies with ion not only imply high temperatures, solutions, which resulted in but also limitations for structural side reactions with the glass melt, glass-graphite- composite based on coloured zirconia components details. Achieving structures such as the glass viscosity required for the same glass. The carbon species [86, 87]. as well-defined channels therefore sintering is lower than for melting. is incorporated into the glass matrix • Zhang et al. manufactured requires mechanical machining or This increases the opportunities for and forms a network of conductive Reaction-Bonded Silicon Carbide chemical etching. possible composite combinations particles; above the percolation (RBSC) by CIM using feedstocks Manufacturing glass components and allows for a wide range of threshold, electrical current can containing silicon carbide, by a powder-based route has secondary phases. flow through the touching particles carbon black and paraffin wax, advantages: sintering is conducted Several publications have and, due to ohmic losses, heat is HDPE, EVA and stearic acid as above the transition temperature reported on conductive and produced. This principle is the basis organic binder system [88]. of glass, but well below the molten insulating glass-based composites, for its application as a heating device state, which in turn saves energy. combined by applying 2C-PIM [96, (Fig. 19). In the work of Enríquez • Functional ceramic components Functional glass matrix composites 97, 98, 99]. A borosilicate glass et al., CIM is used to process rare made of piezoelectric PMN-PZT can be realised by adding particulate was used as a matrix material. earth-free glass-ceramics with have been produced by Han et al. additives, which are not affected by The conductive component is a photoluminescent properties [100]. [89]. • PIM has been used to produce Fig. 17 Needle component made of alumina (Courtesy Kläger Spritzguss complex-shaped samples with GmbH) a high reproducibility of MAX

phase Ti3SiC2 powders [90]. MAX phases combine typical metal The demand for zirconia CIM prod- applications in medical technology and ceramic properties, such as ucts is currently growing significantly is alumina. In the future, many high rigidity, good mechanical in the consumer electronics market, more applications for functional properties at high temperatures, whilst there are an increasing ceramics are expected to develop high resistance to corrosion and number of applications for alumina in medical technology for innovative oxidation and good thermal and in the automotive sector and the methods of surgical interventions, electrical conductivity. consumer products market. medical diagnostics therapy and A growing demand is also being patient monitoring. Polycrystalline • Böttcher et al. describe the seen for silicon nitride and translu- alumina (PCA) has the potential to injection moulding of Oxide cent ceramics. Other engineering replace sapphire at less than one Ceramic Matrix Composites ceramics, such as silicon carbide fifth of the actual cost. It is free (OCMC) by means of alumina and and boron nitride, are available, but from contamination, completely alumina fibres (Nextel 610) [91]. demand remains limited [10]. inert, scratch-proof and corrosion • Tülümen and Piotter used Currently, one of the most resistant. It also combines extremely alumina and chopped alumina Fig. 19 A two-component glass component with intrinsic heating element (left) and an IR camera image of the widely used materials for structural high hardness, heat resistance, high fibres for producing fibre rein- component during heating (Courtesy Fraunhofer IKTS)

Fig. 20 Watch components made of translucent alumina (Courtesy Fraunhofer IKTS, Inmatec Technologies GmbH) Fig. 22 An alumina CIM component sintered in hydrogen, equipped with conductive paths, series resistor and LED, three- dimensionally structured by Direct Laser Structuring (Courtesy Hahn Schickard and IFKB, University of Stuttgart)

CIM applications • Medical/dental (surgical tools, automotive industry is also looking for CIM materials, offering the ability that rotate against one another, Whilst hybrid vehicles and brackets, implants) new aesthetic applications for luxury to isolate heat sources at the tip of such as hub bushings; and their computer servers are today medical devices and thereby reduce extreme heat resistance makes leading high-volume applications Tables 1–6 detail a range of CIM • Industrial (housing, pumps, interiors. the risk of injury to patients. them suitable for engine applica- for Ceramic Injection Moulding , applications that have been recorded fittings, locks). CIM zirconium oxide was first across a number of industry sectors. developed for luxury watchcases In the aerospace industry, tions. There are also opportunities high-intensity, solid-state lighting is Applications in smartphones, Several major CIM applications can and bracelet segments in the mid- ceramics provide significant for the use of ceramics in aggres- also becoming a ‘mega market’ for home appliances, wearable devices be regarded as having long lifespans, 1980s by Rado Watches of Lengnau, compressive strength; high wear and sive environments such as jet fuel ceramic heat dissipation applica- and other products sometimes land remaining in production for ten to Switzerland, and IWC Schaffhausen, low coefficient of friction for parts systems [102]. tions [7]. with a splash, but within months are twenty years with only minor changes. Switzerland. Recent years have seen gone [7]. Examples include: an increasing number of leading Swiss producers of luxury watches luxury watchmakers embracing CIM • Aerospace (casting cores, inlets, have expanded their market with for watchcases, bezels, bracelet nozzles, linkages) new shapes and designs and the MEDICAL/DENTAL APPLICATIONS Material References segments and even movement parts, Osteo-inductive parts for bone Calcium-phosphate powders with an adding of adding a significant premium to their [104] already successful metal-based substitution bioactive glasses timepieces [101]. Biomaterial with good biological and Titanium alloy Ti6Al4V and hydroxyapatite [105], [106] CIM watch components are mechanical properties produced primarily using ultrafine Translucent orthodontic brackets Polycrystalline alumina (PCA) [7], [107], [108] tetragonal zirconia powders, although other types of ceramic powders such Abutment for implants Zirconia [103], [104], [109], [110] as silicon nitride, titanium nitride and Dental implants Yttria-stabilised zirconia [10], [111] boron carbide have been introduced. Dental drills, scalpels, tweezers Zirconia [106] Black zirconia parts have become standard for many CIM watches, Zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA), platelet Hip implants [112] but a number of higher-end watch reinforced ZTA producers are now turning their Feedthroughs for hearing implants Alumina [113] attention to incorporating other colours [97]. Screws for fixing implants to the bone Alumina [18] In the medical sector, the biocom- Tools for micro-invasive surgery Alumina, zirconia [7], [18], [98] patibility of ceramics is a tremendous Heart pacemaker bodies Alumina [7] Fig. 21 Variety of DENSILOX ® Ceramic Dental Solutions (Courtesy CeramTec advantage, as are the thermal/ GmbH, CC BY-ND 3.0 DE) electrical insulating properties of Table 1 Examples of CIM parts in the medical and dental sectors

AEROSPACE, DEFENCE AND AUTOMOTIVE Material References GENERAL ENGINEERING AND OTHER Material References APPLICATION AREAS Nozzles [7] Cutting tool inserts WC-10%Co cemented carbide [103], [123] Jet fuel systems [98] Wood-cutting tools Alumina [124] Casting cores Porous alumina [7] Alumina in a matrix of WC-Co, tool steel with Wear resistant components [7] Sound navigation and ranging (SONAR) Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) /polymer [36], [86], [117], reinforcing tic system composite [118] Bearings, balls Si3N4 [4], [125] Automotive lighting (HID lamps) Polycrystalline alumina (PCA) [42] Zirconia based ceramics with addition of different Glow plug for diesel engines Si3NN4-SiC-MoSi2 composites [11], [114] Electrical discharge machinable ceramics amounts of titanium carbide as electrically [126] Sliding shoe for controllable automotive conductive phase High-performance Si3N4 [115] water pumps Housings [7] Automotive interiors Black zirconia [116] Pumps [7] Table 2 Examples of CIM parts in aerospace, defence and automotive Fittings and locks [7] Complex ceramic acoustic reflectors used in CONSUMER ELECTRONICS Material References [127] & COMMUNICATIONS ultrasonic flow meters Positive thermal coefficient (PTC) elements Ceramic clevis sensor housing for online for battery powered devices and heating Titanates [11], [18] substance concentration measurements in Zirconia [128] elements for glue guns pipelines Components for dot-matrix printers Alumina [103] Electrical components Bluetooth and sensor-containing jewellery Functional gradient heat sinks AlN/copper, high-heat radiating alumia [7], [119] Zirconia [120] with integrated health indicators Temperature sensors High-thermal emittance alumina [111] Ceramic bodies, frames, buttons, and plugs Food/Beverage industry for cellular telephones for better phone Zirconia [7], [103] Grinders for salt and pepper mills and reception and lighter devices Alumina, ZTA, zirconia [18], [129] grinding discs for coffee machines Table 3 Examples of CIM parts in consumer electronics & communications Needles for piercing of coffee pods Alumina [18], [119]

WATCHES, JEWELLERY & LUXURY GOODS Material References Rotary nozzles for high-pressure cleaners Alumina, ZTA, zirconia [119] Scratch-proof watch glass Polycrystalline alumina (PCA) [42] Tableware Alumina-rich porcelain [116] Translucent watch cases Polycrystalline alumina (PCA) [121] Optical components Luggage buckles, logos Zirconia [7] Scratch-proof lenses Polycrystalline alumina (PCA) [42] LED parts High heat radiating alumina [111] Watch cases, bezels Black zirconia, Si3N4, B4C, tin, coloured ceramics [97], [103] Light reflecting ceramic parts Fine-grained 99.99% purity translucent alumina [111] Bracelet segments Zirconia, Si3N4 [97] Rotors and tourbillions Zirconia [97] Power generation / storage Ceramic ball bearings for the barrel Zirconia [97] Porous anode support for SOFC Nio-YSZ [10], [130], [131]

