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Metal Injection Molding. More Freedom for Your Design.

Do you need complex metal components to advance your business? Then Schunk is the right partner for you. With 30 years of experience in metal injection molding, we get your components into top shape. You benefit not only from a cost-efficient process, but also from our exceptional service. Contact us – together with you we develop the best solution for your application.

Passionate about what we do

Customized solutions for your business

Materials and solutions from Schunk advance industries all over the world. As an expert manufacturer of complex MIM, sintered metal and carbon components, we stand for exceptional service, the highest quality and enthusiasm for what we do. We work closely with you to develop innovative solutions for your company that are tailored to your needs. You can rely on our expertise in shaping processes such as metal injection molding, injection molding with graphite and axial pressing. We are certified according to EN9100, IATF16949, ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO 50001.

The best solution for your application

We are the MIM experts for all industries

Metal injection molding can be the best manufacturing process for you if you need complex, three-dimensional components. Regardless of whether your challenges are high temperatures or creep resistance: We use our many years of materials expertise to equip your parts with the right properties for your application - for reliable, long-term performance. Challenge us - we will work with you to develop the right solution for your business.

 

Industry

MIM technology offers cost-efficient and reliable solutions that can be used in locking technology, for example. As drive components in electric motors, for example, MIM components ensure reliable drive in smart locks. However, manufacturers also rely on the metal injection molding process to produce complex components for locking cylinders, gear wheels, window and furniture fittings.

Medical technology

Where high-precision instruments and systems for diagnostic and therapeutic applications are developed, the metal injection molding process shows its strengths. The possible applications here range from sophisticated components for medical devices, spreaders and individual components for surgical forceps to braces. If you are looking for a development partner who will work with you to drive innovation in medical technology, then get in touch with us.

Consumer sector

Environmentally conscious end consumers value innovative products, high quality and sustainable production. This is where the MIM process can score three times over and increase your competitiveness. Whether components for the watch industry or smart watches, for razors, nail files or handbags, binoculars or digital cameras - there are no limits to the possible applications of metal injection molding components.

Aerospace

Did you know that our components were the first safety-relevant MIM parts ever used in aviation? MIM components from Schunk are used in aircraft engines, where they impress with their high heat resistance and low weight. Our customers benefit from the high reproducibility of the components and thus save costs during production.

 

Automotive

As a long-standing partner to the automotive industry, we manufacture customized components for e-mobility. With connector housings, copper components, shunts, shielding housings, components for window regulators, gear wheels and other wear-resistant and heat-resistant components manufactured using the metal injection molding process, we ensure greater safety and comfort in electric vehicles.

Defence

We are your experienced development partner when it comes to MIM components that perform reliably even under extreme conditions. Our precision components for the defense sector meet the industry's high quality and safety standards, ensuring the integrity of defense systems.

Your Advantages

Profit from the advantages of sintering technology

  • Reproducibility, even in extremely large volumes
  • Ready-to-install parts at low unit costs
  • Material yield of nearly 100 %
  • Components in all stages of finishing
  • Environmental friendliness due to high degree of material and energy efficiency
  • Recyclability
  • Streamlined, stabile processes (LeanSigma)
  • Narrow tolerances, even for complex geometries
  • Weight savings compared to parts manufactured with other production methods
Process

The Process of Metal Injection Molding

Metal Powder

The finest metal powder or metal-powder alloys

In addition to traditional iron-based MIM materials as well as those with nickel and carbon as alloying elements, our production capabilities also include rust and acid resistant steels, nickel-based alloys and other high-temperature materials. Moreover, we have in our range materials whose properties are considerably superior to those of conventional materials, such as highly wear-resistant, highly heat-resistant soft-magnetic materials.

Mixing

Powders are blended with thermoplastic plastic binding agents to create an injectable mixture (feedstock)

It is typical for MIM techniques to blend fine metal powders with organic binders to create a homogenous mixture with metal-powder contents (by volume) which range from 50-70%. This homogenous mixture can be processed using injection-molding machines in the same manner as plastics can.

Injection

Shaping through injection molding

In the injection molding process – we have at our disposal machines with clamping forces of 500 - 2,000 kN – the mixtures are injected into molds and formed into molded parts which have all of the typical geometric features of the finished component. These so-called green parts then receive binding agents.

Debinding

Removal of the binding agent through debinding procedures

The removal of the organic binding agent is carried out using a debinding procedure we developed ourselves. The binders are completely removed from the components by means of solvent extraction.

Sintering

Sinterning components in protective gas or in vacuum conditions

The molded parts, which are now porous after the debinding procedure, are now condensed and solidified through sintering in protective gas or in vacuum conditions, giving them the exact geometric properties that are required. Linear shrinkage results in densities of up to 96%. Any remaining pores are well dispersed and only occur in the form of closed porosity.

Finishing and Refining

We deliver finished, ready-to-install components

In subsequent refining processes all conceivable heat and surface treatments can be carried out analogously to conventionally-manufactured components. The finishing competences of Schunk Mobility go well beyond the scope of common finishing procedures. We help you to decide on a case-to-case basis which refinement measures are technologically and economically optimal for your product and application.

More performance - lower costs

Two-component metal injection molding

Do you want to get the best out of your components? Then equip your parts with the perfect properties. With our innovative two-component MIM process, we can combine different mechanical and tribological material properties in one component - just as you wish. Without additional joining processes or surface treatment, we can achieve higher performance from your components in just one production step. Find out here how you can achieve higher performance and save costs with 2C-MIM.

Brochure: Metal Injection Molding
Brochure: Metal Injection Molding

More freedom for your design

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Flyer: Metal Injection Molding for Aerospace
Flyer: Metal Injection Molding for Aerospace

High temperature applications for
aerospace with metal injection molding

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Flyer: Metal Injection Molded Parts made of Copper-based Materials
Flyer: Metal Injection Molded Parts made of Copper-based Materials

Imagine the possibilities

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Flyer: Metal Powder Injection Molding Components for Turbochargers
Flyer: Metal Powder Injection Molding Components for Turbochargers

Precise components for the
highest requirements

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Flyer: Two-Component Metal Injection Molding
Flyer: Two-Component Metal Injection Molding

One process for combining the best properties

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