Analysis of metal injection molding as a near net shape forming process for microparts

摘要

The paper concerns the analysis of metal injection molding as a forming process for producing small parts. This process consists to mold by injection a thermoplastic binder mixed with metallic powders, to evacuate the binder by thermal debinding and then to sinter the remaining part by solid state diffusion. An instrumented multi-cavities mold has been set up and experiments have been realized. After each stage of the process, classical metrology, SEM and X-ray analyses determine the quality of the parts, in order to check the dimensional accuracy and the absence of defects. In the same time, complete modeling and simulation of the process has been developed. The simulation results are in good agreement with experiments and it is shown that computational modeling could be used to help the process designer for manufacturing microparts.