Current opportunities and challenges for CIM technology

Ceramic injection molding is a very promising shaping technology from both the technical and the economical point of view. It opens a wide spectrum of applications from micro to macro parts with enormous scopes for design and a manifold of materials. Due to the requirements in dimensional stability, purity, tolerances and due to the opportunities in combining different materials by multi component injection molding CIM technology remains challenging. To achieve the next level in the ceramic injection molding technology following tasks are currently addressed: quality ensurance by constant initial materials quality and purity; avoidance of impurities due to abrasion in the processing chain; new generated material models for an improved reflection of the feedstock properties; new and improve d simulation tools considering new material models and technological opportunities of CIM; development of novel feedstock systems containing finer powders for improved surface qualities and shape accuracy; fast and cheap non-destructive testing methods for in-line control of injection molded parts in the green state. By solving the above mentioned tasks CIM technology will enter new fields of application, i.e. glass components, transparent ceramic parts, multi functional components, and material compounds and it will help developing novel product solutions even in areas where CIM is uncommon so far