Jewellery rings Zirconia [97] Axial turbine rotors for electrical generators Si3N4 [132], [133], [134] Recuperators Si N [128] Table 4 Examples of CIM parts in watches, jewellery and luxury goods 3 4 Table 6 Examples of CIM parts in general engineering and other application areas METAL FORMING / CASTING CORES Material References

Temperature sensor for steel melts Si3N4-SiC-MoSi2 composites [92], [93], [122] Oxygen sensors for steel melt Zirconia Heraeus Electro- According to Nier, for the produc- which increase production cost [103]. Increasing demand is expected for Nite, Belgium tion of C/C-SiC brake discs via the The continuously increasing need refractory materials, for example in Pouring spouts Ceramic refractories [7] liquid silicon infiltration method (LSI), for electronic parts in the automotive rocket nozzles, engines and armour. the overall cost can be reduced by industry as it moves towards electri- Additionally, the use of PIM within the Filters Ceramic refractories [7] implementing an injection moulding fication, coupled with miniaturisation medical device industry looks set to Crucibles Ceramic refractories [7] process, as the hot pressing process, and reduction of powder consump- rise as the demand for multi-scale which is the current ‘state of the art’ tion, is expected to lead to a further components with micro-patterns, Casting cores for turbine components Porous alumina [7] for the shaping of the CFRP compos- acceleration of growth in the CIM made out of biocompatible materials, Table 5 CIM parts in metal forming technologies ites, consists of several manual steps, industry beyond 2020 [11]. increases.

Fig. 25 Quadratic structure made by FFF applied to a cylindrical disc made by CIM (left: green state); FESEM image of the interface between both components (right: sintered state) (Courtesy Fraunhofer IKTS)

Fig. 23 Exhaust gas sensor made of alumina (Courtesy Formatec B.V.) The trend towards further diver- parallel and how long it takes to with unique additively manufactured sification in micro-manufacture, finish one run. From the viewpoint details. This flexibility could be taken Trends in Ceramic Injection focus of these developments has hot runner system and the dynamic most notably a tendency towards of the composition of the initial so far as to enable the end customer Moulding been to achieve a faultless surface mould temperature control system using more varieties of functional materials, the two feedstock-based to choose or design individual finish and narrow part tolerances. through the use of variothermal or high-strength materials, takes AM methods are Fused Filament features, which are then applied to a Larger parts with higher aspect This development is reflected in temperature control [10]. advantage of the wide range of Fabrication (FFF), which comes piece of jewellery. This combination ratios market interest in the production of processable materials by MicroPIM. under the AM process category of of ceramic shaping technologies In recent years, there has been smartphone frames [39]. The key to 2C-PIM A further benefit can be obtained Material Extrusion (MEX), and Multi could also lead to customised growing interest in the production success in the case of parts with long For more than a decade, material when two materials are combined Material Jetting (MMJ), a process in medical products covering a very of larger parts with higher aspect flow paths and thin wall thicknesses hybrids encompassing two different in a micro device, enabling different which droplets of molten feedstock wide range of applications, from ratios, particularly for the consumer is to perfectly coordinate the material classes have increasingly functions to be realised. This can be are deposited to build up a green dental parts to surgical tools [11]. electronics market [120]. The main interaction between the mould, the emerged. Combinations of polymers enabled using 2C-MicroPIM [138]. part. Both processes have much and ceramics are reported by Becker in common with CIM and can be Lost-Form PIM [119], where the ceramic component The convergence of CIM and AM regarded as close relatives of the As previously highlighted, Freeform has a key position for a certain appli- Because of CIM’s significant lead technology [136]. Injection Moulding, also called Lost- cation, as well as metal-ceramic times and expensive tooling, it is A major advantage for CIM Form PIM, combines the short lead material combinations [135, 136, very difficult to make cost-effective producers is that both processes times, low start-up costs and design 137]. The major advantage of 2C-PIM prototypes or small-scale series. can be easily implemented in freedom of Additive Manufacturing is the direct combination of two Sometimes, however, it is necessary existing PIM production settings with the scalability and use of materials with different properties in to have just a few parts in order using the same feedstock prepara- existing, lower-cost materials offered a single production step, therefore to test an idea or for iterations to tion machines. As such, they expand by injection moulding [54, 142]. It is eliminating the need for a subse- achieve an optimised design [139]. the potential range of products based on a patent-pending Sacrificial quent joining process [48]. In such cases, ceramic AM can meet through, for example, the added Thermoplastic Injection Moulding this need [140]. Additionally, the capability for individualisation or (STIM) technology, which reportedly MicroPIM time for producing the mould could personalisation. All powders that allows the production of complex MicroPIM continues to attract atten- be reduced using AM. T Moritz et al. can be processed by CIM can also be injection moulded components in as tion as a unique process by which compared the pros and cons of AM used for FFF or MMJ. Furthermore, little as twenty-four hours. to manufacture metal and ceramic and CIM [141]. the same debinding equipment used micro components in medium It is very difficult to determine in the CIM industry can also be used Digitalisation to high volumes [77]. Injection the break-even point between the for AM components [136]. The next technological boost in moulding in particular is used for the two technologies, because there are In the near future, a greater CIM will come from digitalisation. production of both individual micro- two main drivers that play a crucial convergence between AM and CIM Applying artificial intelligence components with typical dimensions role: for CIM, it is the complexity of can be expected. For example, parts algorithms to enable machine of ≤ 1 mm and microstructured the part, which in turn determines could be injection moulded by CIM, learning will allow manufacturers to components, defined as micro- or the cost of the tool; for AM, it is the before undergoing an individualisa- predict the quality of final sintered

Fig. 24 Micro turbine impeller made of Si3N4 (diameter 103 mm) using CIM even nanoscale structures on larger size of the part. These determine tion process using AM: a piece of components after green part (Courtesy Fraunhofer IKTS) carrier surfaces. how many parts can be built in ceramic jewellery could be created manufacturing. Ontology-based, pre-

trained models will be developed Summary and outlook closed-loop feedback control and Miner. Metall. Mater. 22 (2015) pp. Powder segregation and yield stress iour, and the mechanical properties for the CIM community, which can analysis of gained data using process 654-659, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/ effects during form filling” J. Eur. of the ceramic injection moulded be trained with the production data models. By mastering the process, s12613-015-1119-6 Ceram. Soc. 2011, 31, 2525–2534. system” Ceramics International, 44 Looking at CIM today, regarding the of each individual company. This developments become more predict- (2018) pp 5646-5651 progress in material science, the [5] Chuankrerkkul, N.; Wasanapi- [15] Park, D. Y. et al.: “An experi- will improve understanding of each able and the introduction cycles of development of Additive Manufac- arnpong, T.; Noomun, K. Powder mental approach to powder-binder [25] D. Bleyan et al. “Specific product, help identify and correct new products can be shortened. Addi- turing and the increasing influence Injection Moulding of Dental Ceramic separation of feedstock“, Powder interactions of low molecular weight non-optimal production parameters tionally, AM using the same powders of digitalisation on all spheres of life, Brackets Using Water Soluble Binder. Technology (2017) 306: 34-44 analogues of carnaubawax and and enable the installation of robust and sintering cycles is a response it can be concluded that Ceramic Chiang Mai J. Sci. 2018, 45, 2190–2194 polyethyleneglycol binders of ceramic processes. Product quality, resource to the third and fourth challenges. [16] Shivashankar, T. S. et al. Injection Moulding counts as a injection moulding feedstocks” Ceram. efficiency and reliability will reach Finally, the last two challenges revert [6] R. M. 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ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE: APRIL 2, 2021 ElementPlus: Exploring Call for Presentations opportunities for titanium MIM in the consumer Powder Metallurgy and PMTi Additive Manufacturing electronics sector 2021 of Titanium September 15–17, 2021 • McGill University • Montréal, Canada Asia's burgeoning consumer electronics sector has been the driving force behind much of Metal Injection Moulding's growth over the past decade. Can this sector now help drive the MIM of titanium? Leading Chinese Ti MIM specialist Shenzhen Global experts on powder metallurgy and ElementPlus Material Technology Co., Ltd. believes that competitive powder prices, additive manufacturing processing of titanium cost reductions thanks to more flexible processing, and the development of new and titanium alloys will gather for academic applications with specific performance requirements, have created the perfect exchange and technology transfer in Montréal, conditions for a breakthrough. The company's General Manager, Daomin Gu, shares Canada. her insights with PIM International and reports on progress to date. Topics include: ■ Powder production ■ Compaction and shaping Chinese Metal Injection Moulding different MIM materials. In addition Advantages of Ti MIM ■ Metal injection molding (MIM) producer Shenzhen ElementPlus to conventional iron-based alloys Additive manufacturing Material Technology Co., Ltd. was and stainless steels, ElementPlus’s Titanium and titanium alloys have ■ established in Shenzhen in 2016. material portfolio includes soft attracted much attention from ■ Sintering Today, the company’s production magnetic materials, electronic industry because of their high specific ■ Mechanical properties facility is equipped with forty injection packaging materials, tungsten strength, good biocompatibility moulding machines, nine debinding alloys, lightweight alloys and and excellent corrosion resistance. ■ Microstructure vs. property relationships furnaces and twenty sintering ceramics. But it is the development However, compared with other ■ PM Ti alloys including TiAl furnaces, and has the capacity to of technology for the MIM of lower- structural materials such as stainless PM Bio Ti materials produce MIM parts worth 200 million cost, high-performance titanium steels and aluminium alloys, the ■ RMB – around $30 million – a year. alloy parts that is seen as presenting high production costs of titanium ■ Modeling Certified to international standards a significant opportunity for large- alloys limit their applications to ■ Applications including ISO9001, ISO14000 and scale commercialisation. cutting-edge, high-tech and premium IATF16949, the company serves major OEMs from a wide range of After five successful conferences held in Australia, sectors including consumer elec- New Zealand, Germany, China, and the United States, tronics, power tools and hardware, automotive and medical devices. PMTi is headed to Canada for the first time. It is ElementPlus’s research programmes, however, focused on MIM materials development, that Conference Co-Chairs: have driven innovation and secured ■ Louis-Philippe Lefebvre, National Research Council Canada a strong market position for the ■ Vladimir Brailowski, ETS Montréal, Canada company. Thanks to a well-resourced ■ Mathieu Brochu, McGill University, Canada research laboratory operated by a group of specialist MIM engineers who work in close collaboration with Sponsored by: universities and research institutes, Metal Powder Industries Federation technologies have been developed to Fig. 1 Inside the entrance of Shenzhen ElementPlus Material Technology Co., enable the processing of a range of Ltd’s modern MIM facility Visit pmti2021.org to submit an abstract

