Micro Metal Powder Injection Molding

3.23. Micro Metal Powder Injection Molding

LaRoux K. Gillespie

Manufacturing Consultant

Andover, Kansas

Metal powder injection molding combines traditional powder metallurgy (P/M) with plastic injection molding.
Injection molding is one of the lowest cost processes for mass producing parts, often producing parts for pennies.
Metal powder, ceramic, intermetallic compounds, and composite powders can all be injection molded. The metal
powder process mixes metal powders with a large amount of polymeric or wax binder and the combination is forced
by a rotating screw into the mold. The resulting green compact has the desired shape and is strong enough to handle,
but the metal is not fully fused together. The organic components are removed from the part after the part is taken
from the mold (by pyrolysis or solvents). The resulting all-metal component then is sintered to fully fuse the metal
and provide the necessary strength. While conventional metal injection molding (MIM) can claim 95% of full density,
part geometry and features size can reduce that for micro parts.

Micro dimensions challenge injection molding because it is difficult to push the injected materials completely into
narrow channels and cavities. Metal mold walls quickly chill the incoming fluid which restricts further flow and leaves
some areas incompletely filled. This becomes a larger problem when high aspect ratios are to be filled. As the
materials fill the molds, some air or gases have to escape and narrow passages restrict that removal. Removing the
delicate part from the mold can be a challenge without damaging it, and handling it at each stage requires great care.
Using finer powder particles helps the flow, but the high specific surface area on nano size powders increases
viscosity rapidly.

It is easier and less expensive to make micro products via mold inserts rather than to cut micro delicate features in a
large mold. These inserts, made of nickel, nickel iron alloys, silicon, tungsten-cobalt, and other materials can readily
be removed and replaced when worn or otherwise inadequate. Silicon and plastic inserts allow better thermal flow
and prevent sudden freezing of the molded materials.

3.23.1. Micro MIM Materials

The most common metallic powders used for the MIM process include low-alloy steels, high-speed steels, stainless
steels, tool steels, superalloys, intermetallics, magnetic alloys, Kovar, hard metals, aluminum, copper-tungsten,
molybdenum-copper, and titanium. Copper is also an available powder in both micro and nano sizes. The nano sizes
result in different production effects than the micro sizes. Typical particle diameters of 316L stainless steel powder
are 10 and 2 µm, and other materials have similar size ranges.

The material used with the submicrometer powders to facilitate flow for fine details can consist of water-soluble
binder PEG and PMMA or just wax. The PMMA binder can be removed from the parts faster and easier than some of
the other binders.
3.23.2. Parts and Features

One of the best examples to define the capability of the process is the production of a planet gear assembly. The gears
included a 24 tooth, module: m = 0.07 mm gear [1 mm (0.040 in.) in diameter] made from 17-4PH stainless steel. A
water-atomized powder [D50 = 2 µm (79 µin.)] and oxymethylene-based binder was used. The green compacts were
debound after molding at 600°C for 2 h in N2 gas, and then sintered at 1150°C for 2 h in argon gas. The parts were then
age-hardened at 480°C for 1 h. The resulting parts were a class 7 gear. Grinding the minute gear rather than molding it
produced a class 5 gear; therefore, the resulting accuracy was less than the ground gear, but the production rate was
much faster.

For practical limits on part size, this working gear probably represents the smallest functioning (rotating, mating,
turning) size appropriate for the process today.

Figures 3.23.1 and 3.23.2 illustrate a wide variety of some of the smaller micro parts made by powder metal injection
molding.

Figure 3.23.1. A sample of micro powder metal injection molded parts. (Courtesy Parmaco-Metal Injection
Molding AG.)

Figure 3.23.2. Slender micro metal powder injection molded parts. (Courtesy Parmaco-Metal Injection Molding
AG.)

