Parts Consolidation in MIM
Complexity Demands with High Precision
There are common issues in designing process, we need to design complex geometries into just one MIM part. In order to solve other manufacturing or assembling problem. Meanwhile, we also need to confirm MIM parts performance will never be affected by its structure adjustment. We should guarantee consistent performance during high complex or intricate components’ production process, then provide high quality for our worldwide customers.
Manufacturing methods for complex parts is the key factor to introduce additional cost. Wrong production methods will add expensive secondary process like deburring or chamfering on stamped parts, or assembling different parts for one product. There is no doubt that secondary operations and manual assembly are the highest cost-drivers in parts production process. Both of these two elements require more manpower and suppliers, result in added cost to manufacturing process. Meanwhile, materials selection is also another factor to effect MIM parts tolerance and performance. We always recommend particular material characteristic with slighter fine-turning, result to improve final MIM parts performance with high accuracy.
Metal Injection Molding are easy to integrate and consolidate several components to combine into a single, net-shape molded parts. This will decrease processing and assembly cost. MIM make all your special parts’ requirement possible without compromising properties.
MIM parts can be complex geometries with high performance in large volume without any associated cost.
Performance in Ultra-High Volume
In the metal-working process, we try to ensure our production consistently in massive volume, and guarantee tooling to endure multiple deliveries. If not, you have to pay more cost of re-tooling or delay production delivery. A vendor with lax quality control, higher scrap rate and lower yields will significantly lose your purchasing managers’ patient. In fact, MIM is most suitable for small size parts with intricate geometries and high volume. It is capable of tight tolerances, high density and smooth finishes. MIM parts can be natural consistent with proper design and suitable process, they are low variable, limited defects and minimal waste. This is you and your purchasing officers can rely on.
Part Consolidation
As in complexity demands with high precision, normally it will go hand-in-hand with additional cost. However, MIM can achieve your requirement of complex geometries without any cost increase. No matter how complex your MIM parts, overall cost of them remain constantly. Higher up-front cost in tooling will lead to amount saving down in the production line.
Right Material for Right Price
We always need to optimize our product performance in new product development or next-generation product improvement. All these innovation in projects are your companies unique proprietary design. For individual part production, we need to select right material with precisely characteristics for your products. So You can choose MIM alloys to satisfy your specific component requirement, match your mechanical and physical properties demand.
Complexity without Additional Cost
Typically, we will never ignore the hidden cost in secondary operation, lengthened supply chain and tooling maintenance. Specially for MIM parts with several disparate parts. Otherwise, We need additional provider in our supply chain for separate parts manufacturing, this will generate higher possibility of part variance and defect. All these singular parts require its own mold cavity, which also drives up both initial molds purchase cost and further replacement or renovation cost.
Compromising Performance
Once consolidate separate components in one single part, this will introduce an array of benefits: great complexity, less manufacturing process, high turnover time,
In additional, MIM design engineers have to consider all these elements. Parts consolidation will save weight, costs and time with significant strength and performance improvement. On the other hand, critical factors as thermal expansion, joints, and adhesives should be considered carefully to match material selection and manufacturing process. Otherwise, it will result to part damage in MIM process.
Cost-effective Technology
As MIM parts are higher strength and cost-effective than assembly process. We can easily realize advantages of MIM consolidation. It can combine various traditional machined features into just one net-shape parts. Such as features includes internal and external threads, intersection diameters, knurling. All of these can be used for customer’s unique brand requirement with economical scale production. Although MIM tooling price is higher than other method like investment casting and PM. MIM parts cost remain constant with additional complexity and features.
Conclusion
Traditional design limitation are removed, and manufacturing process are simplified without multiple parts purchase, track and management through inventory process. MIM is an effective process, which adds value through your entire manufacturing process. With speed to market, guaranteed precision, high performance MIM parts, you can see MIM will add value to your whole value steam.
Select ZCMIM for your next MIM project, you will find benefit of our MIM service from start to finish.
