Discrepancies in Design Determination of Metal Injection Molded Tensile Test Specimens

Abstract

The paper describes the discrepancies among tensile test specimens for determination of mechanical properties of Metal Injection Molding (MIM) materials. A standard used in Europe - "Sintered metal materials, excluding hardmetals - Tensile test pieces" differs form that proposed by American Metal Powder Industries Federation(MPIF) - "preparing and Evaluating Metal Injection Molded (MIM) Sintered/Heat Treated Tension Test Speciments". While American standard prefers speciments with holes in a T-bone shaped, the European speciments are flat, without holes. Cores in a mold cavity, which form the holes in test pieces are barrier for the flow front, but also the created weld line might be a critical place for powder/binder separation of the feedstock.