Appliance Design - November 2008 - (Page 15) Metals & Metal Parts OF MOLDING New alternatives for making 3D metal parts. by larry adams njection molding metal is not the most common way to produce a three-dimensional metal part. The traditional methods – machining, forging, and, the most popular, casting – still hold sway most of the time. But, molding metal is a sometimes-overlooked concept that can be a viable option for designers looking for ways to make a component that combines the benefits of metal’s mechanical properties with the design flexibility of an injection molding operation. This is especially true for high volume, complex parts that maybe too small or too difficult to do easily with the more conventional methods. Within the umbrella of injection molding metals are different technologies. The most mature of these technologies is metal injection molding, often referred to as MIM, which debuted in the U.S. in the 1980s. Today, a number of custom molding companies offer this capability with materials such as low alloy steels, stainless steels, iron-cobalt-nickel based, and copper based metals (see Material List on page 18). A decade after that arrival, a new molding technology emerged that focused exclusively on magnesium as a material. The magnesium injection molding process is also known as Thixotropic molding or “Thixomolding,” And was developed by Thixomat, Ann Arbor, Mich., which licenses the technology to other companies. Most recently, a third method hit the market that uses a special metal alloy developed by Cool Polymers, Warwick, R.I., that can be used in a www.applianceDesIGN.com applianceDesIGN November 2008 15 I http://www.appliancedesign.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Appliance Design - November 2008 Appliance Design - November 2008 Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch Metals & Metal Parts Gas Technology Displays Quality & Standards New Products Design Marts Association Report: AHAM Advertiser's Index Appliance Design - November 2008 Appliance Design - November 2008 - Appliance Design - November 2008 (Page Cover1) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Appliance Design - November 2008 (Page Cover2) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Appliance Design - November 2008 (Page 1) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Appliance Design - November 2008 (Page 2) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Contents (Page 3) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Editorial (Page 4) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Shipments/Forecasts (Page 5) Appliance Design - November 2008 - News Watch (Page 6) Appliance Design - November 2008 - News Watch (Page 7) Appliance Design - November 2008 - News Watch (Page 8) Appliance Design - November 2008 - News Watch (Page 9) Appliance Design - November 2008 - News Watch (Page 10) Appliance Design - November 2008 - News Watch (Page 11) Appliance Design - November 2008 - News Watch (Page 12) Appliance Design - November 2008 - News Watch (Page 13) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Metals & Metal Parts (Page 14) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Metals & Metal Parts (Page 15) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Metals & Metal Parts (Page 16) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Metals & Metal Parts (Page 17) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Metals & Metal Parts (Page 18) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Metals & Metal Parts (Page 19) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Metals & Metal Parts (Page 20) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Metals & Metal Parts (Page 21) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Gas Technology (Page 22) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Gas Technology (Page 23) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Gas Technology (Page 24) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Gas Technology (Page 25) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Gas Technology (Page 26) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Gas Technology (Page 27) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Gas Technology (Page 28) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Gas Technology (Page 29) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Displays (Page 30) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Displays (Page 31) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Displays (Page 32) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Displays (Page 33) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Quality & Standards (Page 34) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Quality & Standards (Page 35) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Quality & Standards (Page 36) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Quality & Standards (Page 37) Appliance Design - November 2008 - New Products (Page 38) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Design Marts (Page 39) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Association Report: AHAM (Page 40) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Advertiser's Index (Page 41) Appliance Design - November 2008 - Advertiser's Index (Page Cover4)
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