Customer names and drawings stay confidential, so these are described by application, geometry and outcome. Every number below comes from a program running in our Zhongshan plant. Ask your sales contact and we can walk you through the parts in person.
Cost was not always the driver. Sometimes it was geometry the previous process simply could not hold.
A European smart lock OEM was machining a 17-4PH cam from bar stock with 68% material waste. Conversion to MIM cut unit cost 43% and removed two secondary operations.
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Internal serrations and a curved undercut made 5-axis machining slow and inconsistent. MIM moulded the full geometry net-shape and lifted yield from 82% to 97%.
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Moving from FN-0205 plus external quench-and-temper to in-line FLN2-4405 sinter-hardening removed a 9-day logistics loop and stabilised hardness spread to ±2 HRC.
→| Program | Material | Volume/yr | Previous process | Result | Payback on tooling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart lock cam | 17-4PH H900 | 600,000 | CNC from bar | −43% unit cost | 4 months |
| Surgical jaw | 316L | 85,000 | 5-axis machining | Yield 82% → 97% | 7 months |
| Power tool gear | FLN2-4405 | 1,200,000 | PM + external HT | −9 days lead time | 3 months |
Figures are program actuals shared with customer permission, with identifying details removed. Your part will behave differently — send a drawing and we will model it specifically.
We would rather tell you no early than take a tooling order that never pays back.
Part under 50 g, complex 3D geometry, 30,000+ pcs/year, currently machined with heavy material removal, tolerance band wider than ±0.02 mm on most features.
10,000–30,000 pcs/year, moderate complexity, or a part where a secondary operation could be eliminated. The answer depends on current unit cost and tooling amortisation.
Simple turned geometry, part over 200 g, volumes under 5,000 pcs/year, or a design where nearly every dimension needs ±0.01 mm and would be machined anyway.
Practical answers for OEM sourcing and engineering teams.
A smart lock cam with a 43% piece-price cut, a surgical jaw with yield up 82% to 97%, and a power tool gear with a 9-day lead-time reduction.
Documented 30-45% piece-price reduction at production volume, with tooling payback in roughly 4-7 months.
Yes. Each case study is a documented conversion with cost, tolerance and lead-time outcomes.
