Accuracy Examinations in Powder Injection Compression Moulding

摘要

Implementation of tight precision demands is still an important challenge in Powder InjectionMoulding (PIM). Additionally, many applications require parts with drastically changing wallthicknesses.Examinations to overcome this challenge by an enhanced process conduct implying an additionalcompression step after cavity filling have been performed. To achieve improved cavity filling and toinvestigate influencing parameters a demonstrator design was developed which enabled thegeneration of thin membranes by controlled piston movements. The combined injection+embossingprocess conduct reached replication accuracies of ±0.15 – ±0.4%. An interdependence betweenmembrane quality and the compression parameters could be asserted. Further on, the additionalcompaction step allowed for the reduction of the minimum membrane values to about a half of thethicknesses feasible by pure PIM.