Capillary force method to improve the green density of binder jet additive manufacturing

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of capillary adhesion force on the green part density in metal powder binder jetting 3D printing. Gas atomized Co-Cr-Mo, SS316L, and pure Cu powders were used to print various samples. The printed samples were then treated with water, 1-Hexanol, and n-Amyl alcohol vapor for 24 hours to nucleate capillary bridges between particles and shrink samples uniformly. The volume change was calculated for each sample, and up to –3.1 % volume change was observed. The proposed method can be used to improve green part densities directly on printed parts before sintering.