Challenges of titanium MIM Specimens Powder Furnace hot zone Density (%) YS (MPa) UTS (MPa) Elongation (%) CPTi 0–45 μm metal 94.0 ± 0.2 432 ± 3 507 ± 5 14.5 ± 0.6 Titanium and its alloys are also challenging to process by Metal Injection CPTi 0–45 μm graphite 95.9 ± 0.1 445 ± 4 545 ± 7 15.4 ± 0.6 Moulding. The major difficulty lies in Ti6Al4V 0–25 μm metal 99.5 ± 0.1 958 ± 11 1019 ± 12 21.5 ± 0.6 the control of interstitial elements such as oxygen, carbon and nitrogen, Ti6Al4V 0–25 μm graphite 99.6 ± 0.2 1019 ± 3 1079 ± 2 22.5 ± 0.9 all of which are detrimental to Ti6Al4V 0–40 μm metal 96.8 ± 0.1 805 ± 1 918 ± 3 8.1 ± 0.6 mechanical properties. Because the Metal Injection Moulding process Ti6Al4V 0–40 μm graphite 97.2 ± 0.1 842 ± 10 958 ± 13 7.2 ± 0.4 consists of a series of stages including PolyMIM Ti6Al4V graphite 96.5 ± 0.3 802 ± 1 915 ± 3 18.8 ± 0.4 feedstock mixing, injection moulding, feedstock debinding and sintering – most of Ti6.5Al2Zr1Mo1V 0–25 μm graphite 96.4 ± 0.2 1038 ± 21 1093 ± 18 8.6 ± 0.8 which are conducted at elevated temperatures – titanium powders, Table 1 Summary of the mechanical properties of the MIM titanium and titanium alloys which have a larger surface area than bulk materials, easily pick up interstitials from the air, processing thus making Ti MIM products less Ti MIM materials research based feedstock that was prepared at atmospheres, binder ingredients and cost-competitive compared with MIM temperatures below 185°C in order to ceramic setters. products made from other materials, Thanks to developments made in reduce oxygen pickup. Of the three main interstitial as well as Ti products manufactured the metal Additive Manufacturing In the subsequent injection elements, the one of most concern is by other processes. There are many industry, a new generation of moulding step, a low injection oxygen. Many research studies have research projects aimed at producing Chinese powder suppliers has speed was used in order to reduce indicated that even 3500 ppm oxygen Ti MIM products using lower-cost Ti invested significantly in establishing the friction of the powders, which can embrittle titanium alloys and make hydride–dehydride (HDH) powders or production lines for spherical tita- can raise local temperatures in the

them unsuitable as a structural mate- TiH2 powders, however these technolo- nium powder. Moreover, established feedstock and lead to decomposition rial. High-quality titanium powders gies have not yet been industrialised. titanium powder manufacturers are and carbonisation of the POM binder. available in the market contain over Apart from expensive raw mate- expanding their production capacity. Catalytic debinding was conducted 1000 ppm oxygen. During sintering, the rials, one factor pushing the price The particle size distribution in a furnace at 100°C using nitric powder picks up a further 1500–2000 of Ti MIM products even higher is specifications of the standardised acid as the catalyser. Subsequently, ppm oxygen and, once oxidised, the their sintering requirements. Unlike products of most manufacturers the brown parts were transferred oxygen constituent in titanium cannot stainless steels, which can be readily are: 15–45, 15–53, 45–106 and to another furnace for immediate be reduced by any agents commonly sintered using more affordable and 45–150 µm, and powders with other thermal debinding and sintering, used in industry. durable furnaces with graphite hot particle size distributions can also be reducing contact with air to a Compared with oxygen, titanium zones, Ti MIM products must be customised. Oxygen content is in the minimum. After thermal debinding, picks up less nitrogen and carbon sintered in much more expensive range of 800–1500 ppm and the most the debound parts were sintered furnaces with metallic hot zones. The commonly used grades are pure tita- at temperatures ranging from Fig. 2 Views inside the ElementPlus MIM facility. Top; injection moulding area, during sintering, though these two heating elements and insulating mate- nium, Ti6Al4V and Ti6.5Al2Zr1Mo1V. 1200–1250°C, then cooled to room middle; debinding facilities, bottom; vacuum sintering furnace installations impurities are more harmful to the mechanical properties. Taking rials of these furnaces are normally With coarser powders being temperature inside the furnace. carbon, when its content exceeds made from Mo or W, which gradually consumed by AM and other Powder In order to compare the influence 800 ppm, titanium carbide forms, become brittle in service and need to Metallurgy processes such as Hot of particle size on sintering behaviour, application areas. Whilst the aviation chemically reacts with almost all reducing elongation, fatigue strength be changed more frequently than their Isostatic Pressing (HIP), the often- powders with three different size sector is well recognised as the major oxide refractory materials, meaning and corrosion resistance. Therefore, graphite counterparts, giving rise to unwanted fine powders are the specifications (0–25 μm, 0–40 μm consumer of titanium components, special melting processes are apart from carefully controlling the higher maintenance costs. perfect raw materials for Metal Injec- and 0–45 μm) were processed by in the search for structural materials needed when casting it. Moreover, processing parameters of the injection It should also be noted that, in tion Moulding. As a result, powder ElementPlus. Two different furnaces, with better performance, the demand titanium has a low thermal moulding, debinding and sintering order to control oxygen concentration, suppliers can provide Ti powders at with graphite and metallic hot zones for titanium alloys from the elec- conductivity, leading to ‘sticky’ stages, choosing raw materials with the titanium powders used in MIM are a far more competitive price. Thanks respectively, were used for sintering. tronics industry has also increased. tools and surface hardening when low concentrations of interstitial coarser than stainless steels powders. to this, Ti MIM products are gradu- In order to improve the level of the Reducing the cost of titanium alloy machined, which increases the cost elements is crucial to ensure that This lowers sinterability compared ally being accepted by China's huge vacuum, a furnace with a graphite hot components has, therefore, become of processing titanium alloys. Of the Ti MIM products have the required with finer powders. Sintered densities consumer electronics industry. zone was modified in-house and used an issue that must be urgently viable manufacturing processes for chemical compositions and necessary in Ti MIM parts are therefore normally Taking advantage of this, for Ti sintering. Samples sintered addressed in order to expand their titanium alloys, MIM is one of the mechanical properties. lower than in MIM stainless steels. The ElementPlus is undertaking further in this furnace were compared with use. most suitable for producing struc- The powders used for Ti MIM porosity in Ti MIM products not only materials related research. In those sintered in the metallic furnace The high cost of titanium alloy tural components for the consumer are generally produced by gas or compromises dynamic mechanical one study, three different Ti alloy to explore the possibility of manu- components is partly attributed to the electronics industry, which are plasma atomisation, are spherical properties, but also excludes the powders (pure Ti, Ti6Al4V and facturing Ti MIM products with more manufacturing processes by which typically small, complex, and must in morphology, and have particle possibility of achieving highly-polished Ti6.5Al2Zr1Mo1V) were used as raw affordable equipment. they are made. Titanium is highly be produced in large volumes within sizes smaller than 45 μm. These surfaces, which are omnipresent in materials. The powders were mixed Table 1 summarises the mechan- reactive in the molten state and a short period of time. types of powders are quite expensive, various consumer electronics. with binders to produce a POM- ical properties of the MIM titanium

