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Aside from the choice of materials you want to work with, the decision between investment casting and MIM depends on other primary factors: the size of the part, the complexity of the part and the tolerances required, as well as the number of parts you want to manufacture. The ideal part for the MIM process has a length of less than 100 mm and is produced in batches of more than 5,000 pieces.

Ultradent's entry of its Umbrella cheek retractor took home the awards for Technical Sophistication and Achievement in Economics and Efficiency at PTXPO.

Since the very first PM Titanium conference in Brisbane, Australia, in 2011, the PMTi series has been the essential meeting point where technical a...»

Almost exclusively commercially available feedstocks, designed for catalytic debinding, are used, avoiding the need to invest in and maintain equipment for feedstock preparation, or the specific knowledge and expertise that goes along with this. All incoming feedstock deliveries are checked for compliance with specifications in the company’s materials laboratory, where chemical composition is analysed and standard samples are used to determine shrinkage. Differential thermal analysis equipment is also used to analyse binder decomposition rates and the amount of binder in the feedstock.

Join Engel in exploring the future of battery molding technology. Discover advancements in thermoplastic composites for battery housings, innovative automation solutions and the latest in large-tonnage equipment designed for e-mobility — all with a focus on cost-efficient solutions. Agenda: Learn about cutting-edge thermoplastic composites for durable, sustainable and cost-efficient battery housings Explore advanced automation concepts for efficient and scalable production See the latest large-tonnage equipment and technology innovations for e-mobility solutions

Mimecrisa’s MIM plant operates fourteen injection moulding machines of different sizes, most of them electrical; four continuous MIM-Master debinding and sintering furnaces; and two batch vacuum furnaces and CIM furnaces. The facility also includes a fully equipped metallurgical and dimensional laboratory, and the principles of LEAN manufacturing and Industry 4.0 are evident throughout the business’s workflows.

The 2023 International Conference on Injection Moulding of Metals, Ceramics and Carbides (MIM2023), organised by the Metal Powder Industries Federa...»

Discover suppliers of these and more in our advertisers’ index and buyer’s guide, available in the back of PIM International.

Conrad says Omachron is building its first 10 commercial machines, which occupies its full production capacity right now. But next year it expects to expand to production of 50 to 100 machines.

In this case study, a part produced via die casting, typically produced with low-melting point alloys, was highlighted as a potential MIM candidate thanks to the customer’s need for higher mechanical and aesthetic properties. In order to transition the part successfully, a high degree of design work and process expertise was required in order to take full advantage of MIM’s capabilities and satisfy all of the customer’s requirements.

The aim of this presentation is to guide you through the factors and the numbers that will help you determine if a robot is a smart investment for your application. Agenda:  Why are you considering automation? What problems are you trying to solve? How and why automation can help Crunch the numbers and determine the ROI

The secret to all this is a process sometimes called “intrusion molding,” whereby the mold is filled by extrusion rather than by injection of a pre-plasticated shot of melt. According to Conrad, this method has the benefit of low pressure, low melt temperature, and very low molded-in stresses. Typical filling pressures are 100 to 300 psi, and final packing pressures run 600 to 900 psi. Conrad cites the example of molding ABS with typical process temperatures 5° to 15° C (9° to 27° F) lower than is recommended by the material supplier—“And we still get perfect parts.”

The machine with mold is about 3 × 7 ft—or about the footprint of a large office desk—and weighs around 2.5 tons without the mold. This is so compact that a molding operation can be established in a facility of 1000 to 2000 ft2, according to Conrad.

technotrans says climate protection, energy efficiency and customization will be key discussion topics at PTXPO as it displays its protemp flow 6 ultrasonic eco and the teco cs 90t 9.1 TCUs.

In many instances, a design developed for a conventional manufacturing process may be better suited for production by MIM. For example, a part previously produced by plastic injection moulding or die casting may no longer offer the required strength as the demands of the application increase. In cases such as these, Mimecrisa is able to offer increased value to the customer and increase MIM’s market share by employing its expertise to transition suitable parts made by competing technologies to MIM.

