Combining Different or Even Contrasting Material Properties using Two-Component Metal Injection Moulding

摘要

Two-component metal injection moulding (2C-MIM) allows manufacturing multi-material MIMcomponents with tailored properties. It can generate completely new design opportunities withenhanced functionality options for MIM products. Additional assembling operations are not required.Process improvements and extended experience concerning the interactions of powders at sinteredinterfaces advanced the 2C-MIM technology to the threshold to be launched for industrial production.In this paper, recent investigations on the process development for bi-material parts with contrastingproperties as ferritic/austenitic stainless steel (magneticon-magnetic), steel/titanium(toughness/biocompatibility) and steel/cobalt chromium (toughness/wear resistance) are shown. Theresults showed that bi-material combinations can be achieved if the utilized powders and feedstocksas well as the process parameters are adjusted. Requirements for powder selection and methods tobalance the shrinkage mismatches during co-sintering were developed and evaluated concerningprocessability, microstructure and bonding strength at the interface.