Complex shape, small size and large output of parts are the strengths of MIM process. MIM is widely used in electronic digital products, light weapons, watches, hand tools, dental brackets, automotive engine parts, electronic seals, cutting tools and motion equipment.

At present, there are the following main items to be considered before choosing MIM process.

1. Cutting quality: For those parts that have great material waste and time consuming during cutting, MIM can save the production cost.

2. Total demand: If the quantity is small, MIM mold and researching cost is high. Therefore, when the annual demand of products reaches or exceeds 20,000 pieces, MIM process can be considered.

3. Material: MIM process is a near net-shape forming technology. It is the most suitable process for parts made of hard-to-cut materials such as titanium, stainless steel and nickel alloy.

4. Product Complexity: MIM process is most suitable for manufacturing multi-axis parts with complex geometry, which need to be changed many times in the cutting process.

5. Performance: Based on the high density of MIM products, if there is demand for performance, MIM is competitive.

6. Surface roughness: Surface roughness reflects the size of the initial powder particles.

7. Tolerance (Accuracy Requirements): The tolerance of MIM sintered parts is about ±0.3%. If the tolerance of product requirements is very strict, MIM sintered parts need to be processed by other methods such as CNC lathe, etc. The cost of MIM tends to increase and needs to be evaluated and compared.

8. Combination: In order to save inventory and assembly costs, multiple parts can be consolidated to assembled as one part.

9. Defects: The defects inherent in MIM must be placed in a non-critical position. Or those can be removed after manufacturing, such as gate imprinting, thimble imprinting or bonding line.

10. New composite materials: MIM can produce parts with new composite materials which are difficult to be manufactured by other traditional processes, such as laminated or two mixed materials.

Many materials can be used in MIM process, but only several are most suitable. If the material is difficult to cut, such as steel, titanium, nickel alloy or stainless steel, it is most advantageous for MIM final forming. MIM process can form complex geometric features at one time.

To use MIM, many of the performance parameters should be considered need to be considered before we design. Now, a lot of new materials are designed for MIM, including laminated structures material(hard magnetic with soft magnetic, magnetic with nonmagnetic, conductive with insulating) and foam metal etc.. They have promoted MIM to be non-replacement.