Powder Injection Molding of Airbag Sensor Components

For safety and protection against life threatening automobile accident injuries, the use of airbags in automobiles is on the increase. Currently, there are two competing sensors in use: the Electronic Sensors (ES) and the All Mechanical Sensor (AMS). Powder Injection molding (PIM) has been used to fabricate two key components (Firing Pin and D-Shaft) for the AMS devices. This paper discusses some of the powder injection molding processing issues and attempts to demonstrate the capabilities of this unique process (PIM) in the fabrication of small and complex shaped parts that can be used by the automotive industry.