Application of high performance materials in volume in electronic, medical, defense, consumer sector has pushed the PIM market to over 4.8 Billion USD in 2018. Advances in feedstock formulation using finer metal powders have resulted in the industry moving into a new realm of Micro-MIM. The growth of PIM markets is over 24 % y-o-y and this presents a good opportunity for manufacturing sector to adopt this technology for mass production of complex parts. Some components made from Metal Injection Molding technology are shown in the following image.

    Metal Injection molding accounts for major share of the PIM market globally. In Europe, MIM focuses on the consumer market (eye glasses, watches), while in North America the market are medical devices. In Asia, electronic components (iphone, Samsung), hardware market account for majority of the market . In China, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan there are more than 250 MIM/CIM companies.

  Left: Orthodontic brackets made with MIM, Right: Turbo charger Vane for an automotive application made by MIM

  

  Left: MIM components for medical device applications (Courtesy: Phillips Medicine) Right: Watch cases made by MIM for swatch Co. (Courtesy: Swatch)

  The main steps involved in the MIM process are 1) Mixing 2) Injection Molding 3) Debinding 4) Sintering.  The process is well established and has an increasing demand due to the implementation of MIM parts in computers, cell phones, electronics, Automotive, medical and defense sectors.