Engineering

Sintering supports are essential during the debinding and high-temperature sintering processes, as they prevent distortion of moulded parts—also known as green parts.

Draft refers to the slight taper incorporated into the design of moulded parts. MIM components are often designed with minimal or no draft.

Fillets and radii enhance the manufacturing process by allowing smoother transitions at corners and edges to improve part strength.

Ribs and webs are structural features used to enhance part strength while minimising dimensional variations due to shrinkage during debinding and sintering.

Gating refers to the design and placement of entry points where material flows into the mould during metal injection moulding. Its location is crucial for balancing manufacturability, part function and aesthetics.

Sink marks and knit lines support even material distribution and minimise aesthetic defects, improving part quality and performance while addressing potential weak points.

An optimal wall thickness of 0.040” to 0.120” balances material efficiency and production costs while ensuring adequate part strength.

Flash and witness lines arise from the interface between two mould components and can affect both the aesthetics and functionality of a part.

Interchangeable mould inserts minimise tooling fabrication costs and provide design flexibility for low- to medium-volume applications, despite potential witness marks from metal-to-metal seal-off areas.

Dimensional tolerances refer to acceptable variations in part dimensions, typically achievable to ±0.3% of nominal size, although exact tolerances can vary based on factors such as design, material and inspection techniques.