Learn about sustainable scrap reprocessing—this resource offers a deep dive into everything from granulator types and options, to service tips, videos and technical articles.

Formnext Chicago is an industrial additive manufacturing expo taking place April 8-10, 2025 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Formnext Chicago is the second in a series of Formnext events in the U.S. being produced by Mesago Messe Frankfurt, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and Gardner Business Media (our publisher).

That also partly accounts for Omachron’s success in molding 100% regrind. For example, Conrad says his machines molded reground PVC plumbing fittings into new fittings that were 15% stronger than the originals, due to low molded-in stress. After five regrind cycles, the molded fittings still retained 10% higher strength than the virgin originals, owing to the low thermal stress of intrusion molding—without introducing any additional stabilizer additives.

HP’s Metal Jet has undergone significant refinement in the years since it was first unveiled in 2018. Now, by incorporating nearly the whole Bind...»

Omachron’s machines are available for lease, not sale, so there is no upfront investment (except for molds and perhaps auxiliaries like water cooling). Typical monthly lease costs are $5000 to $6000 (USD).

August 29-30 in Minneapolis all things injection molding and moldmaking will be happening at the Hyatt Regency — check out who’s speaking on what topics today.

Coverage of single-use plastics can be both misleading and demoralizing. Here are 10 tips for changing the perception of the plastics industry at your company and in your community.

NPE2024: A slimmed-down version of Engel’s all-electric, e-mac injection molding machine is among eight displays, which also include LSR micromolding, quick mold changes and a cube mold.

Some preliminary ceramic setters were also used to support the green part during sintering (Fig. 5). Coining – the final operation to ensure flatness – was carried out on internally developed coining devices (Fig. 6). This step is necessary, even if sintering setters are optimised, to achieve narrow tolerances and avoid machining. Ecrimesa’s experience, gained from investment casting, helped the team to develop this coining device in house.

Both the customer and Mimecrisa knew when this product was highlighted for transitioning to MIM that some work would be needed to optimise the part for the MIM process. Initially, the lack of obvious injection points was a particular challenge. Another consideration in the design’s adaption was the addition of ribs in place of some of the thin walls featured in the original design in order to lightweight the component and reduce material costs.

In a time where sustainability is no longer just a buzzword, the food and beverage packaging industry is required to be at the forefront of this innovation. By adopting circular packaging processes and solutions, producers can meet regulatory requirements while also satisfying consumer demand and enhancing brand reputation. Join Husky to learn more about the broader implications of the circular economy — as well as how leading brands are leveraging this opportunity to reduce costs, increase design flexibility and boost product differentiation. Agenda: The cost and operational benefits of embracing circularity Key materials in circular packaging — including rPET and emerging bioplastics How to design a circular food and beverage package Strategies for selecting sustainable closures to future-proof packaging solutions Optimization and streamlining of production processes for enhanced efficiency How Husky Technologies can enable your sustainable success

Take a deep dive into all of the various aspects of part quoting to ensure you’ve got all the bases—as in costs—covered before preparing your customer’s quote for services.

In this collection of content, we provide expert advice on welding from some of the leading authorities in the field, with tips on such matters as controls, as well as insights on how to solve common problems in welding.

This Knowledge Center provides an overview of the considerations needed to understand the purchase, operation, and maintenance of a process cooling system.

After successfully introducing a combined conference for moldmakers and injection molders in 2022, Plastics Technology and MoldMaking Technology are once again joining forces for a tooling/molding two-for-one.

Across the show, sustainability ruled in new materials technology, from polyolefins and engineering resins to biobased materials.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

This month’s resin pricing report includes PT’s quarterly check-in on select engineering resins, including nylon 6 and 66.

Omachron’s commercial motto is “The Power of Small,” referring to empowering small businesses to tackle big projects with low capital investment, using small-footprint machines with lower power consumption. Such machines make possible “distributed manufacturing” close to customers for the machines’ output, even in rural areas.

Plastics processors are finding applications for 3D printing around the plant and across the supply chain. Here are 8 examples to look for at NPE2024.

