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Powder Injection Molding (PIM) and the benefits of a debinding unit made by DesbaTec
- Published: Friday, 17 January 2014 10:34
- Written by Nelli Zinn
A) What is Powder Injection Modling?
Power Injection Molding (PIM) is a production technique for the serial production of parts
made of metallic (MIM) or ceramic (CIM) raw materials.
Typical areas of operation are e.g.:
- Automotive industry
- Medical technology
- Machine building
- Aeronautics and space industry
- Optical industry
- Electrical industry
- Watch industry
Here, the process of powder injection molding runs in four phases:
1) Material preparation
2) Forming
3) Debinding
4) Sintering
B) How does a debinding unit work?
After equipping the debinding reactor with parts (green parts) it is evacuated through a vacuum unit. As soon as the specified vacuum value is reached the reactor chamber is flooded with solvent. During the debinding process the binder is dissolved from the green parts by the heated solvent using a circulation method.
For optimization of this process step an injection circulation method is used. A big advantage of this system lies in the resulting high debinding rate even with parts of different shape and geometry.
In the following drying process the parts are dried through washing with injected inert gas under vacuum. Resulting solvent emissions are condensed in a special heat exchanger and are recirculated into the process.
In the last process step the vacuum distillation of the solvent which is contaminated with binder (also water is possible) takes place, so that the solvent can be reused for a new debinding.
For small batches of injection molded parts, the plant type MDU combines debinding, vacuum drying and solvent recycling in on single unit.
Medium and large batches are mastered by two simultaneously working and communicating systems: one debinding and drying unit and one solvent recovery unit.
C) The main advantages of our debinding units at a glance:
● High security through washing with injected inert gas
● Injection circulation to optimize the debinding rate
● PLC control with adjustable process parameters
● Compact design:
Integrable solvent buffer tank (space-saving) with integrable cooling unit
for reduction of emission losses
● User-friendly front-loading
● Debinding possible using solvent or water
● On request: remote maintenance and diagnostics via modem
● Redundant heating regulation
● Continuous pressure monitoring to control the vacuum and the inerting
● Continuous reactor level measurement and freely adjustable levels
● Continuous leak monitoring during the debinding process
● Sophisticated process technology through collaboration with research institutions
(z.B. FOTEC Research and Technology transfer GmbH)
● Environmental protection through closed system with vapor return line
We’ll be happy to advise you finding a suitable solution/ system for your specific needs. Assure yourself personally and under realistic conditions of the many benefits of a debinding unit made by DesbaTec.