Powder injection moulding technology (PIM) is increasingly employed for the high-volume production of complex, high-precision components for industrial or consumer use. With this process, parts with internal threads, difficult undercuts and high surface quality can be manufactured on injection moulding machines simply, reliably and with a high degree of automation.

In addition to the high tech sector, fields of application for PIM parts include the watch and spectacles industry, the cutting tools sector, the lock industry, the DIY sector, textile machines as well as porcelain and knife production. However, the significance of powder injection moulding is increasing for the development of completely new fields of application.

The starting material for the injection moulding of metal and ceramic powders can be any conventional sinterable powders with the suitable particle sizes, such as oxide, silicate and nitride ceramics, carbides, metals and metal alloys, including precious metals.
The PIM process extends far beyond injection moulding, it begins with preparation of the material and ends with the final sintering process.

In order to process the relevant powder it is necessary to homogenise and granulate the material with a binder using a mixing unit. The resulting injection mouldable material is injected into the mould under pressure and subjected to heat. The binder is removed from the moulded part (green compact). What is left is the “brown compact” which is then sintered.

ARBURG offers machines optimised for the processing of powder materials, which feature highly wear-resistant cylinder modules and a screw geometry which is especially adapted to powder injection moulding. The position regulation of the screw ensures excellent dynamics with regard to the injection profiles and good reproducibility of the injection process.