The development of two-component micro powder injection moulding and sinter joining

Abstract

Two-component micro powder injection moulding experienced significant progress in the recent past. Starting as a manufacturing method for integrating two different plastics, the extension of two-component injection moulding (2C-IM) from pure plastics to more resistant materials like ceramics or metals (2C-PIM) provided sophisticated and challenging applications. With the transfer of 2C-PIM to micro systems, two-component micro powder injection moulding (2C-MicroPIM) was established. Up to a certain extend sinter joining is an alternative to 2C-PIM. It allows for component assemblies to be moulded as separate low-complexity parts which are then joined into complex assemblies. This procedure considerably reduces the time and cost required to manufacture the injection moulding tools. This article gives an overview of the development of 2C-MicroPIM-from two component plastic devices to the production of complex two-component micro assemblies made of two ceramic or metallic materials and the state-ofthe-art of science and technology of sinter joining.

Fabrication of hollow, 3D, micro-scale metallic structures by micro-powder injection moulding

“…For example, Imgrund et al (2007) and Imgrund et al (2008) reported on using two-component metal micromoulding to produce multifunctional micro-metallic components with reduced assembly steps. Ruh et al (2008) presented a similar approach to for two-component moulding and sinter joining in powder micromoulding, including a method to produce partially enclosed cavities by sinter joining to sub-components together (Ruh et al, 2011). Piotter et al (2010) and Piotter et al (2011) reported on another variant of powder micromoulding by which complex-shaped ceramic components could be produced.…”