With a sintered density of up In addition to the required to 99.5%, pores are rarely seen in strength, hardness and corrosion the material’s classic two-phase resistance of these parts, the weight microstructure. Compared with of the material used should be as Ti6Al4V, the mechanical properties low as possible, reducing the overall of pure Ti and Ti6.5Al2Zr1Mo1V are weight of the watch and improving inferior. Due to their relatively low wearer comfort. In addition to sintered densities, their ductility is meeting the above requirements, not comparable with that of Ti6Al4V. titanium alloys also have excellent A comparison of the results for biocompatibility, eliminating the Ti6Al4V samples made from powders problem of allergic reaction posed by with different particle sizes indicates many currently-used Ni-containing that the use of fine powder can effec- watch case materials and making tively improve the sintered density titanium an ideal material for wear- and mechanical properties of the able devices. products, although the fine powders Previously, the utilisation of Ti normally have higher oxygen alloys for high-volume watch case concentration than the coarse ones. fabrication was prohibited by the It is noted that samples sintered in price of the Ti MIM products and different types of furnaces do not their relatively low sintered densities Fig. 3 Two Ti6Al4V tensile specimens fabricated by Metal Injection Moulding, show much difference in sintered compared with other MIM materials. one in its as-sintered state and the other bent at a wide angle without fracture, densities or mechanical properties. However, these problems have now indicating good ductility If carefully controlled, the graphite been partially solved, paving the way furnaces may sometimes even for the large-scale commercialisa- produce samples with ductility tion of Ti MIM parts in the fast- which is a little higher. This finding growing wearable device industry. suggests that MIM companies might In collaboration with a well-known be able to save a large investment electronics industry leader, Element- in expensive metallic hot zone Plus launched pilot-scale testing of furnaces, allowing mass-production smartwatch cases fabricated by the of titanium alloys at a more competi- Metal Injection Moulding of Ti alloys. tive price. The results proved that most of the complex structural features of the Fig. 5 A Ti6Al4V MIM watch case which, thanks to a high sintered density over watch case can be directly injec- 99%, can be polished, brushed or blasted to achieve an attractive surface finish Application potential tion moulded within the required tolerance ranges, with only a few With the ongoing development of areas that have strict dimensional the consumer electronics industry, tolerances requiring CNC machining there are ever more requirements afterwards. for light, structural materials with Thanks to a high sintered density high strength. The high densities and of over 99%, most surface finishing good mechanical properties of the methods, such as mirror polishing, Ti MIM alloys developed by Element- Fig. 4 The good mechanical properties of the Ti MIM alloy derive from its low surface brushing, sandblasting, PVD, Plus provide opportunities to cater to interstitial concentrations and high sintered density, which is proven by an etc, can be applied to sintered Ti these requirements, which could not optical micrograph of the alloy showing an integrated microstructure with little watch cases to give a high-quality previously have been met by MIM. porosity surface finish comparable with that Some potential applications of the of forged counterparts (Fig. 5 & 6). material are given below. and titanium alloys fabricated by as-sintered state, while the other is Camera brackets for smartphones the company. Ti6Al4V exhibits very bent at a wide angle. The bent sample Watch cases Although Samsung first tried dual good mechanical properties: it not does not fracture and shows no According to the latest data released cameras as far back as 2007, it was only shows high strength in tensile cracks on its surface despite the large by Counterpoint Research, global not until 2016 that Huawei released testing, but also has elongation plastic deformation. These positive smartwatch sales reached 42 million its dual-camera smartphone, the P9, greater than 20% when well sintered. mechanical properties derive from in the first half of 2020. The growing in cooperation with Leica. Apple then The ductility of the alloys is best the low interstitial content, as well as smartwatch market therefore brings released the iPhone 7 Plus dual- illustrated by Fig. 3, which shows the integrated microstructures of the huge opportunities for the MIM camera smartphone in 2017. Since two Ti6Al4V tensile bars fabricated alloy. Fig. 4 shows a micrograph of a industry, particularly for watch cases then, many other companies have by MIM. One of these is shown in the Ti6Al4V sample fabricated by MIM. and buttons/crowns. developed their own multi-camera Fig. 6 Ti6Al4V MIM watch cases with a variety of high-quality surface coatings

with a permeability of only ~1.00004. 1200 Its magnetic properties can easily meet the requirement for camera Ti6Al4V brackets (the acceptance threshold 1000 is set at 1.04 by most smartphone P.A.N.A.C.E.A. companies). 800 P.A.N.A.C.E.A.’s low permeability F75 alloy and high corrosion resistance derive from its nitrogen content, which 600 is acquired during sintering and

stabilises the austenitic structure (MPa) Stress 400 of the alloy. However, the nitrogen content of P.A.N.A.C.E.A. is highly sensitive to processing parameters 200 during sintering and heat treatment, making it one of the trickiest alloys 0 for MIM processing. As a result, the 0 5 10 15 20 25 properties of P.A.N.A.C.E.A. parts fabricated by MIM can show poor Strain (%) batch-to-batch consistency. On the other hand, low permeability Fig. 8 A comparison of the tensile curves of three different MIM alloys, and high corrosion resistance are indicating that the yield strength of Ti6Al4V is much higher than the two intrinsic properties of Ti6Al4V and alloys currently being used to produce camera frames of mobile phones – P.A.N.A.C.E.A and F75. This makes Ti MIM alloys potential materials for the 10 mm can be achieved consistently in its MIM products. From this aspect, future of smartphone bracket fabrication it is expected that Ti6Al4V will Fig. 7 Smartphone camera brackets made using P.A.N.A.C.E.A result in a much higher yield rate in camera bracket production than P.A.N.A.C.E.A.

smartphones, and there are ever 17-11-3, widely known in its BASF Table 2 compares the mechanical Hinges for foldable smartphones more smartphones appearing on the Catamold form as P.A.N.A.C.E.A., properties of Ti6Al4V to those of and smart glasses market equipped with more than two and F75, a CoCrMo alloy. These have the F75 and P.A.N.A.C.E.A. alloys, cameras. become the most popular materials as well as other physical proper- In addition to camera frames, fold- These developments pushed currently being used for smartphone ties required and Fig. 8 shows the able screens are another milestone the demands on materials used for camera bracket fabrication (Fig. 7). tensile curves. Ti6Al4V has a yield for smartphones. The core innova- supporting brackets to new heights. As the number of camera strength 50% higher than that of tions lie in the combination of flex- Firstly, the material needs to be lenses continues to increase, the F75 and P.A.N.A.C.E.A. alloys; its ible screens and advanced hinges. non-magnetic to avoid shielding supporting brackets are becoming hardness is also slightly higher The hinge of the foldable smart- the smartphone’s signal. Secondly, larger. The result is an urgent than these. Additionally, Ti6Al4V phone contains dozens of metal strength should be sufficiently high need to find a material which is as has excellent corrosion resistance: parts which are manufactured by to protect the lens’s optical compo- light as possible, whilst meeting in the salt spray test, the alloy can MIM, CNC machining or stamping. nents. Finally, corrosion and wear the existing technical require- easily withstand the corrosion of The hinge material requires a yield resistance should be high enough to ments for the brackets. Titanium salt solution for thousands of hours, strength greater than 900 MPa, avoid the exposed part of the compo- has therefore become a potential making it orders of magnitude good wear resistance, high hard- nent being damaged or deteriorating candidate material for this applica- more durable than the F75 and ness (greater than HRC 35) and light during use. After much development, tion’s – and the wider smartphone P.A.N.A.C.E.A. alloys. Furthermore, weight. Some parts have extremely two alloys emerged: X15 CrMnMoN industry’s – future. Ti6Al4V is a paramagnetic material high requirements in terms of dimensional and geometric tolerances, approaching the limits of the MIM process. Density YS UTS Elongation Perme- Salt spray Currently, candidate materials Materials Hardness (%) (MPa) (MPa) (%) ability test (h) for hinges include 17-4PH, 420, Fe-Ni low-alloy steel and Ti6Al4V. P.A.N.A.C.E.A 7.5–7.7 ≥ 600 ≥ 800 10–30 280–350 HV < 1.04 ~ 48 Titanium alloy parts have huge F75 7.9–8.2 ≥ 550 ≥ 800 8–15 300–330 HV ~ 1.01 ~ 96 advantages in reducing the weight Ti6Al4V 4.3–4.4 ≥ 900 ≥ 1000 8–22 310–370 HV ~ 1.00 > 1000 of phones: based on the same design, the weight of a hinge is Fig. 9 A pair of Huawei 'Gentle Monster' smart glasses with MIM Ti6Al4V Table 2 Comparison of mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V, P.A.N.A.C.E.A and F75 fabricated by MIM around 60% of that of ferrous-based hinges (Courtesy Huawei)