Using plastic molds, it is possible to make pillar arrays more successfully than with metal molds. The plastic allows
the metal to cool faster at the end of the shot which helps final properties, and the plastic mold allows demolding
without damaging the pillars. Pillars as small as 50 by 150 µm (0.002 × 0.006 in.) tall have been produced with 3-µm
(0.00012-in.) 316 stainless steel particles. These pillars are made in arrays and they in turn can become tools for other
micro processes, or serve as heat dissipaters, or flow channels.
Some of the smallest parts produced by the process have been 350 µm (0.014 in.) in diameter after sintering, but
these were research parts, not production-worthy applications. Sintering shrinks most dimensions and that can be as
much as 30% to 40% of the molded part dimension. That is well above shrinkage on most inch-size components.
Shrinkage of micro features depends on the feature dimensions and on the process parameters. Thin sections exhibit
higher relative shrinkage than thicker sections.

Surface roughness of 0.4 µm (16 µin.) Ra and an Rz of 3 µm (118 µin.) have been produced with the metal process, but
that depends on powder size, binder, pressure, sintering, and other parameters.

3.23.3. Equipment

Several manufacturers make micro metal injection molding machines. One even allows 2-shot molding, so metals
having a different property can be added to the primary component. That is not a common practice, but it can be
done. At least a handful of companies provide micro level manufacturing for other companies.

3.23.4. Design Considerations

Because the resulting parts are not as solid or dense as parts made from solid stock, it is essential that designers
specify and manufacturers monitor the resulting part strength or performance of metal injection molded parts. It is
even more critical for micro parts since the opportunity for minor changes can make a large impact on microscopic
features. Designers need to state the allowable density and strength of parts. For many applications, a test sample like
a dog bone tensile test sample is molded at the same conditions for quality control sampling. While it is also
appropriate for larger parts, it will be critical for success to do it for micro features and micro parts.

Because of part and feature shrinkage after sintering, experimentation is required to obtain the desired final
dimensions.

Micro structure arrays are more difficult to release from the molds than non-array parts, in part because there is more
surface area to adhere to the mold and in part because the pillars are generally very minute and more subject to
damage.

Most of the design restraints for large part powder metal injection molding and for powder metal forming apply to the
micro world as well (see Bralla's Design for Manufacturability Handbook for numerous examples). Unfortunately,
dimensional data for the larger parts just do not apply at the micro level because of the differences in particle size
used, binder differences, shrinkage differences, and geometry often required for micro parts.

Some general guidelines for micro features include

Provide one flat surface on the part for support during sintering.

Do not design very sharp corners or edges [use radii >0.05 mm (0.002 in.)]

Holes smaller than 0.1 mm (0.004 in.) diameter will be difficult to produce.

Walls thinner than 0.1 mm (0.004 in.) will distort and fail to fill.

3.23.5. References

Bralla, J. G., Design for Manufacturability Handbook, 2nd ed., 1999, McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 167–176.

Imgrund, P., A. Rota, and F. Petzoldt, Manufacturing of multi-functional micro parts by two-component metal
injection moulding, The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 2007, vol. 33, Number 1–2,
pp. 176–177.
 Islam, A., N. Giannekas, D. M. Marhöfer, G. Tosello, and H. N. Hansen, The shrinkage behavior and surface
topographical investigation for micro metal injection molding, AIP Conference Proceedings, 2015, 1664, 110007
(DOI:[Link]

Nishiyabu, K., Micro Metal Powder Injection Molding, Some Critical Issues for Injection Molding, InTech,
[Link] (DOI:10.5772/34498).

Son, S.-J., Y.-S. Cho, and C.-J. Choi, Advanced micromanufacturing for high-precision micro bearing by
nanopowder metallurgy and LIGA processing, Reviews on Advanced Materials Science, 2011, vol. 28. pp. 190–195.

Citation
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LaRoux K. Gillespie: Design for Advanced Manufacturing: Technologies and Processes. Micro Metal Powder Injection
Molding, Chapter (McGraw-Hill Professional, 2017), AccessEngineering

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