Injected Metal Assembly (IMA) Process

Injected metal assembly (IMA), a form of insert molding, is a manufacturing process that uses a molten zinc alloy to join two or more components together to create a single, assembled part. The process is similar to injection molding, but instead of using plastic, it uses zinc. The IMA process starts with the creation of a custom tool that has the cavities for the two or more components and the injection ports. The components are then placed in the tool and the molten zinc is injected. The zinc alloy flows into the cavities and hardens to create a permanent bond between the components.