Metal Injection Molding Market Outlook:
Metal Injection Molding Market size was over USD 5.15 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 12.3 billion by 2035, witnessing around 9.1% CAGR during the forecast period i.e., between 2026-2035. In the year 2026, the industry size of metal injection molding is evaluated at USD 5.57 billion.
Metal injection molding (MIM or metal-IM) integrates metal powder fusion with plastic injection molding. This technique can process many metals, including cobalt alloys, stainless steel, steel alloys, iron-nickel alloys, tungsten alloys, and ceramics. Application-specific or customized alloys are prepared using MIM—for instance, cobalt and nickel concentrations in carbon steel formulas are typically altered based on high-temperature automotive use cases. In terms of occupational outlook, the metal and plastic machine sector employed about 1,029,800 individuals in 2023 in the U.S. at an USD 44,880 annual median pay.
The market landscape is shaped by continuous innovations in raw materials for MIM. Taking a rheological approach, the NIH 2023 study suggests suspension-based feedstock for metal-IM. This fluid has metal particles and a binding system consisting of various waxes, polymers, and other additives for metal powder processing. The research project used a superalloy Inconel-718 binder, along with a combination of bio-polymers, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), and polyethylene glycol (PEG). The results have successfully positioned PHBV as a possible alternative for polypropylene, upholding rheological properties and high metallic powder volume fraction.
In August 2023, NIH published a report on developing aluminum (Al)-filled epoxy resins and steel molds using rapid tooling technology (RTT). The manufacturing cost reduction of an injection mold made from aluminum-filled epoxy resin is 30.4% of that of a fabricated conventional mold steel. The cut-down in manufacturing time of RTT injection mold is 30.3% of that of regular and fabricated machining methods. The study also identified that Al-filled epoxy resin MIM has higher longevity, roughly 1300 molding cycles, and the mold service life is 1.3% of traditional mold steel. Similar developments in material innovation are fostering the overall market expansion.
Production Cost of the Molds Fabricated by Traditional Method & RT Technology
Source: NCBI
