Journal of Mechanical Engineering

Particle Size and Injection Temperature Effect on the Injection Molding of SS316L Powder

Khairur Rijal Jamaludin, Norhamidi Muhamad, Mohd Nizam Ab. Rahman, Sri Yulis M. Amin, Muhammad Hussain Ismail & Murtadhahadi

ABSTRACT
Particle size and injection temperature influence on the injection of SS316L powder has been investigated. The feedstocks used for the investigation being 64 vol. % and 65 vol. %. Results found that the success of the molding process depends on the feedstock rheological properties. Fine powder particles at 64vol. % demonstrated higher temperature sensitivity than the coarse powder feedstock. However, the coarse powder feedstock shows its sensitivity to the injection pressure. The investigation found that the injection temperature has its influence to the final quality of the compact. Injection temperature of 140oC was found to be the optimum. However, the investigation does not found any significant on the injection temperature to the debinding rate.

Keywords: Metal injection molding, particle size effect, as-molded, water leaching.

References
[1] German, R. M. and Bose, A. (1997). Injection Molding of Metals and Ceramics. (Metal Powder Industries Federation, Princeton, NJ.
[2] German, R. M. (1998). “A Rationalization of the Powder Injection Molding Process for Stainless Steels Based on Component Features,” Advances in Powder Metallurgy and Particulate Materials, Metal Powder Industries
Federation, Princeton, NJ (5), 71-83.
[3] Kulkarni, K. M. (1997). “Dimensional Precision of MIM Parts under Production Conditions,” The International Journal of Powder Metallurgy 33(4), 29-41.
[4] Zauner, R., Heaney, D., Piemme, J., Binet, C. and German, R. M. (2002).“The Effect of Powder Type and Powder Size on Dimensional Variability,” Proceeding of PM2TEC World Congress, MPIF, 191-198.
[5] Arakida, Y. and Miura, R. (1991). “Powder injection molding as a metal forming process – effects of powder morphology, size and size distribution,” Key Engineering Materials Vol. 53-55, 377-382.
[6] Dihora, L. V. , Smith, L. N. , Orban, R. and German, R. M. (2000). “Experimental Study and Neural Network Modeling of the Stability of Powder Injection Molding Feedstocks,” Materials and Manufacturing Processes 15(3), 419-438.
[7] Li, Y. , Li, L. and Khalil, K.A. (2007). “Effect of powder loading on metal injection molding stainless steels,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology 183, 432-439.
[8] Hwang, K.S., Shu, G.J. and Lee, H.J. (2005). “Solvent debinding behavior of powder injection molded components prepared from powders with different particle sizes,” Metallurgical and Materials Transactions 36A(1),
161-167.
[9] Yimin, L., Baiyun, H. and Xuanhui, Q. (1999). “Improvement of rheological and shape retention properties of wax-based MIM binder by multi-polymer components,” Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China 9(1),
22-29.
[10] Khakbiz, M., Simchi, A., and Bagheri, R. (2005). “Analysis of the rheologicalbehavior and stability of 316L stainless steel- TiC powder injection molding feedstock,” Materials Science and Engineering A 407, 105-113.
[11] Yang, W.W., Yang, K.Y., and Hon, M.H. (2002). “Effects of PEG molecular weight on rheological behavior of alumina injection molding feedstocks,” Materials Chemistry and Physics 78, 416-424.
[12] Omar, M.A., Ibrahim, R., Sidik, M.I., Mustapha, M. and Mohamad, M.(2003). “Rapid debinding of 316L stainless steel injection molded component,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology 140, 397-400.
[13] Krauss, V.A. , Oliveira, A.A.M., Klein, A.N., Al-Qureshi, H.A. and Fredel, M.C. (2007). “A model for PEG removal from alumina injection moulded  parts by solvent debinding,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology
182, 268-273.