MIM Metal Powder Injection Molding Machine for Automotive Ap

MIM parts metal injection molding (Metal Injection Molding, MIM) is a suitable for the production of small, three-dimensional complex shapes and products with special performance requirements of the near-net forming process.

As MIM is a near-net forming process, not only can get high density, good mechanical properties, surface roughness of small parts, but also large quantities, high efficiency production of structurally complex parts, generally do not need to continue to finish machining, parts cost reduction, promote the development of automotive lightweighting, reduce environmental pollution, and thus attracted the attention of the automotive industry.

MIM technology as an advanced technology in the field of powder metallurgy is gradually replacing the traditional machining technology, more used in the production of automotive parts, including power transmission parts, turbochargers, fuel injectors, airbag sensors embedded in parts, pressure sensors, electric door locks and other MIM parts.

1.1 MIM process

MIM technology includes four main processes:

① powder and binder mixing, granulation;

② injection molding machine injection molding;

③ Selection of appropriate degreasing process degreasing;

Sintering the parts to densify them.

1.2 Characteristics of MIM process

MIM is a new type of metal parts near net forming technology that integrates plastic injection molding process, polymer science, powder metallurgy process and metal material science. It not only inherits the advantages of traditional powder metallurgy and plastic injection molding, but also breaks through the limitations of traditional metal powder molding in the shape of parts. It can rapidly manufacture small, complex shaped parts that cannot be processed or are difficult to process using traditional methods.

Almost all materials can be produced using the MIM process, MIM technology not only has a simple process, low cost, no cutting or less cutting, high economic efficiency, and overcomes the many shortcomings of traditional powder metallurgy, cutting, investment casting.

2 MIM parts in automotive applications

MIM technology and traditional processing methods than, MIM parts with high precision, high strength, high shape complexity, material diversification, low cost and so on, so MIM technology in the automobile has been widely used.

2.1 Turbocharger

Turbocharger is mainly composed of turbine, pump wheel, rotor, impeller, etc., the use of engine exhaust gas produced by the inertia of high-pressure exhaust gas drive pump wheel rotation, through the rotor to drive the turbine rotation, so that the engine intake pressure increases.

In recent years, the development and production of turbocharger MIM parts has become the focus of scientific research, while the turbocharger is also one of the iconic parts of MIM manufacturing. Its structure is exceptionally complex, harsh working environment, high precision requirements, but other processing methods are more costly, precision is not easy to control. Turbocharger parts are mainly composed of nickel-based ultra-high temperature alloys, titanium alloys and other materials, which were previously processed by traditional powder metallurgy technology.

2.2 Injector

Many small precision combination parts in automobiles can be manufactured by MIM process. Manufacture of combined parts generally through forging, precision casting and other methods, manufacturing parts with high cost, low precision, to achieve better economic efficiency. When the MIM process is used to manufacture, it can improve production efficiency, improve accuracy, save materials, reduce processes, reduce costs.

The electronically controlled gasoline injector on the automobile engine consists of more than 20 parts, in which the core, armature, magnetic guide plate, guide body and other parts constitute the magnetic circuit structure of the injector, and these parts are made of soft magnetic alloy materials.

These parts are made of soft magnetic alloy materials. Compared with the traditional gasoline injector, the comprehensive performance of the injector made by MIM technology has been improved by using the parts made of iron-based nanocrystalline soft magnetic powder.

2.3 Sensor

With the progress of science and technology, the types and functions of sensors used in automobiles tend to be diversified, intelligent and miniaturized. According to different application areas, the sensor shell is used in the engine, chassis, body, navigation and other systems.

Engine, chassis, body, navigation and other systems on many sensors have been applied to MIM process manufacturing, such as pressure sensor components, airbag sensor inserts, oxygen sensors, steering sensors, cruise control sensors, sensor housings and so on.

Compared with the precision casting process, the MIM process has the advantages of good surface roughness, high tensile strength, and the ability to realize the combination of parts, reduce the number of parts, reduce costs and improve efficiency.

In addition to the above parts, the ignition key on the car, engine rocker parts, steering gear U-clip, reverse synchronizer, valve top rod, piston ring, combustion chamber cover, car fixer, etc. are used in MIM process manufacturing.

3 MIM technology in the automobile application prospects

With the progress of science and technology, the main direction of automobile development is energy saving, environmental protection, comfort, intelligence and lightweight, MIM automotive products in the automobile application prospects are huge.

Using MIM technology, tiny automotive parts can be designed as a whole or multiple components, using the MIM process of one-time injection molding, so that the parts to meet the performance of the premise, to achieve the characteristics of miniature, integrated, low-cost and so on. At the same time, the parts can be manufactured with external grooves, external threads, cross holes, blind holes, reinforcement plates, grooves and key pins and other complex shapes.

The application of MIM technology plays an inestimable role in the light weight, energy saving, functional integration and low cost of automotive parts, and the application of MIM technology in the automotive market has a broad prospect