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Mike Sepe has authored more than 25 ANTEC papers and more than 250 articles illustrating the importance of this interdisciplanary approach. In this collection, we present some of his best work during the years he has been contributing for Plastics Technology Magazine.

Second quarter started with price hikes in PE and the four volume engineering resins, but relatively stable pricing was largely expected by the quarter’s end.

The first versions of the MIM part that were injected and sintered showed some flow lines as a result of high binder levels. Some changes were needed following this first trial run to improve feedstock flow and avoid phase demixing, mainly at the injection areas with thin walls. Penetrant tests, used internally at Ecrimesa as a process control step during development, identified porosity areas in the first iteration of the part due to demixing and sintering deformation, pointing to the need to improve the strength of the green part using some additional ribs and extra wall thickness (Fig. 4).

Omachron’s machines have molded LLDPE, HDPE, PP, rigid PVC, ABS, nylon, acetal, UHMW-PE, PEEK and PPS. Conrad says it’s possible to mold ABS, PVC and HDPE to very nearly the same dimensions in the same tool, regardless of the different materials’ shrinkage. That’s because his machines fill continuously during packing, through a heated inlet, so as to compensate for shrinkage during cooling in the mold.

Molds are made of aluminum, which reduces weight, cost, and time for machining. (The molds for the 4-ft planks mentioned above were built, and initial parts produced, only five days after receiving the order.) Some molds are ceramic-based with a flame-sprayed nickel coating for heat transfer and corrosion protection.    Molds can be mounted on a pushcart for installation—“One person can do it safely,” Conrad asserts.

Introduced by Zeiger and Spark Industries at the PTXPO, the nozzle is designed for maximum heat transfer and uniformity with a continuous taper for self cleaning.

Founded in 1964 in Santander, Spain, the family-owned Ecrimesa Group began life as an industrial casting foundry. The name Ecrimesa is a compound of the Spanish Electro Crisol Metal S.A., translating as ‘Electric Metal Melting Crucible.’ The company was originally established for the production of steel and aluminium investment castings, but by 1994, Metal Injection Moulding was being developed at the location using the world’s first MIM-Master continuous furnaces for catalytic debinding and sintering, in collaboration with feedstock supplier BASF SE and the furnace’s manufacturer, Cremer Thermoprozessanlagen GmbH. MIM now comprises a major portion of the group’s offering.

Finally, there are some additional criteria for deciding between investment casting and MIM. In general, it can be said that the development and production process of new parts is shorter with MIM, since there is no obligation to make multiple moulds and prototypes before starting production, which may be necessary when working with investment casting. In addition, the part design that a user begins with in the MIM process is generally closer to the final part, and machining processes are saved. Typically, parts manufactured by MIM have a very high surface quality without the need for finishing processes.

There’s nothing small, however, about the capacity of these molding machines. Conrad says the first model on the market can mold parts weighing up to 70 lb and measuring 24 in. wide × 36 in. tall × 1 in. thick. Conrad likes to “spec” his machines conservatively. This month, he says, Omachron Plastics will mold PE parts up to 140 lb. The firm also has orders for parts measuring 12 × 12 × 6 in. And an accompanying photo shows molded HDPE 2 × 4 in. planks 4 ft long.

Successfully starting or restarting an injection molding machine is less about ticking boxes on a rote checklist and more about individually assessing each processing scenario and its unique variables.

The free-to-access PIM International magazine archive offers unparalleled insight into the world of MIM, CIM and sinter-based AM from a commercial and technological perspective through:

In this three-part collection, veteran molder and moldmaker Jim Fattori brings to bear his 40+ years of on-the-job experience and provides molders his “from the trenches” perspective on on the why, where and how of venting injection molds. Take the trial-and-error out of the molding venting process.

Mold maintenance is critical, and with this collection of content we’ve bundled some of the very best advice we’ve published on repairing, maintaining, evaluating and even hanging molds on injection molding machines.

In this collection, which is part one of a series representing some of John’s finest work, we present you with five articles that we think you will refer to time and again as you look to solve problems, cut cycle times and improve the quality of the parts you mold.