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TRADETRADE EXHIBIXHIBIH BIT Fig. 10 MIM Ti6Al4V hinges for smart glasses TheT largestlargeslltargestrgestststa annualaannnuannnnnauaalalNl NoNorotortrthhhA AmericanAmericAmerAmmemerimericaerr can exhibitexhibixhibxhxhibiibbitt totos showcaseshowhowcasehhooowcasewwcaccaseasesse leadingleleadinlldeeaaadddidgingnggpgs suppliersssusuppuppluppliersuupppplierser ofofpf powderpgowdeowderderrmr metallurgymeetallurgttlallurgltuurgyrggyy,yym, metalmmetaeetalt lil injectioniinjeinjectnjectionnjjjteectioctctioonn materials. With the development of Conclusion Contact molding,mmoldinolding,oldinglddingidnnggg,ga,,a andanandnddm metalmetaetaltattlallald additiveaadditivadddditiddi ve foldable smartphones, MIM titanium manufacturingmanufacturinma facturinga ururinringriiniingpg processingprocessingrocerocessingessingessingsingsiinggqgge eqequipmequieequipmenequipment,equipmentquipmeq ipmeipipmemen powders,powderppowdodoowders,w eesssa,p andandnddd productsprproducoduccts. alloy parts will therefore have signifi- For many years, the view in the MIM Ms Daomin Gu cant potential market prospects. industry has been that titanium General Manager Although MIM titanium is not yet MIM has failed to reach its market Shenzhen ElementPlus Material SPECIALSSPECIAPPECIALECIAE ALLC CONFERENCECONFERENONFERENCONFEREONNFEREENCENNCCEEE EVENEVEVEVEENNTNTSTS used for the production of smart- potential and start to rival other MIM Technology Co., Ltd Includingncludingn udinu ggpgs specialspeciaspecialp illlg guestguesgueuestsstts speakers,sspeaspeakersspeakespppeeakers, phone hinges, ElementPlus has materials in terms of significant Shenzhen awardsardsdsddlssl luncheonsluncheons,uncheonsu cheons,chdh ns,a,g andannnddde eveningevveniveenning mass-produced MIM Ti6Al4V hinges production volumes. This has been, China networkingnetkwo kkiitng events.v s for several smart glasses, including in part, due to a combination of chal- Tel: +86 18576602907 the Huawei X Gentle Monster product. lenging processing requirements, [email protected] The hinge used here weighs just high powder costs, and a lack of www.ep-pim.com 0.25 g, which places a high require- applications. This picture may now Metale al PowderPoowow eer IndustriesInIndustdsdustriestrietriesesF FeFeederdederaaatiotitiont on APMIAPPMMII Internationan rnationatia o l ment on the dynamic mechanical be changing thanks to the timely properties of the material (Fig. 9 and combination of reduced powder Fig. 10). costs, a greater mastering of the These components need to pass a specific process requirements by fatigue test in which the components a select number of MIM producers are bent back-and-forth by up to 7° and, as highlighted in this article, deformation to simulate working some significant applications that conditions. Bending for at least 30,000 bring with them the potential of cycles without fracture is necessary high-volume production. to pass the fatigue test. This is a significant challenge, which requires strict control of the overall production TUNGSTENTTUTUNGSTUUNGSUNGSTENNGSTENNGSTGSTEGSGSSTENTTEEENN process. 20222002211 PowderMet2021.orPPowderMet202PowdowdderMet2021.orderMet20dMeerMet2rMMet202Met2ete 22021021o1.1.o.orgrggTTuungsten2021.orungstengstngstennngsten2021ngggggsten2021gstesten2021stt2een2021.orenen202en20nn2021.n20222020020212211.o.ororg

VIRTUAL EVENT

2 International Conference on Injection 0 MIM-Master Neo: A new 2 Molding of Metals, Ceramics and Carbides 1 February 22–25, 2021 generation of the continuous debinding and sintering solution Registration that changed the MIM industry

Now Open When first introduced in the early 1990s, the MIM-Master continuous debinding and sintering furnace system from CREMER Thermoprozessanlagen GmbH, MANUFACTURING INNOVATIONS: in combination with BASF SE's Catamold® feedstock, transformed MIM • Part design technology into a truly viable high-volume manufacturing process. Today, the • Tooling system has been further enhanced, and the 'next-generation' MIM-Master • Molding • Debinding Neo promises even higher capacity, improved temperature homogeneity and • Sintering reduced running costs. In this article, the company's Jacqueline Gruber, Hartmut Weber and Ingo Cremer tell the story of MIM-Master and outline the MATERIALS ADVANCEMENTS: innovations in the new system. • Metals & alloys • Ceramics • Hardmaterials

TARGETED AUDIENCE: Metal Injection Moulding is a thermal processing equipment systems relevant to MIM. These • Product designers well-established and competitive with the capability to control and include: manufacturing technology for the record the necessary thermal • Engineers • MIM-Master: A state-of-the- large- or small-scale production of process parameters at any given • End users art continuous debinding and small, high-precision and complex- time. The product range offered by • Manufacturers sintering furnace shaped metal components, which CREMER Thermoprozessanlagen • Researchers are typically costly to produce by GmbH, a family-owned business • Batch Sinter HDH: A batch • Educators alternative processes. Whilst the based in Düren, Germany, includes furnace for sintering and the • Students technology is most widely used a number of thermal processing treatment of metal powders for metals, there are also process variants for the manufacturing of ceramics, intermetallic compounds and composites. There are many factors to be considered when producing high-quality MIM parts. The quality and characteristics of each part are, however, dictated by their respective application. While in some cases an excellent surface finish can be the most important Conference Sponsors: criterion, for example in consumer goods, in other applications, such as aerospace components, material composition – and thereby Fig. 1 Examples of MIM components for distinct application areas: left, a Metal Injection Metal Powder Industries Federation mechanical properties – will be the Swatch Irony Sistem51 watch with MIM stainless steel case (Courtesy Swatch Molding Association APMI International highest priority (Fig. 1). Group), and right, MIM IN713LC single-ended compressor stator vanes for the To achieve high-quality products, aerospace industry, shown after injection moulding (right), debinding (centre) manufacturers need reliable and sintering (left) (Courtesy Schunk/Rolls-Royce) Visit MIM2021.org to register. 92 Powder Injection Moulding International December 2020 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd December 2020 Powder Injection Moulding International 93 MIM-Master Neo | contents | news | advertisers | events | website | e-newsletter | | contents | news | advertisers | events | website | e-newsletter | MIM-Master Neo

processing solutions with a specific focus on extremely high production capacity, optimised temperature homogeneity and factory space utilisation, lower specific running costs and an improved system for the loading/ unloading of sintering boxes.

The story of MIM-Master

Within the industry, MIM-Master is a well-established continuous debinding and sintering furnace solution that, today, has a leading position in the global market. Developed specifically for MIM, at its core is an advanced catalytic debinding system followed by a high-temperature walking beam sintering (WBS) furnace. The transport mechanisms throughout the system reliably deliver the extremely low levels of vibration that are necessary when moving very fragile parts through the plant – something that is of particular importance during the Fig. 3 A MIM-Master furnace (Photo © CREMER Thermoprozessanlagen GmbH) final debinding and sintering steps. Table 1 highlights the main application and characteristics of the MIM-Master Fig. 2 Thermal processing equipment for the MIM industry: top left, the system. in parts per hour can be easily MIM-Master 6 system, as its name ated either as counterflow or MIM-Master system; top right, batch sinter HDH; bottom left, debinding unit The MIM-Master system first calculated if the number of parts suggests, has a throughput capacity crossflow TFE; bottom right, a compact Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) system gained momentum in the 1990s, a loaded on a layer, and the number of of six sintering boxes per hour (Fig. 3). • Tight temperature control, (Photos © CREMER Thermoprozessanlagen GmbH) formative period for the global MIM layers loaded on one sintering box, is At the end of the 1990s, the first thanks to temperature sensors industry. In 1992, CREMER Thermo- known. MIM-Master 4 was delivered to China. placed close to the loaded parts prozessanlagen GmbH delivered the Several similar projects followed This successful market entry in Asia • Well-defined sintering times for first continuous MIM debinding and in Europe, notably the delivery of was followed in the 2000s by further Main characteristics of the MIM-Master system all layers of the sintering boxes sintering furnace system to Ecrimesa, a MIM-Master 6 to produce high- market expansion that saw several High-capacity debinding and sintering based in Santander, Spain. The design quality consumer parts, such as further systems delivered in Europe, Between 2010 and today, the Debinding of POM or solvent-based feedstock systems of this first plant is very closely related Swatch’s Irony watch cases. The North America and China. Encour- maximum sintering temperature to the system that would later become MIM-Master system’s design, which aged by this, the company steadily in MIM-Master furnaces has been Sintering in N , H or argon for Fe-Ni alloys, stainless steels, duplex and tool 2 2 known as MIM-Master 3. Notably, was based on well-established continued to develop its technology, increased steadily from 1,450 to steels, soft magnetic materials and heavy metals the debinding zone was specifically and proven industrial equipment leading to the MIM-Master 8 system. 1,600°C. As a result, the system Vibration free movement constructed for catalytic debinding solutions, represented a huge This met the need for a further has become a viable option for the High yield and efficiency and was specifically tailored for parts step forward for MIM production increase in production capacity, as sintering of tungsten-based parts. manufactured using BASF SE’s Cata- technology at the time. In fact, it set a well as greater demands for energy In other applications, walking beam Table 1 Characteristics of the MIM-Master system mold® feedstock system. new standard for MIM manufacturing efficiency – something that was furnaces can reach up to 1,800°C. The ‘3’ in the name MIM-Master 3 plants, as it was the ideal solution starting to become an increasingly The steady increase in MIM- refers to the throughput capacity of for the sintering of 316L parts with a important issue for all manufacturers Master throughput capacity and • Debinder TFE: A stand-alone to equipment maintenance and the furnace, which is given in loaded medium wall thickness, and average worldwide. various models manufactured by the debinding solution refurbishment — or the complete sintering boxes per hour. In contrast part weight of around 25 g. The The MIM-Master 8 featured the company CREMER over the years is modernisation of existing industrial to conventional ‘press & sinter’ MIM-Master 6 system was capable of following innovations: shown in Table 2. • HIP: A compact Hot Isostatic thermal processing facilities. Powder Metallurgy furnaces, where processing approximately 110 tons of Thanks to its suitability for the Pressing solution tailored for the • A third-generation catalytic The company recently added capacity is typically given in kg/h, this MIM feedstock a year. large-scale production of MIM parts, MIM industry debinding unit with heating in the a new MIM-focused thermal alternative classification was created In response to the need for the MIM-Master system is currently inside of the debinding channel In addition, the company offers processing solution to its product to be particularly applicable to MIM increased production capacity, the in operation worldwide to produce all the necessary services to ensure portfolio. This new system, the MIM- furnaces, as in MIM the number of MIM-Master 6 became one of the • An innovative ventilation system parts for a diverse range of applica- a high level of productivity, from Master Neo, represents the arrival parts produced per hour is more most popular debinding and sintering with the ability to generate axial tions in many industry sectors. It the supply and installation of parts of a new generation of MIM thermal relevant. The production capacity solutions in Europe at the time. The ‘lengthwise’ gas flow, gener- has even been re-engineered by

