Indo-US MIM Tec. Pvt. Ltd. (Indo-MIM) has received four MPIF PM Design Excellence Awards at the recently concluded 2014 World Congress on Powder Metallurgy & Particulate Materials (PM2014) at Orlando, Florida.

Indo-MIM has earned the Grand Prize in the Automotive—Engine Category for four MIM parts—Blank discharge check, Stop discharge check valve, Valve discharge check, and CRV spring seat—that goes into a device which controls fuel flow in Gasoline Direct Injection or GDI and pumps. The design was judged by the fabricator to be perhaps the most complex and high‐volume part ever made by MIM. The customer realized cost savings of close to 35%, while the pump performance was improved by modifying the whole geometry to enhance flow dynamics, with the result being a 10%‐to‐20% fuel economy boost.

In the Automotive Chassis category, Indo-MIM received the Award of Distinction for the Spur Gear, which is used in the rear‐door assembly of SUVs to enable their opening in the event of loss of automatic control function. Made via MIM and achieving estimated savings of 30% in the process, this gear is an outstanding example of MIM’s ability to meet close tolerances on concentricity and perpendicularity on a part with such a lengthy gear profile. The fabricator delivers 720,000 parts annually.. In addition to this, Indo-MIM received the Award of Distinction in the Hardware/Appliances Category for three parts—Output shaft, Lever and Cover—that are assembled into the quick‐change mechanism of a Dremel multitool. The mechanism allows for the swapping of any tool bit within seconds.

In the medical/ dental category, Indo-MIM received an Award of Distinction for a Sound tube used in a hearing aid for one of its eminent customer. Fabricated via MIM, the highly complex part achieves all its features in the as-sintered condition, with only glass bead blasting for a better finish performed as a secondary operation. The part provides 20% cost savings over competing forming processes and the fabricator delivers 500,000 parts annually.

MPIF’s Design Excellence Awards recognize designs emphasizing the improved net shape, precision, innovative fabrication methods, production efficiency, sustainability contributions, and manufacturing cost reduction capable with powder metal technology. Throughout its long and distinguished history, MPIF has been a stalwart champion of this innovative technology helping advance the art and science of Powder Metallurgy while promoting its benefits to prospective end users.