Join this webinar to explore the transformative benefits of retrofitting your existing injection molding machines (IMMs). Engel will guide you through upgrading your equipment to enhance monitoring, control and adaptability — all while integrating digital technologies. You'll learn about the latest trends in IMM retrofitting (including Euromap interfaces and plasticizing retrofits) and discover how to future-proof your machines for a competitive edge. With insights from industry experts, it'll walk you through the decision-making process, ensuring you make informed choices that drive your business forward. Agenda: Maximize the value of your current IMMs through strategic retrofitting Learn how to integrate digital technologies to enhance monitoring and control Explore the benefits of Euromap interfaces and plasticizing retrofits Understand how retrofitting can help meet new product demands and improve adaptability Discover how Engel can support your retrofitting needs, from free consultations to execution

Tritone’s MoldJet is unique as an Additive Manufacturing process – not Binder Jetting, Material Extrusion, nor Material Jetting, the MoldJet pr...»

Join Wittmann for an engaging webinar on the transformative impact of manufacturing execution systems (MES) in the plastic injection molding industry. Discover how MES enhances production efficiency, quality control and real-time monitoring while also reducing downtime. It will explore the integration of MES with existing systems, emphasizing compliance and traceability for automotive and medical sectors. Learn about the latest advancements in IoT and AI technologies and how they drive innovation and continuous improvement in MES. Agenda: Overview of MES benefits What is MES? Definition, role and brief history Historical perspective and evolution Longevity and analytics Connectivity: importance, standards and integration Advantages of MES: efficiency, real-time data, traceability and cost savings Emerging technologies: IoT and AI in MES

Mixed in among thought leaders from leading suppliers to injection molders and mold makers at the 2023 Molding and MoldMaking conferences will be molders and toolmakers themselves.

On the other hand, these machines are not for fast-cycle molding. For large, thick parts, molding cycles can range from 10 min to 1 hr.

Discover how artifical intelligence is revolutionizing plastics processing. Hear from industry experts on the future impact of AI on your operations and envision a fully interconnected plant.

Implementing a production monitoring system as the foundation of a ‘smart factory’ is about integrating people with new technology as much as it is about integrating machines and computers. Here are tips from a company that has gone through the process.

The typical sintering conditions in Mimecrisa’s furnaces are suited to low-alloy steels, low-carbon FN08, low-alloy steel with elevated carbon 4605, 42CrMo4, 100Cr6, 17-4 PH and 316L stainless steel. A large proportion of its products are made from heat treated steels that require a higher carbon content; the production of these carbonaceous sintered steels poses a special challenge for many MIM manufacturers, as these materials require very precise control of the sintering atmosphere. In many cases, components made from these materials are hardened and tempered following sintering – an area in which Mimecrisa has a large deal of experience. Three carburising furnaces are available for case hardening and quench-and-temper heat treatments, with fine-tuned programs for MIM materials and small parts.

For higher-weight glass doors requiring a stronger hinge, a stainless steel version was developed for production by MIM (Figs. 2 and 3). A number of changes were made to adapt the design to MIM, focusing on the internal faces of the parts, which would not be visible to the user. These hinges are at the upper range of MIM’s size capabilities, with a typical weight of 50–80 g, and have very thin walls with a large surface area.

It can mold 70-lb parts 1 in. thick using 100% regrind, and it can reproduce micro surface detail. Add to that its small size, frugal energy consumption, and zero upfront cost.

Despite price increase nominations going into second quarter, it appeared there was potential for generally flat pricing with the exception of a major downward correction for PP.

Compared to investment casting, which represents one of the oldest applied metal forming processes, Metal Injection Moulding is a relatively new technology, first commercialised in the 1980s and seeing wider adoption in the 1990s. To this day, investment casting is still one of the most widely used precision forming technologies, with MIM remaining far less known and, where it is applied, primarily being used for the manufacture of small parts.

Say “manufacturing automation” and thoughts immediately go to the shop floor and specialized production equipment, robotics and material handling systems. But there is another realm of possible automation — the front office.

Reach a truly international audience that includes component manufacturers, end-users, industry suppliers, analysts, researchers and more.

