Investigation of Insert Materıal in Inserted Powder Injection Molding

Abstract

Inserted powder injection molding (IPIM) is a method developed to produce of thick parts (> 10 mm). In this method, feedstock is injected onto the previously prepared inserts. After the injection process, binder removal and sintering processes are applied to the molded parts. In this study, the suitability and effects of the insert material were investigated in the parts to be produced by the IPIM method. Tungsten carbide cobalt (WC- 9%Co) feedstock was used in the experiments. In order to determine the effects of the insert material, inserts were prepared from steels DIN 1.0402 (AISI 1020), 1.0535 (AISI 1050), 1.2312, 1.2344, 1.2379 and 1.7225 (AISI 4140). After injecting WC-Co feedstock on these inserts, sintering processes were carried out at 1200, 1250 and 1400 °C temperatures and dwell time of 60, 180 and 240 minutes. As a result of the experiments, it was determined that inserts melted at 1400 °C sintering temperature but they preserve their geometric form at 1200 °C and 1250 °C temperature. However, at these temperatures (1200 °C - 1250 °C) it was determined that there was no diffusion between the insert and the injected region.

Keywords

• sintering
• inserted powder injection molding
• tungsten carbide
• insert powder injection molding