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Frequently Asked Questions |
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What types of parts are suitable for the PIM process? What type of materials can you process? What is the economic production volume? How is the cost of PIM parts compared to stamping parts and turning parts? What is the largest size that you can process? What is the tolerance or dimensional control accuracy for PIM components? What type of surface finish can you realize? What is the minimum and maximum wall thickness of a PIM part? Is a draft angle needed for ejection? What are the mechanical properties of PIM components? What is your production lead time? What is your tool life? Will there be any marks as a result of gating, ejector pin or parting lines? More Questions? Please click here to send us your enquiry. What types of parts are suitable for the PIM process? The PIM process is ideal for the manufacturing of small intricate metal components which require high strength. Please refer to design considerations for more details. [back to top] What type of materials can you process? PIM technology is used to process high melting point (>1500°C, 2730°F) ferrous metals, such as stainless steels, iron, nickel alloy, tungsten alloy and others. [back to top] What is the economic production volume? AMT has experience in manufacturing high volume components of more than 30 million pieces per year, as well as low volume components of 10,000 pieces per year. However, high volume components tend to be smaller in size and lower in price and vice versa. [back to top] How is the cost of PIM parts compared to stamping parts and turning parts? Simply converting a stamping or turning part into a PIM part is unlikely to yield much cost savings as the PIM process is meant for the production of parts that require much more complex geometries. However, PIM is able to offer substantial cost savings if parts are integrated and secondary operations are eliminated. [back to top] What is the largest size that you can process? AMT produces PIM parts weighing from 0.1g (0.0035oz) to 250.0g (8.82oz). As a rule of thumb, any part that can fit in your hand could be considered for the PIM process. [back to top] What is the tolerance or dimensional control accuracy for PIM components? In general the PIM process is capable of achieving a general tolerance of +/- 0.5% for the linear dimensions. Much tighter tolerances are possible at a higher cost. Please refer to dimensional tolerance for more details. [back to top] What type of surface finish can you realize? The typical surface finish of PIM parts range from 0.8 to 1.6 µm (32-64 RMS). The finish is good enough for most applications without further polishing and the pore-free surface also is good enough for surface treatment such as plating and coating. [back to top] What is the minimum and maximum wall thickness of a PIM part? Wall thickness can range from 0.5mm (0.02”) to over 25.0mm (1.0"), depending on the geometry and material. It is not recommended to have a very thin and thick cross-section in the same part. [back to top] Is a draft angle needed for ejection? Yes, a draft angle (0.5 degree maximum) is needed. [back to top] What are the mechanical properties of PIM components? PIM products have almost the same properties as obtained via traditional fabrication routes. [back to top] What is your production lead time? The normal lead time to fabricate the hard tool and First Article submission is 6-8 weeks. However, the lead time varies depending on the complexity of the component. For fabrication of soft tool and samples, the normal lead time is 2-3 weeks. [back to top] What is your tool life? AMT guarantees a minimum of 500,000 shots for each cavity, and will undertake all maintenance of the mold. [back to top] Will there be any marks as a result of gating, ejector pin or parting lines? These marks could be minimized or avoided through innovative design of tooling and even secondary operations if necessary. [back to top] |
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