Precision manufacturing of micro ceramic injection molded implants

Micro injection molding is an upcoming and strongly growing field for the production of micro components and micro structured surfaces of different materials in various application areas [1]. Especially micro ceramic injection molding (-CIM) of different ceramic materials and composites enables the implementation of this manufacturing technology e. g.; in the medical industry for implant manufacturing or as ceramic bone replacement material. In all these application fields, precision engineering is a key issue when talking about the industrial manufacturing processes. In this presentation the -CIM process was applied to manufacture a series of 320 Al2O3 stapes. After a first starting phase of 50 components [2] where the injection molding parameters varied strongly, 270 stapes were characterized in respect to dimensional tolerances at 6 different positions. Tolerances of 0.5 to 5 % by means of standard deviation of the respective length could be achieved, meeting the fin al tolerances of a corresponding implant.