Powder injection molding apparatus

A powder injection molding apparatus comprising

• A) an injection unit containing a heatable barrel, a nozzle and conveying means arranged in the barrel for conveying feedstock in direction from a feed zone of the barrel towards the nozzle,
• B) a mold formed of two mold parts with a parting surface between a first mold part and a second mold part, enclosing in the assembled state of the mold a mold cavity fluidically connected with the injection unit via a transfer channel,
• C) a vibrational energy generator and a transducer for transducing the vibrational energy received from the vibrational energy generator to the mold,
• D) a clamping unit designed to retain under the effect of a clamping force the first mold part and the second mold part in contact with each other,
• wherein:
• the first mold part and the second mold part comprise a first retaining hole and a second retaining hole, respectively, each of the first retaining hole and the second retaining hole being centered along a retaining hole axis that is substantially perpendicular to the parting surface and crosses the parting surface, the first retaining hole and the second retaining hole being arranged opposite to each other respective to the parting surface, and
• the clamping unit comprises a first pin and a second pin each extending essentially perpendicularly to the parting surface, wherein the first pin and the second pin cooperate in the assembled state of the mold with a retaining portion of the first retaining hole and a retaining portion of the second retaining hole, respectively, to retain the first mold part and the second mold part in contact with each other.