Average capacity in generation MIM-Master system, Sintering box type and Furnace type terms of feedstock building on the industry-leading dimensions (w × l × h) processed in t/a * standards achieved so far. Develop- ments had the following main aims: MIM-Master 4 72.8 • Optimised space usage MIM-Master 6 Standard 109.2 • Lower specific running costs MIM-Master 8 (230 × 330 × 90) 145.6 • Optimum temperature homoge- MIM-Master 10 182.0 neity of parts MIM-Master 4XL 104.5 • High production capacity

MIM-Master 6XL XL 156.7 • An improved concept for loading/unloading of sintering MIM-Master 8XL (330 × 330 × 90) 208.9 boxes MIM-Master 10XL 261.1 Fig. 5 New alternative concept for MIM-Master Neo sintering boxes for automation (Images © CREMER In order to achieve the above, Thermoprozessanlagen GmbH) XXL MIM-Master 8XXL 265.9 each individual element of the (420 × 420 × 120) system and, most importantly, the 2 lanes of XL specific process conditions within MIM-Master8XL Twin 417.8 (330 × 330 × 90) the debinding unit and heating ware. Several CFD simulations with understand the impact of complex insulation system of the furnace * Estimated average capacity is determined by trays per hour (volume/h) for a 316L or zone of the walking beam sintering different geometry configurations flow field phenomena that will inevi- body. As a result, heat losses could 17-4PH cycle, 25 g/part, 300 days/24 h/day running three shifts. furnace were re-evaluated. For the were carried out in order to analyse tably be present. Such phenomena, be reduced, and higher energy debinding unit, gas flow, heating and Table 2 MIM-Master system capacities in tons/year the changes in the interdependent caused mainly by the transportation efficiency achieved. Much was process control were re-evaluated gas flow and heat transfer condi- of the loaded trays through the WBS learned from the results concerning and adapted accordingly. The tions within the sintering zone. The furnace, cannot be modelled using the influence on heat and mass 16000 emphasis of development for simulated temperature distribution standard CFD methods. transfer caused by specific changes the heating zone was placed on Asia of loaded parts resulting from each Another challenge for such in the geometry of the furnace 14000 ensuring the best possible tempera- EU design case was carefully evaluated simulations is to define the boundary interior – this was combined with 12000 ture homogeneity of the MIM parts and compared. conditions appropriately. Several observations and many years of field Europe (excl. EU) during sintering, despite the high The main goal of the simulations sets of boundary conditions were experience to obtain the best benefit 10000 Middle East usable loading height in the furnace. was to optimise the system’s opera- thus considered, including, amongst from the theoretical investigations. North America 8000 To overcome the difficulties tions in order to achieve the best other things, the influence of gas flow An example of the simulation South America that could be encountered during 6000 possible temperature homogeneity along the central lengthwise axis of results for one case considered is manual loading and unloading due in real-world operating conditions. the furnace. shown in Fig. 6. 4000 to the increased weight of sintering The simulation results, which In addition to evaluating tempera- The result of the above develop- boxes, a new solution to facilitate 2000 were necessarily obtained using a ture homogeneity, the calculated ments is the new MIM-Master Neo. automation was designed. The somewhat simplified model, had to, temperature distributions within the An international patent is pending 0 corresponding sintering box concept therefore, be interpreted in order to furnace were used to reconsider the for the new walking beam furnace

Average MIM Master production capacity** capacity** production MIM Master Average is shown in Fig. 5 – in this instance 1993 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 available in terms of feedstock processed in t/a processed of feedstock in terms available limited to five levels, although up Year to eight levels have been achieved Fig. 4 Worldwide MIM production capacity available using existing MIM-Master so far. installations ** Estimated capacity determined by trays per hour (Volume/h) for A new design for the heating zone Symmetry plane 316L or 17-4PH cycle, 25 g/part 300 days/a 24 h/day running three shifts was developed with the support Molybdenum of CFD simulations to investigate tray the heat and mass transfer within S6 Symmetry plane furnace suppliers in China – itself an The development of the furnace. The central section S5 acknowledgment that the system is of the heating zone was studied, Heating the MIM-Master Neo: S4 regarded as the ‘gold standard’ in with the symmetry of the geometry elements S3 Ceramic tiles thermal processing equipment for the the next generation of and boundary conditions within high-volume, continuous production MIM-processing technology this section of the continuous WBS S2 of MIM parts. furnace taken advantage of during S1 MIM parts Fig. 4 shows the contribution of Motivated in part by the ever- modelling. A representative six MIM-Master systems to current increasing pressure to optimise loaded trays were used as the basis Hearthstones overall MIM manufacturing capacity efficiency along the entire production for the simulations. worldwide. This is based on the total chain, CREMER Thermoprozessan- Thermal radiation and conduction number of installations and average lagen GmbH has recently invested in and the resulting natural convec- estimated production capacity of each extensive research and development tion within the heating zone were Fig. 6 CFD simulations used in the development of the MIM-Master Neo system (Images © CREMER system sold since 1993. to systematically develop a new calculated using Ansys Fluent soft- Thermoprozessanlagen GmbH)

technology implemented in the new Conclusion and outlook optimised for the production of the design [1]. Fig. 7 shows an example parts needed for a range of new layout of the new system. As is the The Metal Injection Moulding industry applications. case for all MIM-Master systems, the has an important role in supplying The new MIM-Master Neo is one layout can be customised according innovative solutions to meet society's example of this. Despite the past to a client’s requirements. Options needs as it adapts to increasing growth in production capacity, there range from the choice of sintering sustainability requirements. As an is still a large potential for further boxes to equipment, such as an experienced developer and supplier growth as more MIM parts are inte- additional zone for rapid cooling, or of thermal process equipment, grated into new applications and tech- a unique layout for specific space CREMER Thermoprozessanlagen nologies. The MIM-Master Neo system requirements. The MIM-Master GmbH is doing its part towards is therefore expected to replace the Neo’s innovations and advantages meeting these challenges by offering state-of-the-art continuous debinding are highlighted in Table 3. modern equipment that has been and sintering technology currently on the market and help further increase the production capacity for high- quality MIM parts.

MIM-Master Neo features and innovations High production capacity Contact

Excellent temperature homogeneity of parts due to improved heating control Jacqueline Gruber Higher energy efficiency thanks to the improved insulation of furnace body, CREMER Thermoprozessanlagen leading to less heat loss GmbH Optimised gas consumption thanks to efficiently-directed gas flow within Auf dem Flabig 6 debinding and sintering furnace segments D-52355 Düren-Konzendorf Germany Optimised space utilisation

Reduction of specific consumption figures to approximately 75% of previous jacqueline.gruber@cremer-ofenbau state-of-the-art values www.cremer-ofenbau.de Improved loading/unloading solution to take into account increased load weight due to the increased number of layers of each sintering box Core elements of MIM-Master Neo plant can be supplemented by compat- References ible additional CREMER equipment such as rapid cooling [1] Patent application WO 2020/125855 Ultramodern Total Process Control (TPC4.0 HMI) with integrated furnace Al: Walking beam furnace and method atmosphere control systems adapted to clients’ requirements for operating a walking beam furnace, Table 3 Key innovations and features of the MIM-Master Neo system published 25.06.2020

98 Powder Injection Moulding International December 2020 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 © 2020 Inovar Communications Ltd December 2020 Powder Injection Moulding International 99 | contents | news | advertisers | events | website | e-newsletter | | contents | news | advertisers | events | website | e-newsletter | Small-scale AM for MIM producers PM CHINA 2021 Small-scale, complex parts with a The 14th Shanghai International Powder Metallurgy Exhibition & Conference fine surface finish: An AM solution from Incus meets the demands of May 23-25, 2021 MIM producers Shanghai World Expo Exhibition Center

There can be few Metal Injection Moulding companies who are not actively exploring the potential of metal Additive Manufacturing in their business. Whilst Binder Jetting and Material Extrusion-based processes are gaining much attention, particularly for the production of larger components, things become more complex when it comes to producing the parts that fall at the smaller end of MIM's size range, where surface resolution and finish become even more critical. In this article, Dr Gerald Mitteramskogler shares insight into Incus GmbH's Lithography-based Metal Manufacturing process with PIM International and explains why it is so well suited to use by MIM producers.

