Petaluma, CA, January, 2004. Parmatech Corporation, a pioneer in powder injection molding (PIM) since 1973, continues to take steps in advancing quality management by announcing the upgrade to ISO 9001:2000, as well as adding Six Sigma black belts to its staff.

The ISO 9001:2000 upgrade represents a continuous effort by the company to maintain a state of the art quality system. The 2000 version of the system is more business process oriented, and is designed to help companies run more efficiently and effectively. It includes additional emphasis on continuous improvement and overall business results.

Parmatech’s focus on the improvement process, quality measurement, quality initiatives, and improvement tools is evidenced by its Six-Sigma program. This program is designed to reduce variation in processes and increase customer satisfaction. Six Sigma’s goal is defined as 3.4 defects per million opportunities. With the recent graduation of two Six-Sigma Black Belts, Parmatech now boasts three Black Belts and four Green Belts in its organization, which is triple the industry average. Parmatech has embraced the Six-Sigma program due to the high volume and quality requirements of powder injection molded components.

Parmatech Corporation, founded in 1973, is a member of ATW Companies of Warwick, RI. Parmatech is an industry leader in powder injection molding of ceramic and metal components, and serves a wide varieties of industries including automotive, medical, and electronics. A leader in Metal Injection Molding (MIM), it has won five Grand Prize awards, five Awards of Distinction and two Awards of Achievement from the Metal Powder Industry Federation (MPIF). Additional information may be found at www.parmatech.com.

Contact: Dan (DJ) Lauck, Sales Manger
Email: dlauck@parmatech.com
Phone: 707.781.2961

2002 MPIF MIM design grand prize
Durability and design are important factors in mobile phone manufacturing, and Motorola Inc. (Libertyville, IL) used MIM to economically manufacture complex flip-phone hinges. The four-part hinge barrel, knuckles, and cam made by Parmatech Corp. (Petaluma, CA) took this year’s Metal Powder Industries Federation MIM design grand prize. The hinge barrel is made from 316-L stainless steel powder with a minimum tensile strength of 65,000 psi and a minimum yield strength of 20,000 psi. The material used for the cam and knuckles is 17-4 PH stainless steel powder, which offers a minimum tensile strength of 115,000 psi, and a minimum yield strength of 94,000 psi. A nickel-teflon plating used on the cam and hinge barrel are said to help lubricate the part and increase durability.

1999 MPIF MIM design grand prize
A 17-4PH stainless steel P/M spool and stem tube used in a shower pressure-balancing valve won the Metal Injection Molding (MIM) Grand Prize. Made by Parmatech (Petaluma, CA) for Moen Inc., the spool and stem tube work together. As water pressure fluctuates, the spool moves back and forth inside the stem tube, porting precise flows of hot and cold water, to keep the temperature constant. Fabricated to a density of 7.63 g/cm³, the MIM parts have an ultimate tensile strength of 862 MPa (125,000 psi) and a yield strength of 689 MPa (100,000 psi). The spool diameters and stem tube bores have tolerances of 60.00254 mm (60.0001 inch) and 60.00635 mm (60.00025 inch), respectively. The MIM parts replaced a screw-machined spool containing a plastic insert.

Contact: Dan (DJ) Lauck, Sales Manger
Email: dlauck@parmatech.com
Phone: 707.781.2961