Powder injection molding apparatus for molding a dental article

A powder injection molding apparatus for molding a dental article, the apparatus comprising

• A) an injection unit comprising a barrel, a nozzle and conveying the arranged in the barrel for conveying feedstock in the direction towards the nozzle, and
• B) a mold enclosing a mold cavity fluidically connected with the injection unit via a mold gate, the mold cavity extending along a longitudinal axis A from a proximal cavity area, into which the mold gate opens, to a distal cavity area,
• wherein the mold comprises a mold block and a mold piston, which together delimit the mold cavity, the mold piston being slideably arranged in the mold block and moveable in relation to the mold block along the longitudinal axis A, that an end region of the mold piston reaching into the mold cavity has the form corresponding to a blind hole arranged in the dental article to be molded, that the end region further comprises a shaft portion, which in the longitudinal direction of the mold piston pointing away from the mold cavity is arranged adjacent to the leading end portion, wherein at least part of the shaft portion has the shape of a non-circular cylinder, corresponding to a respective opening in the blind hole of the dental article to be molded, that the mold piston comprises a sleeve and a core pin, which is circumferentially enclosed by the sleeve and is rotatable in relation to the sleeve, the core pin forming the leading end portion and the sleeve forming the shaft portion of the mold piston and that the mold piston further contains a ram element arranged coaxially to the sleeve and circumferentially enclosing the sleeve, the ram element being axially movable in relation to the sleeve.