Driving innovation at manufacturing Incus GmbH, an engineering AM technologies can be applied to companies requires them to embrace company based in Vienna, Austria, produce initial functional prototypes; new technologies and ways of is working to help bridge the gap in manage the development process working to meet growing demands this process for the MIM industry efficiently through design iterations; of end-users industries. In the Metal with its metal Additive Manufacturing and even as a more economical Injection Moulding industry, forecasts (AM) technology, with AM acting as solution for a small-scale production. for the coming years predict a the ‘missing link’ for MIM producers It is important to note, however, that continuous high demand for complex in the development and production for metal AM to be a true asset to parts and a need for shorter response scale-up process. MIM, the technology must be able to times to get a functional prototype to the customer. In many cases, for Convergence of example in medical applications, these requests require small batches of parts (< 5,000 pieces per year) for Cutting-edge Technology & Products initial studies. This is challenging for many MIM producers, who must often decline these requests due to the high setup costs for the mould and configuration of smaller-scale production, as well as additional resources and time developing itera- Organizer tions of the initial prototype. While MIM is a process suitable for medium- and large-scale production, it lacks the ability to achieve quick Tel: +86 4000 778 909 +86 20 8327 6369/6389 turnarounds and is unable to match the required efficiency levels for Fig. 1 Cufflink prototypes manufactured using Incus's metal AM technology. Email: [email protected] [email protected] manufacturing at a small lot scale or The surface finish and level of detail achievable makes the technology on-demand. complementary to the MIM process Web: www.pmexchina.com

Incus – an up and coming With this LMM process, it is possible company in the AM hub of to use MIM-grade metal powders Vienna down to 8 µm (average particle size) at competitive build speed to other indirect or two-stage AM approaches, In 2015, during the European such as Binder Jetting. research project ReProMag, a new The feedstock is a proprietary AM approach was successfully blend of photo-reactive resins, developed by Mitteramskogler at waxes, additives and metal powders Lithoz GmbH, a leader in the Additive with a solids loading of up to Manufacturing of technical ceramics. 55 vol.%. This composition allows Although the goal of processing for a wide range of metals to be magnetic powder using Lithoz tech- processed, from 316L stainless nology proved to be challenging due steel to titanium, copper, tungsten, to the reactive nature of the material, precious metals, carbides and many a new lithography-based approach more. Incus also offers innovation was developed with the ambition of studies to work on new materials and transferring Lithoz’s success with applications with customers and to ceramics to the processing of metal provide a starting point with the LMM powders. technology. It only takes roughly ten After four years of development minutes to get from a metal powder Fig. 3 A view inside of the Hammer Lab35 build chamber and three prototypes, in September to a clean block of feedstock ready 2019 the progress of the technology for Additive Manufacturing or process convinced Lithoz and specialist evaluation. Whilst many metal AM investment house AM Ventures technologies have a reuse rate of DLP Engine Holding GmbH to found a separate < 50% of leftover powder, the Incus company focused only on metals. LMM process enables 100% waste Since then, Incus has been working feedstock reuse, enhancing resource with key partners and customers to efficiency and sustainability in the Blade Lens roll out and further develop its lithog- Fig. 2 The Hammer Lab35 metal AM system from Incus is based on Vat manufacturing cycle. Light raphy-based metal AM technology Photopolymerisation (VPP) technology, also known as lithography. As with Unlike many metal powder AM with a focus on the MIM industry. Green Part MIM, the green parts produced required debinding and sintering systems, lithography-based AM operates at room temperature. Feedstock Building Platform A new interpretation of The heated blade melts and evenly spreads the feedstock over the build metal AM with lithography platform. After coating, the machine produce parts that are comparable designed to deliver this combination cools down the layer and the to those made by MIM in terms of of part functionality and production Incus's Lithography-based Metal feedstock turns solid, similar to the surface aesthetics, dimensional economics to the MIM industry. Manufacturing (LMM) process works melting and hardening of candle wax. accuracy and mechanical proper- “As an AM technology provider, on the principle of photopolymerisa- The liquid nature of the feedstock Material Piston Building Piston ties. Only if these three factors are we need to focus on the fact that tion, where metal powder is homoge- during the coating step helps to avoid combined can effective functional the customers using our technology neously dispersed in a light-sensitive streaks or other imperfections in the prototypes or small-scale part need to make money using the resin and selectively polymerised by coated layer. production be offered to the machines, materials and services,” exposure to light. This mixture is then Since a new layer of material is customer. stated Dr Gerald Mitteramskogler, applied layer by layer with a coating always coated on a solidified layer, MIM end-users are typically not founder and CEO of Incus GmbH. blade during the build process. The the interaction of the already-created concerned about whether a part is “The MIM producers and end-users light projection unit then cures each layer and the newly-coated layer produced by MIM or by a ‘MIM-like’ we work with find the AM approach layer as it is deposited, providing De-Caking is minimal. The layer thickness AM process, but are more focused interesting; however, in the end, a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels, depends on the metal powder on the quality of the part, whether it they typically do not care how the with a pixel size of 35 µm, to achieve used and typically ranges from meets the needs of the final applica- part was manufactured as long as outstanding surface aesthetics and 10 to 100 µm. The build speed is tion, and that it can be produced in a their needs are met in the most build fine geometries. determined by the thickness of the cost- and time-effective manner. efficient way. We aim to provide The Incus Hammer Lab35 has a layer rather than the part volume, Incus has developed a metal AM our MIM customers with the ideal build platform size of 89.6 mm x 56 since the layers are polymerised solution based on Vat Photopoly- bridge for cost- and resource-effec- mm x 120 mm (L x W x H). Besides with a projector unit and therefore merisation (VPP) technology, also tive development of parts, scale-up the size of the platform, and therefore the whole layer is projected at once. known as lithography. The system, and smaller-scale production for part volume, there are no other For example, with a layer thickness Fig. 4 Top: schematic of the build process in the Hammer Lab35 machine; called Hammer Lab35 (Fig. 2), is their customers.” restrictions concerning the part. of 25 µm the build speed would bottom: the process flow from concept to final part

to print the most sophisticated green parts — however, if design guidelines, which are similar to MIM, are not carefully followed and understood by the part designer, parts might show distortion due to gravity, or will not shrink homogeneously,” stated Mitteramskogler. “Because this is an interesting challenge, we enjoy working with the MIM producers. Here the necessary expertise is already available and the engineers are aware what’s possible in the design and what’s not.” In MIM, the tooling factor or sinter compensation is a very important factor carefully tailored to a specific feedstock and part design. If the tooling factor of a mould needs to be adjusted, a lot of effort needs to be put into the reworking of the mould. Since LMM can be considered ‘freeform’ in comparison to MIM, the correct tooling factor can be established Fig. 5 A selection of parts manufactured by Incus using the Hammer Lab35 machine Fig. 6 Drill heads components with simple and quick design iterations and the same part can be built to different scales on the building platform. After sintering, the most be 10 mm/h and the whole build fitting tooling factor of the part can volume can be completed in less “The combination of the high- be chosen. than twelve hours. The build speed quality coating mechanism and the With LMM, no build support is increases as the layer thickness needed for overhangs or to connect increases, but the trade-off is a industrial projector unit provides the parts to the building platform. decrease in resolution in the build MIM-comparable part aesthetics and Similar constraints apply as for direction. MIM when it comes to sintering; resolution, especially for smaller however, when sintering supports A flexible process with are needed, these can be manu- parts.” factured with or separately to the MIM-like surface quality part or, if larger part quantities are and thermal processing required, ceramic setter plates may steps The combination of the high- mechanical properties with an be a more economic solution. Fig. 7 Many dental applications are ideally suited to metal AM thanks to the quality coating mechanism and the economic process for part sizes The surface roughness of the ability to offer previously impossible levels of customisation Once all of the layers are built, the industrial projector unit provides < 200 g,” explained Mitteramskogler. sintered parts largely depends on result is the green part – a combina- MIM-comparable part aesthetics The final post-processing steps, the particle size of the powder used tion of metal powder held together and resolution, especially for debinding and sintering, allow the and is typically < 5 µm Ra in every was measured. Besides the enriches the MIM process with by a binder – which is enclosed in smaller parts. This advantage differ- green parts to achieve mechanical direction without any additional carbon content, all other elements design freedom and speeds up the the block of feedstock material. This entiates LMM from other existing properties equivalent to a metal part surface treatment. Sintered parts were as specified by the ASTM product development while substan- surrounding feedstock allows parts AM technologies. Because of the made by MIM. As with metal injec- made of 316L stainless steel Standard E8. tially reducing lead time. Using to be built without additional support photopolymer chemistry, the green tion moulded parts, lithography- can reach a density of 98.2–99%, “As we have developed this metal AM as a quick first step helps structures. After this building step, a part strength is sufficient to allow based metal manufactured parts based on a theoretical density LMM technology, it has been manufacturers jump start develop-

simplified post-processing requires the manual handling of smaller undergo 16–20% shrinkage during of 7.87 g/ cm³. By making slight further proven that it is complement by offering their customers only fifteen minutes to ‘de-cake’ the structures. sintering, which is already taken into adjustments to a standard MIM mentary to MIM mass production, additional options before the full- block, releasing the green parts. “For the first time in metal account in the product design. debinding cycle, the carbon content especially due to its effectiveness scale production. This allows them Since no loose powder is involved, AM, Incus offer a unique process “The manufacturing of the green of sintered cubes with a dimension in producing speciality parts with to ensure they are producing the this melting process is safe and that combines excellent feature parts is just one step in the whole of 10 mm³ was able to be optimised fine geometries,” commented best parts for their end users from clean for the operator. resolution, surface aesthetics and production chain. We are able and a carbon value of 0.03 wt.% Mitteramskogler. “Our technology the start, before scaling up.”

different mindset. Lower quantities of specialised components might offer a business model with higher margins. Conversely, being able to offer functional prototypes prior to MIM mass production could help to establish a closer customer relationship and speed up the design iteration process. AM could also enable spare part production after a product’s lifecycle has come to an end, which is something the MIM industry has not yet been able to integrate into its workflow. However, since the concept of weaving AM into the MIM workflow is still relatively new, the monetary benefits of the integration are difficult to evaluate at this stage. “The benefits AM can provide to MIM manufacturers are clear, but it will take a few key producers to take a leap of faith and join us in establishing this new interface and best-practice processes,” concluded Mitteramskogler.

