![Sample our Physical Sciences journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110819/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Physical-Sciences.jpg"})
Abstract
An important goal in research and development (R+D) is to enhance powder injection moulding (PIM) to combine two or more materials with different properties in a single piece manufactured in one process cycle. A further advantage is the considerable reduction of mounting costs.
In principle, a certain range of options should be suitable for creating multi-component products. An important option is two-component PIM which is mainly characterized by a sophisticated sintering procedure taking into account the kinetics of all powder types involved. Investigations into how to fabricate immobile or mobile ceramic shaft-wheel components have been carried out successfully and even metal and ceramic materials can be connected for fixed joints.
A further opportunity is opened up by In-mould Labelling PIM which uses powder filled tapes as the first component. Here again particular attention has to be paid to the sintering procedure, but if this is done, samples containing nano-sized powders in the surface area of the whole body can be obtained.
Acknowledgements
This work was partly carried out with the support of the Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF, www.knmf.kit.edu), the Helmholtz Research Infrastructure at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT, www.kit.edu).
Further thanks go to the European Commission (Multilayer NMP2-LA-2008-214122) and the German Research Society (DFG) for financial funding and to all helpful colleagues at KIT as well as to the external cooperating partners.