Binder design and process control for high performance MIM-materials

In Metal Injection Molding (MIM) process parameters must be carefully designed with respect to the optimisation of materials properties, shape requirements and economical aspects. MIM-binder components are intermediate processing aids with considerable influence on the amount of carbon and oxygen in the sintered part. Especially for high performance materials it is important to control the nominal composition of the alloy exactly, as their properties depend much on their carbon and oxygen content. Powder/binder design, debinding parameters and sintering process have to be adjusted carefully. As an example for different binder concepts, MIM of titanium (low carbon and oxygen necessary) and MIM of the heat treatable steel AISI 41401 (close tolerances of carbon content) are presented.