Today, Ecrimesa is comprised of three companies: its investment casting segment, Ecrimesa; the MIM company Mimecrisa; and machining company Mecansa. The companies are located across seven locations in Santander, on the northern Spanish coast. The three companies work closely together, benefitting from one another’s capabilities and expertise; for example, the tool shop at Ecrimesa provides toolmaking and tool maintenance services to Mimecrisa, along with access to its metallurgical and measuring labs, while Mecansa carries out finishing operations for Ecrimesa and Mimecrisa as required, and both Mimecrisa and Mecansa make use of Ecrimesa’s heat treatment facilities.

The external face of the part was not changed during these modifications. The first iteration, with a 4 g weight increase from the original part, was good enough to be functional, but the customer ultimately preferred a bigger fatigue margin. The final iteration, taking into account the necessary changes, saw a weight increase of 2 g, necessary to avoid defects in the thin walls, increasing the fatigue life of the product whilst remaining compatible with the hinge’s function.

While the melting process does not provide perfect mixing, this study shows that mixing is indeed initiated during melting.

Omachron Technologies (omachrontechnologies.com) is the machine-building and moldmaking arm of Omachron Science, Conrad’s 30-year-old R&D company with 750 patents in fields as diverse as satellite communications, personal watercraft, and appliances (omachron.com). Another subsidiary is Omachron Plastics, which acts as a test bed for the company’s machinery, using it to produce the Plasti-Block line of machineable sheets, rods, tubes, blocks and custom shapes (plastiblocks.com).

In general, most parts with a final weight of less than 15 g produced by Ecrimesa are – depending on the material – produced by MIM, since this technology allows thinner structures and is more material and energy efficient. However, there are still designers who, even for smaller parts, have a preference for investment casting.

Resin drying is a crucial, but often-misunderstood area. This collection includes details on why and what you need to dry, how to specify a dryer, and best practices.

Conrad notes that besides molding huge parts, his process also ensures accurate reproduction of part surface features down to micro scale—for example, capillary microstructures measuring only a ten-thousandth of an inch (0.001 mil).

Traditionally, 90% of parts weighing more than 100 g at Ecrimesa Group are manufactured by investment casting, since, at that size, the cost of the fine powders used in the MIM process is high, as well as the energy/time required to sinter them. However, due to the experience the group has accumulated in MIM, and the performance of the materials used, more and more parts weighing more than 100 g are being produced by MIM. The supply of the tooling required for MIM has also improved, allowing the technology to be used in wider range of cases. There are, of course, limits: using investment casting, parts weighing up to 25 kg can be produced, whereas, with MIM, the maximum realistic weight of a part is around 250 g.

Sustainability continues to dominate new additives technology, but upping performance is also evident. Most of the new additives have been targeted to commodity resins and particularly polyolefins.

Across all process types, sustainability was a big theme at NPE2024. But there was plenty to see in automation and artificial intelligence as well.

While the original parts weighed around 100 g, and the MIM part close to 130 g, the cosmetic and mechanical properties achieved by transition to MIM allowed the customer to bring the product to higher quality markets. By cooperating closely with the customer, Mimecrisa was able to bring together the part’s necessary functionality with the required expertise in designing for MIM, and achieve the common goals of both parties. Where customer requirements can be fully agreed upon during the design phase, time to market and iteration cost can be reduced compared to collaboration carried out during the sampling process. The final assembled hinge set is shown in Fig. 7.

Ecrimesa is one of the few companies to be able to offer its customers a choice of between investment casting, machining and MIM. This brings the opportunity to truly find the best process for an application, or to offer a wider choice of solutions as a part’s specifications evolve.

In 2021, in response to increasing demand for its MIM parts, the group invested €2 million in the commissioning of a new continuous MIM production line as part of its 2021/22 investment plan, to include a new continuous debinding and sintering furnace from Cremer, and injection moulding machines from Arburg, bringing its total installed MIM capacity to fourteen machines across four continuous lines and two vacuum sintering lines. The new line was scheduled to go into operation in the first quarter of 2022 and would allow Mimecrisa to process over 250 tons of MIM feedstock per year.

