Question

When using Binder Jetting, which mechanical process must be applied to the &#x27;green&#x27; part to remove the binding agent and solidify the powder into a functional metal object?

Accepted Answer

The mechanical process required to transform a green part into a functional metal object is sintering. When Binder Jetting is used to print a metal object, the resulting part is referred to as a green part, which consists of metal powder particles held together by a temporary liquid binding agent. Because this part is brittle and lacks structural integrity, it must undergo sintering, which is a thermal process that involves heating the part in a specialized furnace to a temperature just below the melting point of the metal. During sintering, the binding agent is first evaporated or burned away, a step often called debinding. As the temperature continues to rise, the metal particles undergo atomic diffusion, where the atoms move across the boundaries of the particles to fuse them together into a solid, dense structure. This process eliminates the internal voids previously occupied by the binder and results in a final, fully functional metal object with high mechanical strength.

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When using Binder Jetting, which mechanical process must be applied to the 'green' part to remove the binding agent and solidify the powder into a functional metal object?