US 2020/0376558 A1 · MONOLITHIC PRECURSOR TEST COUPONS FOR TESTING MATERIAL PROPERTIES OF METAL-INJECTION-MOLDED COMPONENTS AND METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR MAKING SUCH COUPONS

Abstract

A metal-injection-molding (MIM) apparatus for making a monolithic precursor test coupon comprises a mold, defining a mold cavity. The mold cavity comprises a first-grip-portion cavity and a second-grip-portion cavity. The mold cavity also comprises an intermediate-portion cavity, interconnecting the first-grip-portion cavity and the second-grip-portion cavity. The mold cavity further comprises runner cavities, directly interconnecting the first-grip-portion cavity and the second-grip-portion cavity and not directly connected to the intermediate-portion cavity. The MIM apparatus additionally comprises an injector, operable to inject feedstock material that comprises a metal powder, into the mold cavity to form the monolithic precursor test coupon.

Claims29

Dependent claims

1-20. (canceled)

A metal-injection-molding (MIM) apparatus (700) for making a monolithic precursor test coupon (100), the MIM apparatus (700) comprising:

a mold (800), defining a mold cavity (808) that comprises:
a first-grip-portion cavity (810);
a second-grip-portion cavity (812);
an intermediate-portion cavity (814), interconnecting the first-grip-portion cavity (810) and the second-grip-portion cavity (812);
and
runner cavities (830), directly interconnecting the first-grip-portion cavity (810) and the second-grip-portion cavity (812) and not directly connected to the intermediate-portion cavity (814);
and
an injector (701), operable to inject feedstock material (750), comprising a metal powder (748), into the mold cavity (808) to form the monolithic precursor test coupon (100).

5 more elements

A method (1100) of making a test coupon (900) using a mold (800), the mold (800) defining a mold cavity (808) that comprises a first-grip-portion cavity (810), a second-grip-portion cavity (812), an intermediate-portion cavity (814), interconnecting the first-grip-portion cavity (810) and the second-grip-portion cavity (812), and runner cavities (830), directly interconnecting the first-grip-portion cavity (810) and the second-grip-portion cavity (812) and not directly connected to the intermediate-portion cavity (814), the method (1100) comprising steps of:

injecting feedstock material (750), comprising a metal powder (748), into the mold cavity (808) to form a monolithic precursor test coupon (100) in the mold cavity (808), wherein the monolithic precursor test coupon (100) comprises a first grip portion (110), having a shape complementary to that of the first-grip-portion cavity (810), a second grip portion (112), having a shape complementary to that of the second-grip-portion cavity (812), an intermediate portion (114), having a shape complementary to that of the intermediate-portion cavity (814), and runners (130), each having a shape complementary to that of a corresponding one of the runner cavities (830);
and
removing the runners (130) from the monolithic precursor test coupon (100).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Monolithic precursor test coupons for testing material properties of metal-injection-molded components and methods and apparatuses for making such coupons

Life of this patent

Monolithic precursor test coupons for testing material properties of metal-injection-molded components and methods and apparatuses for making such coupons

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29