Award: Grand Prize
Year: 2000
Category: Metal Injection Molding
Market Segment: Ind. Motors/Controls

Description:
The award was given to a body assembly used in an instrumental sensor control valve for chemical and oil flow. The very complex part replaced an assembly of two conventional PM parts and two machined parts. Made from a 50 percent nickel/50 percent iron material, the part has a final sintered density of 8.05 g/cm³ and a 55 HRB hardness. Elongation is 25 percent, tensile strength is 65,250 psi and yield strength is 24,650 psi. Magnetic flux is applied through the body assembly which is mounted inside the control valve. Because the whole assembly is integrated, there is much less resistance for the magnetic path compared to the previous design. The MIM design provides superior performance and quality with a decrease in hystersis loss.