Fig. 8 An electronics cooling device developed by Incus, measuring 33 x 27 x 7 mm Fig. 9 A stainless steel sensor holder manufactured by Incus Contact

Incus GmbH Medical devices to luxury Medical and dental optimisation before bringing the final Christine-Touaillon-Str. 11/Top 18 Technologiezentrum Seestadt / goods: LMM's applications It is well known that many medical design to the market. parts for surgical devices and Building 2 Metal Additive Manufacturing, and laboratory equipment are niche Electronics 1220 Vienna specifically Incus’s LMM technology, products with complex geometries The demand for smaller, high- Austria can be applied in a wide range of and fine features, produced in precision components with optimal Tel: +43 1 280 340 311 industries and applications for small series. One of the first major performance and lower cost has parts ranging from drill heads and application areas of LMM was allowed LMM technology to thrive in [email protected] conformally-cooled mould inserts, dentistry, the production of dental the electronics industry, producing www.incus3d.com to fine luxury jewellery, tiny dental brackets, crowns, bridges, implants high-strength mobile phone cases, brackets and hinges for glasses. and surgical grippers made from SIM-card holders or cooling devices 316L stainless steel or titanium (Fig. 8). In these applications espe- Moulds and tools alloy Ti6Al4V (Fig. 7). cially, LMM shows its strengths with Shorter time-to-market, wide range of exceptional accuracy and ability to previously impossible design options Consumer goods produce highly-complex parts. and lower production costs have LMM has already established driven the injection moulding industry itself as a cost-efficient means to The future is bright for to adopt Additive Manufacturing for produce complex parts needed the fabrication of tooling for injection in small batches for watches, metal AM moulding. The wider manufacturing eyewear, jewellery, and luxury sector is also a major consumer goods industries more gener- Although AM is well known in the of LMM parts for applications that ally where quality and surface MIM industry, there is still ample include sensor housings, nozzles, aesthetics are crucial. Using room to realise all of the benefits turbine wheels and drill heads (Fig. additively manufactured design the technology has to offer. Since 6). The parts are typically made from prototypes, rather than creating the MIM industry is designed for 316L stainless steel and demonstrate test moulds, reduces manufac- mass production, integrating the high-quality finished parts that turing costs significantly and AM-based small-scale produc- can be achieved with the technology. allows freedom in development and tion into the workflow requires a

PIM International is the only business-to-business publication dedicated to reporting on the technical and Furnaces & Advertisers’ index commercial advances in the MIM, CIM, and sinter- furnace supplies based metal Additive Manufacturing industries. Centorr Vacuum Industries, Inc 32 Alphabetical & buyer’s guide Available in both digital and print formats, PIM Interna- www.vacuum-furnaces.com tional is the perfect platform to promote your company to a global audience. CM Furnaces Inc. 17 index Metal powders For more information contact www.cmfurnaces.com Advanced Metalworking Practices, LLC...... 13 Advanced Technology & Materials Co., Ltd. 33 Jon Craxford, Advertising Sales Director Cremer Thermoprozessanlagen GmbH 20 Advanced Technology & Materials Co., Ltd...... 33 www.atmcn.com/english Tel: +44 207 1939 749 www.cremer-polyfour.de [email protected] Arburg GmbH & Co. KG...... OBC Epson Atmix Corporation 11 Elnik Systems 8 atect corporation ...... 15 www.atmix.co.jp www.elnik.com Centorr Vacuum Industries, Inc ...... 32 Jiangxi Yuean Superfine Metal Co Ltd 44 Kerafol GmbH & Co. KG 7 CM Furnaces Inc...... 17 www.yueanmetal.com/html/en/ Injection moulding www.kerafol.com Cremer Thermoprozessanlagen GmbH ...... 20 LD Metal Powders 23 machines Ningbo Hiper Vacuum Technology Co Ltd 25 Ecrimesa ...... 16 www.hiper.cn Elnik Systems ...... 8 www.ldpowder.com Arburg GmbH & Co. KG OBC Epson Atmix Corporation ...... 11 Lide Powder Material Co,.Ltd 31 www.arburg.com TAV Vacuum Furnaces SpA 38 Erowa AG ...... 19 www.lidemimpowder.com www.tav-vacuumfurnaces.com Euro PM2021...... IBC Tisoma GmbH 9 Phoenix Scientific Industries Ltd 42 Formnext + PM South China 2021...... 99 www.psiltd.co.uk www.tisoma.de Binders & feedstocks HP Inc...... 51 Sandvik Osprey Ltd 4 Indo-US MIM Tec Pvt Ltd ...... 29 Advanced Metalworking Practices, LLC 13 www.materials.sandvik INMATEC Technologies GmbH ...... 59 www.ampmim.com Tekna 6 Feedstock mixers Jiangxi Yuean Superfine Metal Co Ltd ...... 44 atect corporation 15 www.tekna.com Kerafol GmbH & Co. KG...... 7 www.atect.co.jp/en/ Winkworth Machinery Ltd 49 LD Metal Powders...... 23 USD Powder GmbH 43 www.mixer.co.uk INMATEC Technologies GmbH 59 www.usdpowder.com Lide Powder Material Co,.Ltd...... 31 www.inmatec-gmbh.com Lithoz GmbH...... 61 PolyMIM GmbH 36 LÖMI GmbH ...... 27 Powder atomisers www.polymim.com HIP systems & services maxon Group ...... 57 Phoenix Scientific Industries Ltd 42 Ryer Inc. IFC Cremer Thermoprozessanlagen GmbH 20 Metal AM magazine ...... 53 www.psiltd.co.uk www.ryerinc.com www.cremer-polyfour.de MIM2021 ...... 92 Ningbo Hiper Vacuum Technology Co Ltd ...... 25 AM technology Phoenix Scientific Industries Ltd...... 42 Debinding systems PIM International magazine ...... 110 HP Inc. 51 Events PM China 2021 ...... 100 www.hp.com LÖMI GmbH 27 PMTi2021 ...... 82 www.loemi.com Euro PM2021 IBC Lithoz GmbH 61 www.europm2021.com PolyMIM GmbH ...... 36 www.lithoz.com PowderMet2021 ...... 91 Formnext + PM South China 2021 99 Renishaw plc 40 www.formnext-pm.com RAPID + TCT ...... 54 www.renishaw.com MIM, CIM & AM parts Renishaw plc ...... 40 MIM2021 92 Ryer Inc...... IFC producers www.mim2021.org Sandvik Osprey Ltd ...... 4 Ecrimesa Group 16 PM China 2021 100 Tooling Shanghai Future Group ...... 35 www.ecrimesa.es www.pmexchina.com Erowa AG 19 TAV Vacuum Furnaces SpA ...... 38 Indo-US MIM Tec Pvt Ltd 29 www.erowa.com PMTi2021 82 Tekna ...... 6 www.indo-mim.com www.pmti2021.org Tisoma GmbH ...... 9 maxon Group 57 PowderMet2021 91 USD Powder GmbH ...... 43 www.maxongroup.com www.powdermet2021.org Consulting/market analysis Winkworth Machinery Ltd ...... 49 Wohlers Associates 47 Shanghai Future Group 35 RAPID + TCT 54 Wohlers Associates...... 47 www.wohlersassociates.com www.future-sh.com www.rapid3devent.com

Industry events If you would like to see your PIM/MIM/CIM-related event listed in this magazine and on our websites, please contact Kim Hayes, email: [email protected]. We welcome enquiries regarding media partnerships and are always International interested to discuss opportunities to cooperate with event organisers and associations worldwide. Congress & Exhibition 2021 MIM2021 [DIGITAL] PowderMet2021 February 22–25, 2021 June 20–23, 2021 17 - 20 October 2021 www.mim2021.org Orlando, Florida, USA www.powdermet2021.org Lisbon Congress Centre (CCL), Lisbon, Portugal 5th Additive Manufacturing Forum Berlin 2021 March 11–12, 2021 Tungsten2021 Berlin, Germany June 20–23, 2021 www.am-forum.eu Orlando, Florida, USA www.tungsten2021.org METAV March 23–26, 2021 EPMA Powder Metallurgy Summer School Book Your Exhibition Space Now Düsseldorf, Germany July, 2021 (Dates TBC) www.metav.com Ciudad Real, Spain www.summerschool.epma.com Call for Papers Now Open! Hannover Messe – Home of Industrial Pioneers Formnext + PM South China 2021 April 12–16, 2021 September 9–11, 2021 Hannover, Germany Shenzhen, China www.hannovermesse.de www.formnext-pm.com

RAPID + TCT PMTi2021 April 26–29, 2021 September 15–17, 2021 Chicago, Illinois, USA Montréal, Canada www.rapid3devent.com www.pmti2021.org

Ceramics Expo 2021 AMTC 2021 May 3–5, 2021 October 12–14, 2021 Cleveland, Ohio, USA Aachen, Germany www.ceramicsexpousa.com www.amtc.community/amtc/en/

PM China 2021 Euro PM2021 May 23–25, 2021 October 17–20, 2021 Shanghai, China Lisbon, Portugal www.pmexchina.com www.europm2021.com

AMPM2021 June 20–23, 2021 Orlando, Florida, USA www.ampm2021.org

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