PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
For further information Contact:
Tom Pelletiers / Director of Sales & Marketing
Latitude Manufacturing Technologies
1620 Rt 57, Suite C
Hackettstown, NJ 07840
908 813-8282 x204, e-mail: tpelletiers@latitudemanufacturing.com

From New Directions for Metal Molding
as it appeared in Job Shop Technology
By Robert S. Seeley

Latitude Manufacturing Technologies, Hackettstown, New Jersey, produces an environmentally friendly water-based aqueous agar binder, PowderFlo®, which the company claims can produce parts up to 100 times larger than present MIM parts in shorter time. Latitude has molded a 7-lb part, as opposed to a typical 1/2-lb part. The binder also permits injection molding at lower temperature and pressure (i.e., below 212º F and 500 psi); therefore, it can be injected with relatively small molding machines. Debinding takes place entirely in the sintering furnace.

PowderFlo was developed by Allied Signal and later Honeywell, which in 2001 donated the technology to Rutgers University. Rutgers created Latitude Manufacturing in 2002 to commercialize this technology.

Metal injection molding's main push toward the future encompasses spreading understanding and awareness of its use, while "trying to push both ends of the spectrum for small and large parts," says Matthew Marley of Remington Arms Company.

"Although education efforts regarding MIM have been ongoing for some time, further education of design engineers and others who design for, and specify, processes, is needed," says Remington's Maryann Wright. "And, although the prices of the fine powders used for MIM have come down in recent years, further reduction in prices of raw materials would be helpful in opening up new applications."

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