Revolutionizing metal powder injection molding: A cost-effective approach to tooling innovation

Abstract

Metal injection molding is a cost-effective manufacturing process for producing intricate metal components with superior mechanical properties. A major challenge in metal injection molding production lies in developing an economical method for fabricating injection molds. This study introduces an innovative and cost-efficient approach utilizing a composite material composed of aluminum powder and epoxy resin to manufacture metal injection molding mold inserts. Experimental results indicate that the maximum feasible weight ratio of aluminum powder to epoxy resin is approximately 70 %, with an optimal composition of 60 to 40 aluminum powder to epoxy resin for fabricating durable mold inserts. The developed aluminum epoxy composite mold inserts demonstrated a service life of approximately 2100 metal injection molding cycles while achieving a material cost reduction of one-fourth that of conventional mold materials, excluding labor expenses. The major difficulty encountered in this study was optimizing the mixture ratio to balance flowability and mechanical strength, as excessive aluminum content resulted in poor formability. Despite this challenge, the strength of the study lies in its practical demonstration of mold durability, mechanical performance testing, and cost-effectiveness, confirming the composite material as a viable alternative for low-cost tooling in pilot-scale production. This novel tooling approach presents a viable strategy for significantly lowering production costs in metal injection molding applications, enhancing the accessibility and efficiency of the process.