Powder filled injection-moulding feedstocks are processed for a wide range of applications. Mostly the filler is added to influence and improve the properties of a matrix polymer.

In Powder Injection Moulding, PIM, a technology used to produce complicated ceramic and metal parts, the polymer is needed as an intermediate medium to allow forming of the metal again via injection moulding.

In all cases but especially so for PIM the distribution of the filler in the moulded component has a major influence on the properties of the final parts. On the other hand, there often is a major difference in density between polymer and filler and some separation of the two phases occurs during moulding.

There still exist many problems in characterising such feedstocks with respect to their homogeneity and flow and separation behaviour and also in simulating the mould filling taking into account slight changes in feedstock quality.

Thus, this project aims at a better understanding of and new and easy instruments for analysing the feedstocks in order to make every day quality control easier, to develop new material laws to describe their two phase flow behaviour of the feedstocks and thus possibly to drastically improve the instruments for simulating the mould filling process.

This will lead to reduced tooling cost and improved part quality and thus allow further growth of the SME partners.