Knowledge Base

Glossary of metal injection molding, AISI 304 stainless steel, design for manufacturability, and conversion terminology for valve, plumbing, and fire protection OEMs.

8 entries

A

AISI 304 Stainless Steel

Austenitic chromium-nickel stainless steel (18% Cr, 8% Ni) offering excellent corrosion resistance, non-magnetic properties after solution treatment, ...

D

Removal of the polymer binder from molded MIM parts before sintering, using thermal, catalytic, or solvent methods without distorting the green part.

Design for Manufacturability (DFM)

Engineering review that adapts a copper or brass part design for MIM stainless production — optimizing wall thickness, draft, gate placement, and sint...

F

Homogeneous mixture of gas-atomized 304 stainless powder and thermoplastic/wax binder, pelletized for injection molding machines.

M

Metal Injection Molding (MIM)

A powder metallurgy process that mixes fine metal powder with a thermoplastic binder, injects the feedstock into molds, then removes the binder and si...

N

Manufacturing to a final geometry with minimal secondary machining — MIM typically achieves ±0.3–0.5% dimensional tolerance, reducing scrap vs machine...

S

High-temperature thermal process (typically 1,300–1,380°C for 304 stainless) that bonds metal particles into a dense solid after debinding, determinin...

U

UL/FM Component Listing

Third-party safety certification for fire protection components used in sprinkler and standpipe systems; MIM stainless parts must be evaluated within ...