Interview with Dr. Sven Fleischmann, Head of Sales Metal Systems Europe BASF

Can you please tell us about the path of BASF to metal injection molding - when did you first meet this technology, when and how did you recognize its potential and become enthusiastic about it?

BASF has been a renown powder producer (Carbonyl Iron Powder, CIP) for more than 80 years. CIP was found to be a versatile raw material for MIM feedstock making and BASF served this market. BASF had recognized that MIM industry can only grow with a few changes. All feedstocks available in that time were based on solvent (water or organic) debinding systems. Solvent debinding, however, is a slow process, not readily scalable and has many technical pitfalls. BASF realized that a faster and more scientifically comprehensive system had to be developed for MIM technology to exploit its full benefits. BASF introduced the POM-based catalytic debinding system marketed und the brandname Catamold® 30 years ago. For its recognized benefits, the catalytic debinding enabled the MIM technology to grow vastly into a variety of industries and became the first choice production tool in Consumer Electronics Products (smartphones, smart watches, etc). This success set a lighthouse example to grow into other high-scale industries such as Automotive. The technology is now growing in Europa tremedously as customers, Tiers and brandowners are more and more relying on local supply and production capacities.

BASF belongs to the partner-of-choice when it comes to MiM – materials. Can you elaborate on the advantages and specialties of BASF materials?

This is best described by a triangle of key competencies: 1) Team - we have profound, well educated and trained personnel with high motivation and commitment to the customers and the industry. 2) Innovation: BASF not only invented the modern feedstock system based on catalytic debinding but continues to develop new products and processes. With our motion grades we introduced a new product line with many advantages for applications in the Automotive sector. With our 3D printing activities in metals BASF will be able to significantly contribute to the future development of MIM. 3) Process ownership: BASF is proud to serve the MIM industry from a broad basis. BASF is a renown metal powder producer with long-term experience and commitment, possesses the formulation know-how and equipment for MIM feedstock production as well as application expertise and laboratories to support customers from prototyping to mass production. The triad of the aforementioned advantages is BASF’s pivotal differentiator to offer sustainable solutions for the MIM industry.