Flomet LLC, DeLand, Fla., and its customer Ormco Sybron Dental Specialties, Orange, Calif., earned the Grand Prize for Medical/Dental. The three netshape MIM parts — bracket, slide, and removable drop-in hook — are used in the Damon 3MX self-ligation orthodontic tooth positioner. A bracket and slide go on each tooth, with the hook an option for about 5% of the teeth.

The complexity of the part dictated the use of MIM, says FloMet's Vice President of Operations Ted Tomlin. "Machining would have been cost prohibitive even if it could have been done, which is doubtful." The exact ratio of volumes between part numbers was not known and could change over time, says Tomlin, so it was necessary to design the molds using a modular approach. "This allowed us to produce various combinations of parts to meet the customer demand. Additional lower volume modules have been added to meet market demand." The small, intricate parts are made from 17-4 PH stainless-steel powder to a density of 7.5 gm/cm³ and feature tensile and yield strengths of 172 and 158 kpsi, respectively. The customer tumble polishes and brazes them before assembly.