Automation of the Powder-Injection-Moulding Process for Micro-Mechanical Parts

Powder-Injection-Moulding (PIM) offers a high potential for the fabrication of micro-mechanical parts manu-factured in wear-resistant materials like metal or ceramics. To ensure an economic micro-PIM production in large lot sizes and high quality, automation of the process is a necessity. Within the field of automation research it is of utmost importance to set up correlations between producible sizes, microstructure geome-tries, the demoulding capability and the separation of microstructures from sprues. per presents an approach of a closed automated process chain with the focus on the demoulding, separation and handling of fragile micro parts. The process is built up on moulded toothed wheels with diameters of less than 1400 μm.