Extensive MIM, CIM industry and sinter-based AM industry news, plus the following exclusive deep-dive articles and reports:

For better shape retention during sintering, the parts were produced using feedstock based on 316L master alloy powder. After considering the results of mechanical and dimensional trials on the first sintered samples with the customer, MIM moulds were modified in house to meet the part specifications. Throughout this process, cosmetic and assembly limitations were identified and noted for the next modification of the MIM parts.

Additive technology creates air pockets in film during orientation, cutting down on the amount of resin needed while boosting opacity, mechanical properties and recyclability.

The clamp and mold are typically much larger than the extruder. The machine is all-electric with a proprietary, ballscrew-driven clamp design. The clamp has 144 tons of closing force and 5 tons of opening force. “No individual part of the machine weighs more than 60 to 70 lb,” says Conrad. “And it’s totally modular, so parts are easy to replace.”

The production floorspace at Mimecrisa is about 6,000 m2, staffed by around fifty employees, and all injection moulding machines are equipped with pick-and-place systems, some robotic. Using these pick-and-place systems, green parts are transferred to trays that fit into sinter boxes specifically designed for MIM-Master furnaces, meaning that green parts do not have to be handled until they exit the sintering furnace. In some cases, parts are placed on specially shaped ceramic supports, or setters, for improved dimensional stability. These supports are manufactured in-house.

In this collection of articles, two of the industry’s foremost authorities on screw design — Jim Frankand and Mark Spalding — offer their sage advice on screw design...what works, what doesn’t, and what to look for when things start going wrong.

The use of Additive Manufacturing technologies for prototyping, such as metal MEX or metal Binder Jetting, is expected to help further speed up the development of such complex parts. While filament-based MEX techniques are not accurate enough to accurately replicate the finest design features, they can be of help in carrying out sintering tests prior to production. Binder Jetting can more closely match the MIM design as a ‘brown part’ with just a ‘backbone’ binder (though potential demixing or ‘injection memory’ issues will not be highlighted in such prototypes). In future, Ecrimesa plans to utilise these techniques for prototyping new MIM parts. Simulation techniques can also offer some capability to predict the injection path inside the mould, but some other important aspects are not covered by these techniques.

Low power requirement also characterizes these machines, which can run on single-phase, 220V/80-89A power (or three-phase if desired).

By 1997, Ecrimesa’s MIM operation had gown to such an extent that the company’s management took the decision to establish the independent company Mimecrisa, which would be responsible for the group’s MIM production facilities and workforce. In 2005, Ecrimesa Group bought out one of its machining suppliers in order to increase the added value of its production in investment casting and MIM. In summer 2015, this machining plant was moved to its own building.

Processors with sustainability goals or mandates have a number of ways to reach their goals. Biopolymers are among them.

When, how, what and why to automate — leading robotics suppliers and forward-thinking moldmakers will share their insights on automating manufacturing at collocated event.

Core Technology Molding turned to Mold-Masters E-Multi auxiliary injection unit to help it win a job and dramatically change its process.

In 2020, Ecrimesa added Additive Manufacturing to its available technologies, enabling customers to manufacture wax prototypes for investment casting with short lead times, or additively manufacture parts using Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), a form of Material Extrusion (MEX). The resulting parts can be sintered in Ecrimesa furnaces.

Exhibitors and presenters at the plastics show emphasized 3D printing as a complement and aid to more traditional production processes.

While the major correction in PP prices was finally underway, generally stable pricing was anticipated for the other four commodity resins.

If that sounds like an attractive proposition, those are just a few of the benefits cited for a new line of low-pressure injection molding machines being launched by Omachron Technologies in Pontypool, Ont., a new name in plastics extrusion and molding machinery, headed by Wayne Conrad, who calls himself “chief scientist and also president.” Omachron recently came out with a line of small extruders (see last month’s Keeping Up section) that also serve as the plasticating section of its molding machines. After seven years in development, the first commercial models of those presses are being built now for a handful of initial customers. The company is expanding capacity to serve a broader molding audience by the end of the year.

