MIM is usually suitable for products with the following characteristics:

Complex shape: MIM allows free design of 3D shape like injection molding. Because MIM is a forming process, The additional product shape will not increase the cost. If the weight is reduced through shape design, the cost will decrease, This makes MIM one of the ideal ways to combine more than one independent part into a multi-functional part. MIM design rules are very close to injection molding, so it is easy to adapt to metal parts with complex three-level shape.

Dimensional precision: the near-net forming precision of MIM is usually ± 0.5% of the size. Some dimensional features can reach ± 0.3%. Like other technologies, high precision means higher cost, so the size is recommended if it can meet the requirements. The tolerance is moderately relaxed. Tolerances that cannot be directly met by MIM can be realized by subsequent processing.

Thin wall roducts: wall thickness less than 6 mm is suitable for MIM. Thicker outer wall is also acceptable, But the process time will increase a lot and the material cost will increase. Thin wall less than 0.5 mm can also be achieved by using MIM, Harber Industrial can produce 0.2mm ultra-thin wall products (but it depends on the specific product shape).

Weight and size: MIM is suitable for parts with weight less than 100g, and less than 50g is the most common application. However, parts weighing up to 250g can also be processed by MIM process. Raw materials are the key cost factor of the MIM process. In the early stage of MIM product design, the weight of components is often reduced as much as possible. Like plastic products, The weight of components can be reduced through the core and bracket without affecting the integrity of the product. MIM is outstanding in terms of small and micro components, and it is also possible to weigh less than 0.1 g. Products with a length of more than 250mm can also do this.

Batch size: For MIM products, mold and early product development process are necessary for the MIM process, Therefore, for small batches of products (annual demand is less than thousands), it usually affects the decision-making process. MIM can increase its output from tens of thousands of pieces per year to tens of millions of pieces per year, which can be realized very economically.

Wide range of raw materials: MIM can handle many materials, including ferroalloy, stainless steel, copper, KOVAR alloy, superalloy, hard alloy, etc.