Powder Injection Process Research Articles

The technology and commercial status of powder-injection molding

The process of powder-injection molding (PIM) is a viable and competitive commercial technique that is being used to process complex-shaped parts of various materials in moderate to high volumes. The hey advantage of the process is its unique ability to combine materials selection flexibility with the complex shape-forming ability of plastics. Although the PIM process has been discussed in the open literature for more than quarter of a century, it has become a commercial reality only during the last decade or so. Currently, there is a tremendous interest in this unique technology throughout the world. As a result, the PIM industry is poised for significant growth.

Dispersion of Particles in a Powder Injection Process

To decide on the condition where injected particles penetrate into liquid through the gas-liquid interface and disperse in liquid, the water model experiments have been done. The penetration distance of a particle is closely related to the parameter defined as the ratio of the kinetic energy of a particle to the drag force of liquid on a particle. The dispersion behaviour of penetrated particle is influenced by the gas flow rate and the density and diameter of the penetrated particle, and can be expressed by the parameter defined as the ratio of buoyancy force to the drag force of liquid on a particle. The dispersion behaviour of penetrated particle also depends upon the physico-chemical properties such as wettability. Moreover, this result has been confirmed by the hot model experiment.