Metal Injection Molded Components in Automotive Applications

Metal Injection Molding (MIM) has become an established process over the past 20 years for producing small complex metal parts. A variety of industries have benefited from the capabilities of the MIM process. Some examples include orthodontic brackets, medical instruments, firearm components, lock mechanisms, and electronic data storage devices. More recently (over the past 5 years) the MIM process has found applications in the automotive industry in a variety of systems including steering columns, seat mechanisms, sunroof systems, ignition locks, airbags, and engines. This paper discusses some of the benefits that the MIM process has brought to these automotive applications.