Stainless steel vacuum debinding & sintering furnace for Orthodontics

MIM (metal injection molding) is a near net-shaping process technology for the production of complex shaped devices with a high throughput. The main materials used for MIM are hard metals, stainless steels and oxide ceramic powders which can be sintered. It is derived from the well established thermoplastic molding technique and uses fine metallic and ceramic powders.

For MIM technology a small part of a polymer is mixed with a metallic powder. The so called “feedstock” is formed, that can be injected into molding cavities afterwards. The “green part” is formed. With this technology it is possible to obtain very complex geometries with a high reproducibility. After shaping the “green part” the polymeric binder is removed either chemically (with catalytic additives, solvents, water) or by heat treatment. This procedure is followed by sintering, i.e. densification by heat treatment. The sintering process is performed in oxidizing, inert or reducing atmosphere, depending on the powder material used. During sintering, the parts experience a shrinkage between 15 and 22% depending on the powder loading, the used material and the final density. The temperature profiles and the atmosphere during both, debinding and sintering have to be controlled very accurately to avoid distortion and the formation of cracks and bubbles.

SIMUWU RVS-M series vacuum sintering furnace is specially used for MIM sinteringat low overpressure, vacuum or in partial pressure.With both (rest) debinding and sintering can be done in one furnace. On demand even debinding is possible in partial pressure mode.

In the same furnace can be achieved continuous and sintering of two production processes. With the furnace of debinding and sintering, exempt products repeatedly shifting, heating and cooling, improve product quality, shorten the production cycle, improve production efficiency.