Date：2025-06-06 Views：1007
Table of Contents
The PIM industry is centered around component production, which is divided into captive and custom molders. Captive molders produce components for internal use, integrating PIM parts into final assemblies. Custom molders serve external clients, offering specialized PIM services. The industry is supported by two parallel supply routes: polymer and powder suppliers, and feedstock compounders. Equipment fabricators focus on providing mixers, molders, debinding, and sintering devices, while other suppliers offer consumables such as processing atmospheres, substrates, and tooling. Lawyers, researchers, consultants, and designers also play adjunct roles in the industry.
Figure 14.1 illustrates the conceptual layout of the PIM industry, highlighting component fabricators as the key actors. Table 14.1 compares the global characteristics of the PIM industry for the years 1997 and 2000, showing significant growth in sales, number of operations, and production capacity. The PIM field has experienced compound annual sales growth of 22%, accompanied by a 34% increase in the number of operations. As outsourcing becomes the standard for multinational firms, custom PIM fabrication is expected to expand further.
The PIM industry comprises firms at various stages of development, from evaluation mode to full-scale production. These stages are characterized as follows:
Level 0 - Evaluation Mode: Involves a small technical and business effort designed to learn more about PIM. Typically includes in-house trials and testing new concepts, with no measurable sales or profits.
Level 1 - Pilot Mode: Represents companies with some capabilities, examining possible products and developing new customers. Usually involves purchased equipment and single-cavity tooling, with marginal profitability.
Level 2 - Small-Scale Production Mode: Companies have entered production, often with a single shift and low equipment utilization (10 to 30%). Feedstock use is typically less than 5 tons per year.
Level 3 - Full-Scale Production Mode: Companies with a history of constant parts production, operating 24 hours a day up to 7 days a week. This group dominates sales and profits.
Figure 14.2 outlines the typical maturation curve from startup to full production, showing profits versus sales. Most firms start in Level 0 with a fixed annual expense and transition to Level 1 pilot efforts. As business grows, profitability emerges, though dips may occur with additional production shifts and equipment. Sustained profitability is achieved in Level 3.
Evaluating financial data for PIM involves determining where to assign value. For example, the sale price of a PIM orthodontic bracket can vary significantly depending on the stage of production and added value. Table 14.3 provides a statistical profile of the operating characteristics of the top 25 PIM production operations. These top operations account for a significant portion of industry sales, employment, and profit, with metallic component production being dominant.
The PIM industry is geographically distributed across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The Americas account for 43% of companies and 50% of sales, with the majority of jobs. Europe follows with 36% of companies and 27% of sales, while Asia accounts for 21% of companies and 23% of sales. Within Europe, Germany is the dominant player, followed by Switzerland, France, and the UK. In Asia, Japan leads, followed by Taiwan and Singapore. New company creation is increasing in regions such as Brazil, China, and Eastern Europe.
The PIM industry is dominated by metallic production, which accounts for the majority of sales and employment. Alumina and silica production generate a significant portion of jobs, followed by the production of steels and stainless steels. Figure 14.5 shows the employment distribution across specific materials. Figure 14.6 highlights the focus of PIM companies on metals, ceramics, and cemented carbides. Figure 14.7 illustrates the relative powder usage by material segment, reflecting the high density of metals versus ceramics.
The PIM industry relies on a diverse vendor and supplier base. Key equipment includes mixers, molders, debinding apparatus, and sintering furnaces. Feedstock is available from more than 12 different sources, while effective PIM mixers are supplied by 4 firms. Molding machines are fabricated by over 100 companies, with at least 6 focusing on PIM. Debinding systems and production sintering furnaces are available from several firms. The supplier base is now diverse, with most feedstock suppliers having capacities that exceed demands.
Productivity in the PIM industry can be measured using parameters such as sales per employee, sales per molding machine, and more. The industry average sales per employee in 2002 was near $120,000 per year, with Level 3 operations generating much higher values. Figure 14.9 shows the distribution of sales per employee for full-scale PIM operations, highlighting significantly high sales productivity at top firms. Ratios such as parts per year per molder are also good indicators of operational productivity.
Leave your email for more ebooks and prices📫 ！
Contact：Fidel
Tel：021-5512-8901
Mobile：19916725893
Email：sales7@atmsh.com
Address：No.398 Guiyang Road Yangpu China