| Alloy Group | Specific Alloys | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless Steel | 316, 316L, 17-4 PH, 303, 304, 440C, and 420P | Steel alloys containing high chromium and nickel content which provide superior corrosion and heat resistance. They are commonly used in the medical industry for equipment such as surgical tools. |
| Low-Alloy Steel | Fe-Ni (Iron-Nickle), FN02, FN08, 4140, 8620, and 100Cr6 | A steel alloy containing a lower content of other alloys to enhance performance and mechanical properties over carbon steels. Cost-effective and highly machinable. |
| Tool Steel | M2 | Carbon or alloy steel that undergoes strict quality procedures to assure the given grade will perform a specific task. High hardness and abrasion resistance properties make them ideal for tooling and mold-making purposes. |
| Soft Magnetic Steel | Fe-Ni50, Fe3Si, FeCo50, and FeCoV | Steel alloys characterized by high magnetic permeability. They can easily be magnetized and demagnetized, making them highly suited for electric and electromagnetic applications such as solenoids, relays, and fuel injectors. |
| Tungsten Heavy Alloy | W-Ni-Fe (Tungsten Nickel Iron) and W-Ni-Cu (Tungsten Nickel Copper) | A metal alloy with high tungsten content and a small number of other metals. They are often used for radiation shielding and weights due to the high-density property of tungsten. |
| WC-Co Cemented Carbide | WC-Co (Tungsten carbide-cobalt) | An alloy of ceramic tungsten carbide and cobalt. Cobalt particles are embedded in a tungsten carbide matrix which makes up the material. Due to its high hardness and wear resistance properties, it is mainly used in mining tools, cutters, wear-resistant machine parts, and surgical instruments. |
Metal Injection Molding
CAPABILITIES
Metal Injection Molding
Metal injection molding (MIM) is a multi-stage process used to manufacture small, complex metal parts in large quantities. The process involves injecting polymer-bonded metal powders into molds, followed by debinding and sintering, to produce precise parts in various materials.
At Long Shen, our industry experts bring extensive hands-on experience with the MIM process and collaborate closely with our manufacturing partners to deliver high-quality parts to our customers. Upload your designs for DFM feedback and pricing in 1 business day.
Our Metal Injection Molding Process
Design Validation and Production
Precision tooling with efficient lead times and no minimum order quantities—ideal for prototyping, design validation, and small-to-medium production runs.
Molding
Molding: Metal powders mixed with a binder are injected into molds under high pressure, forming intricate shapes and fine details. This step shapes the feedstock into the desired part geometry.
Post-Processing
Parts undergo debinding to remove the binder, leaving a fragile "green" part. Sintering then fuses the metal particles, creating a dense, strong final part. Additional steps like heat treatment or surface finishing may be applied to meet specifications and enhance properties.
Metal Overmolding
For applications such as integrated assemblies, overmold metal components onto existing parts to combine different materials and properties.
Insert Molding
Encapsulate a preformed insert, often metal-threaded or ceramic, with metal powder during the injection molding process to create robust, integrated parts.
MIM -Metal Injection Molding Materials and Powders
MIM- Metal Injection Molding Finishing Options
Our Common Finishes for MIM Parts
Parts appear matte without secondary processing, with an average surface roughness between 16µin - 32µin Ra. Gate marks, parting lines, and ejector pin marks may be visible.
This electrochemical process removes material from the surface to improve the finish. It is commonly used for polishing, passivating, and deburring parts. However, it does not remove parting lines or ejector pin marks.
Parts undergo a chemical treatment, usually with nitric or citric acid, to remove free iron from the surface. This process forms a protective oxide layer that helps prevent corrosion.
Available metal platings include options like electroless nickel, zinc, tin, silver, and gold, similar to those used on wrought materials.
Available for nonferrous metals like aluminum and titanium. Type II anodizing creates a corrosion-resistant oxide finish and can be done in various colors such as clear, black, red, and gold. Type III anodizing, also known as hardcoat, forms a thicker, wear-resistant layer in addition to corrosion resistance. Anodized coatings are not electrically conductive.
A chromate conversion coating is applied to protect aluminum and magnesium from corrosion and enhance the adhesion of paints and primers. These coatings are electrically conductive.
Parts are smoothed through vibratory media tumbling. Parting lines and ejector pin marks may still be visible.
Parts are typically in an annealed condition after sintering. We offer various heat treatment options including carburization, induction hardening, and nitriding.
Don't see the finish you required? Contact us, and we will look into accommodating other finishing processes to meet your requirements!
How it Works
1. Submit Your Designs
Upload your 3D CAD and 2D technical drawings to our secure platform.
2. Receive a Quote
Configure your projects in our quote-to-order system and get pricing within one day.
3. Review Your T1 Samples
During the trial phase, view the T0 sampling and receive T1 samples within 2-3 weeks for review before production begins.
4. Begin Production
Utilize our mold library to select and order your parts.
5. Order Parts
After sample approval, production starts with an average lead time of 4-7 business days.
6. Ready to Begin?
Plastic Injection Molding FAQs
As-sintered tolerances typically range from ±0.3% to ±0.5% of the dimension, depending on factors such as part geometry, material, and mold construction. Long Shen's MIM manufacturers can perform secondary machining operations after sintering to achieve tighter tolerances. Designing parts specifically for the MIM process can save both time and cost, as secondary operations can significantly impact these factors.
The primary limitation of MIM is part size, as it is best suited for parts weighing less than 100 grams and fitting in the palm of your hand. Additionally, MIM requires high quantities to offset upfront tooling costs and realize potential cost savings compared to other processes.
MIM is optimized for high-volume production and is not ideal for prototyping. However, Long Shen offers alternative processes such as direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) and metal binder jetting, which are excellent for prototyping metal parts.
Final MIM parts typically have a density ranging from 96% to 99%, making them watertight.
Yes, parts shrink by approximately 20% from the molded state to the post-sintered state. This shrinkage is accounted for during mold creation, ensuring your designed dimensions meet final part requirements.
Ideal candidates for MIM are complex parts with many dimensions, small in size (around 100 grams or less), and produced in quantities that make other manufacturing processes cost-prohibitive. MIM is also excellent for consolidating designs that usually require assembly into a single component. Our industry experts are available to help determine if MIM is suitable for your needs.
Special Offer
NOT READY FOR INJECTION MOLDING YET?
FREE 3D Printing When You Continue to Injection Molding We'll discount your injection mold cost by the cost of your 3D printed parts of the same design.*
* Up to a maximum of 20% discount on IM tooling. Cannot be combined with other offers or discount(s).
