Copper coldplates produced by Metal Injection Moulding leverage the full benefits of the MIM process, with shaping capability that gives designers maximum flexibility for innovative design concepts. In this type of pin geometries, which provides optimum thermal performance.

The electronics industry is a major user of Metal Injection Molded parts, resulting in Asia accounting for more than 50% of global MIM parts sales. Smartphone camera housings, buttons, hinges for folding phones, and connectors of complex geometries are now staple MIM products.

In this report, Dr Paul A Davies, Sandvik Osprey Ltd, provides an overview of the evolution of the region’s MIM industry from a powder producer’s perspective. With selected application examples and data from the recent APMA 2017 conference, the report offers insights into the drivers for growth and how these have stimulated continued investment in capacity.

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:

“We are thrilled to expand our manufacturing footprint to North Carolina and join the close network of German-based manufacturers in the region,” said Daniel Dittmar, CEO and president of Heyco-Werk USA. “HEYCO benefits from the central location that provides access to major hubs to our specialized supply chains and strong customer base. We are excited to invest in new technologies and to create high-quality manufacturing jobs in Gaston County.”

Don't miss any new issue of PIM International, and stay up to date with the latest industry news. Sign up to our fortnightly newsletter.

Thin thin-wall (<1 mm or 0.04 in.) intricate fibre optic connectors housings are often made from 17-4 PH stainless steel. The parts are used in a parallel optical module for ultra-high-speed transceivers in networking and telecom equipment. In addition to the very thin walls, the MIM housing are able to integrate numerous complex details.

A company that manufactures plastic molded parts for the automotive industry will invest $12.75 million in Gaston County to build a manufacturing site. Heyco-Werk will also create 34 jobs in the county, according to a release.

Few other technologies can compete with Metal Injection Molding’s combination of high volume capability and tight tolerances. This is just one of many MIM applications that can be found in smartphones and mobile devices produced by a wide range of OEMs.

The sheer number of small cooling pins in such applications, all packed within a small confined space, maximise the overall surface area and hence optimise thermal efficiency.

The thermal performance of the MIM coldplate therefore bring a competitive edge when compared with other manufacturing processes.

North Carolina has more than 250 automotive manufacturing companies, says N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders.

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

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

“I’m happy we can continue to provide jobs in Gaston County and especially when the average way is considerably higher than our average,” says Chad Brown, chairman of the Gaston County Board of Commission.

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

Heyco-Werk plans a 65,000-square-foot production facility and show room for its injection molding at a 10-acre site at the Apple Creek Corporate Center, located just west of the town of Dallas. That’s about 70 miles from BMW’s massive manufacturing operation in Greer, South Carolina.

Although from a long discontinued mobile phone, this flip slider and hinge barrel are two parts which mark a milestone in MIM’s adoption in the consumer electronics sector. This mechanism allowed a clamshell style phone cover to slide up and down and flip open in a single movement.

The ongoing miniaturisation of electronic devices calls for ever smaller parts with better performance at lower cost. This is where Metal Injection Moulding can put forward its strengths.

Founded in 1937 in Remscheid, Germany, by Max and Ernst Heynen, the Heyco Group has eight sites worldwide and employs approximately 1,250 people. It is a leading supplier of products and engineering services in the area of metal and plastic processing technology.

Heyco-Werk USA was established in 2014 and began manufacturing in Emporia, Virginia, in 2019. The company manufactures precision plastic molded parts for the automotive industry as well as various industrial markets. Manufacturing automotive products for all BMW SUV models worldwide, this expansion to a second location in North Carolina will help meet the growing needs of BMW and other European car manufacturers in North America, according to a release.

The parts were made from 17-4 PH stainless steel and the MIM process allowed very thin walls, overhanging structures and a complex overall design. The parts also demonstrated the high quality polished finish that can be achieved.

Metal Injection Molding is used to produce Apple’s Lightning connector, a component that is produced in the tens of millions per week at peak production. Such small, complex, high volume components can be produced in multi-cavity molds to net-shape.

The MIM industry in Asia is the world’s largest, whether considered in terms of number of parts produced, sales turnover or production volume. China alone is reported to offer half of the world’s installed MIM capacity, with production predominantly focused on 3C applications.