Shaping the future with Ceramic Injection Moulding CIM
The continuous strides forward in science and technology lead to ever increasing demands for ceramic components of complexity, precision & of micro size.
Dental companies have approached MAC to develop new CIM materials & processes to address the need for small complex implants. Building on the knowledge & experience gained from ceramic injection moulding Hewlett Packard’s complex Die Carrier for their fastest printer to date. MAC has developed CIM Zirconia to provide an alternative solution for dental implants.
Ceramics, particularly Zirconia, are becoming increasingly popular with the dental industry as manufacturers look for ways to improve implant design and production. It has two key advantages. One is the better colour match that ceramic provides; Titanium abutments make the tooth prostheses appear unnaturally dark. The second is the inherent biocompatibility of the material, which gives improved soft tissue management after implantation.
Morgan Advanced Ceramics is able to produce the highly complex geometries required for custom-designed dental abutments. It can produce these and their associated retaining and jawbone screws, accurately, in volume and with a high degree of repeatability.
Paul Manison, Project Manager, Morgan Advanced Ceramics explains: “The dental implant market is growing fast. We are working with a number of customers in this sector to help them achieve new, complex designs cost-effectively. Manufacturing tolerances on these CIM parts are typically in the range ±0.3%, and we are producing volumes typically upwards of 1,000 pieces – faster, more cost-effectively and with better repeatability than could ever be achieved using CNC-machining.”
Ultra fine & sub micron particles allow MAC to achieve smaller intricate geometries with features unique to injection moulding. MAC has developed processes to achieve uniform mixing to eliminate even minute air pockets from the feedstock which could cause distortion or cracking during debind & sintering. Along with the superior strength, high resistance to wear & corrosion make Zirconia & CIM technology an ideal choice for demanding applications.
Read more:
- Learn more about MTC's CIM capabilities
- MTC’s world-leading Injection Moulding facility at Stourport in the UK
