What Makes a Good Fit For MIM

(What Makes a Good Fit For MIM (alt. description))

With the abundance of metalworking solutions available, engineers frequently inquire about MIM (Metal Injection Molding) and its ideal applications. MIM merges thermoplastic injection molding and powder metallurgy to create intricate, dense, and high-performing metal components. However, the key question lies in identifying when MIM yields the highest ROI compared to other processes for a specific project.

The suitability of a part for MIM is primarily determined by factors such as size, weight, and volume. Overly large parts consume excessive space on MIM molds, impacting cost-effectiveness. Nonetheless, the complexity of the part often dictates the potential ROI manufacturers can achieve with MIM.

Part sizes for MIM

The limiting factors for the MIM process are determined by the size capacity of the mold and how much raw material is required per component. For these reasons, MIM components aretypically smaller than the average palm and weigh under 60 grams.

MIM feedstock cost

MIM feedstock is a combination of very fine, customizable metal powders and polymers, which tends to be more expensive than your typical molten casting alloys. Because of this, material cost is one of the biggest limiting factors in the MIM decision making process. At OptiMIM, our engineering team can help to optimize your component's features to minimize wall thickness for the most ergonomic design.

Mold space and materials limit most MIM components to less than 3 inches in length, but what the MIM process lacks in size capacity, it more than makes up for in part complexity, repeatability, and scalability.

Take advantage of increased complexity for maximum ROI

While MIM tooling has a higher initial ticket price than our competitors who machine wrought stock, machine investment casting, and machine conventional permanent molding, MIM part cost remains constant with additional complexity and molded features.

MIM is capable of achieving intricate features such as dovetails, slots, undercuts, fins, internal and external threads, or complex curved surfaces—just to name a few. MIM can also produce cylindrical parts of unique geometries with greater length to diameter ratios than most other casting technologies, as well as consolidate several components into one for better functionality.

If you're looking to learn more about what the characteristics that make a component a good candidate for the MIM process, you can download our FREE on-demand webinar on What's A Good Fit for MIM?