For components requiring high precision and medium to high volumes we offer Ceramic Injection Moulding (CIM).
CIM is an innovative forming technique to manufacture a range of components, including those with a high geometric complexity, offering an economic solution for difficult production problems.
The CIM process begins with very fine ceramic powders. Using sophisticated mixing technology the powders are compounded with thermoplastic binders to produce a homogeneous pelletised feedstock.
The binders form a liquid medium which carries the ceramic powders into the mould during the injection stage. Using an injection moulding machine similar to that used in conventional plastic moulding, the molten feedstock is forced into a mould cavity forming a net shape part.
Moulds can be single or multi-cavity configurations.After forming the part it then goes through two thermal processes.
First is pyrolysis to remove the binder, followed by sintering in a high temperature kiln to form a fully dense ceramic component. During sintering the component shrinks uniformly by as much as 20% while retaining the complex shape. With good process control close tolerances can be obtained, therefore machining of the part after sintering is usually not necessary.
The benefits of Ceramic Injection Moulding
Provides unique, economic solutions to increasingly stringent material and product design requirements;
Excellent batch to batch repeatability and process capabilities achieving a tolerance of <0.3%;
High surface finish quality without the need for additional finishing processes;
Accommodates extremely complex geometric components;
Superior material performance, high hardness and mechanical strength, wear, corrosion and weathering resistant, dimension stable, high working temperature and good
electrical insulator also used for metallized applications.
Advanced Ceramics Supplier 