Multiple speakers at Molding 2023 will address the ways simulation can impact material substitution decisions, process profitability and simplification of mold design.

Plastics Technology covers technical and business Information for Plastics Processors in Injection Molding, Extrusion, Blow Molding, Plastic Additives, Compounding, Plastic Materials, and Resin Pricing. About Us

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has released final figures for NPE2024: The Plastics Show (May 6-10; Orlando) that officially make it the largest ever NPE in several key metrics.

Gifted with extraordinary technical know how and an authoritative yet plain English writing style, in this collection of articles Fattori offers his insights on a variety of molding-related topics that are bound to make your days on the production floor go a little bit better.

In this case study, Mimecrisa was tasked with transitioning a pair of door hinges from die casting to MIM. These corrosion-resistant hinges were originally manufactured from a zinc alloy. For safety reasons, the hinges must be able to open at up to 270° and, for cosmetic reasons, they need to be polished to a mirror finish.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

What if you could satisfy short- to medium-run injection molding needs with the capability of a 500-ton press, in a machine that uses one-tenth as much energy and can fit on a large office desk? What if you could do that with no capital investment for the machine? And what if that machine would allow you to mold 100% regrind into parts that are stronger than the virgin originals?

Ecrimesa Group, with facilities for both investment casting and MIM, used this expertise to fully understand the limitations and advantages of each process during the design transition, and bring this expertise to the customer. By taking advantage of the synergies between its different manufacturing capabilities, the group was able to accompany and support the customer across the full redesign and manufacturing process, from conception to finishing.

Any molder will tell you there’s a difference in working with electric vs. hydraulic drives. Servohydraulic is still hydraulic; a hybrid machine is something different. Imprecise use of terms causes needless confusion.

NPE2024: Absolute Haitian says Generation 5 of the servo-hydraulic Haitian and electric Zhafir machines lines emphasize efficiency, performance and intelligence.

Another benefit of the intrusion molding process is that it greatly reduces the equipment size needed to mold large parts. Three extruders are available for the plasticating section—1 in. diam., 18:1 L/D and 1.25 in., 24:1 or 36:1 L/D. With optimized screw designs and electric motors, they require only 2 to 5 hp to produce from 10-25 lb/hr for the smallest size up to 100-120 lb/hr.

Plastics Technology’s Tech Days is back! Every Tuesday in October, a series of five online presentations will be given by industry supplier around the following topics:  Injection Molding — New Technologies, Efficiencies Film Extrusion — New Technologies, Efficiencies Upstream/Downstream Operations Injection Molding — Sustainability Extrusion — Compounding Coming out of NPE2024, PT identified a variety of topics, technologies and trends that are driving and shaping the evolution of plastic products manufacturing — from recycling/recyclability and energy optimization to AI-based process control and automation implementation. PT Tech Days is designed to provide a robust, curated, accessible platform through which plastics professionals can explore these trends, have direct access to subject-matter experts and develop strategies for applying solutions in their operations.

Join KraussMaffei for an insightful webinar designed for industry professionals, engineers and anyone interested in the manufacturing processes of PVC pipes. This session will provide a comprehensive understanding of the technology behind the production of high-quality PVC pipes: from raw material preparation to final product testing. Agenda: Introduction to PVC extrusion: overview of the basic principles of PVC pipe extrusion — including the process of melting and shaping PVC resin into pipe forms Equipment and machinery: detailed explanation of the key equipment involved — such as extruders, dies and cooling systems — and their roles in the extrusion process Process parameters: insight into the critical process parameters like temperature, pressure and cooling rates that influence the quality and consistency of the final PVC pipes Energy efficiency: examination of ways to save material and energy use when extruding PVC pipe products

Both technologies are applied to manufacture small parts that are generally more complex in design and, therefore, processes such as forging cannot be used. One of the main differences between investment casting and MIM is the range of materials that can be processed. In general, investment casting allows for a wider variety of materials, as the MIM process can only be performed with alloys of a higher melting temperature. Materials such as aluminium, for example, do not work efficiently with MIM.