Process Comparison
Eliminating multiple processes to achieve a desired geometry means eliminating additional cost and waste to make the smallest, most complex parts at high volumes with faster lead times.
Titanium Injection Molding is capable of creating complex components through a seamless process. Small, complex geometries that require a large volume of material to be removed via multi-axis CNC machining are ideal candidates for Titanium Injection Molding. Other manufacturing processes such as machining, investment casting and conventional PM are unable to produce thinner wall sections, holes and threads without multiple steps.
Compare Praxis’ Titanium Injection Molding technology to other manufacturing methods:
| Attribute | Titanium Injection Molding | Conventional Press & Sinter | Machining | Investment Casting |
| Density | +99% | 88% | 100% | 98% |
| Tensile Strength | High | Low | High | High |
| Elongation | High | Low | High | High |
| Hardness | High | Low | High | High |
| Complexity | High | Low | High | Medium |
| Surface Finish | High | Medium | High | Medium |
| Production Volumes | High | High | Low | Medium |
| Range of Materials | High | High | High | Medium-High |
| Cost | Medium | Low | High | Medium |
| Conventional Powder Molding | Machining | Investment Casting |
| Titanium Injection Molding can produce geometries that eliminate secondary operations | Titanium Injection Molding designs save material and weight | Titanium Injection Molding can produce thinner wall sections |
| Titanium Injection Molding can combine two or more PM components into one, reducing part count | Titanium Injection Molding provides cost savings through better material utilization — sprues and runners can be reground and reused as feedstock with no compromise to final properties | Titanium Injection Molding produces better surface finish, higher complexity and greater production volumes |
| Titanium Injection Molding offers: superior density corrosion performance strength ductility elongation hardness |
Molding from a single tool eliminates multiple set-up operations | Titanium Injection Molding is better for small-diameter blind and through holes |
| Difficult-to-machine materials can be molded into a net shape | Titanium Injection Molding greatly reduces requirements for finish machining | |
| Higher production volume | Titanium Injection Molding produces high volumes of small components at a lower cost, faster lead times |
Which Features are Suitable for Titanium Injection Molding?
Although versatile, Titanium Injection Molding has ideal design characteristics to determine whether or not something is best suited for Titanium Injection Molding. Below is table that outlines what Praxis believes to be desirable, allowable and the aspects that should be avoided when considering Titanium Injection Molding:
Desirable
Size: fits in the palm; golf ball or smaller
Aspect ratios of 5:1 or less
Uniform wall thickness, with max variation around 5X
Wall thickness larger than 0.020” and smaller than 0.5”
Minimum draft 0.5°
Cored out features to reduce part weight
Flat surfaces
Allowable
Asymmetry Ribs and bosses
Grooves and threads
Decorative features (i.e. texture, logo, lettering)
Avoid
Undercuts
Small diameter holes <0.050”
Sharp corners or points
Wall thickness <0.020”
No draft
Examples of Suitable Applications by Industry
Medical
Vascular access ports
Orthodontic brackets
Shoulder, hip and knee joints
Tissue ablation electrodes
Aerospace
Fasteners
Latches
Hinges
Consumer
Bicycle hardware
Knife components
Eyeglass hinges
Watch housings
Firearm parts
Electronic
Accelerometer housings
Electronic packages
Feed-throughs