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Metal Binder Jetting

Metal Binder Jetting 3D Printing Service

Elimold provides you with the best online 3D Printing Services for your metal parts. Thanks to our expertise in Binder Jetting technology, you can choose between several options, instantly receive a quote, and let us handle the manufacturing in our ISO 9001-certified factory.

Binder-Jet 3D Printing

Conventional subtractive metalworking processes generate a lot of waste and are time-consuming. These process routes are also very restrictive on product design freedom. On the other hand, Binder-Jet 3D printing process is a form of the additive manufacturing process that results in minimum OR no wastage and offers almost 360-degree freedom on the design of the components.

Also called as Metal Jet 3D printing, the Binder-Jet 3D printing process is an evolution of another decade + older AM process called Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS). Binder-Jet 3D printing enables the production of proto-samples within days, involves no upfront tooling costs. The process allows infinite design changes during product development without time delay helping the design engineers to get to their optimum design quickly and at the lowest cost.

Metal Binder Jetting Services Technical Specs

Maximum Throughput
800cc / hr
Layer Thickness
50 µm – 100 µm
Native Printhead Resolution
1,600 dpi (1 pL native drop size)
Dimensional Tolerance of Parts
± 2.0%
Max Build Volume
350 x 222 x 200 mm (13.8 x 8.7 x 7.9 in)
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Fast and flexible production of complex metal components

The production of complex components by means of metal binder jetting is becoming relevant for more and more areas of application, such as automotive engineering or toolmaking. The process stands out from other 3D printing methods due to high process speeds, low material costs and an enormously wide range of materials. Due to the high production rates, direct printing is ideally suited for the series production of metal parts. Elimold is involved in the entire process chain of metal binder jetting: From material selection to the printing process, debinding and sintering, and analysis.Metal binder jetting offers several advantages over other 3D printing processes:

SpeedThe process is fast and has high production rates. Thus it is also suitable for series production.
Variety of materials

Various materials can be processed:

  • Steels
  • Nickel-based alloys
  • Cobalt alloys
  • Titanium alloys
  • Copper
  • Functional materials
  • Metal-ceramic composites
  • Precious metals
  • Aluminum (under development)

In particular, materials that are difficult or impossible to weld can be processed using the method. Depending on the sintering temperature and time, different densities can also be produced, resulting in a wide range of applications.

Design freedomThanks to the flexible design possibilities of the process, even very complex components can be printed from metal. This can reduce weight and save energy, for example. In addition, design changes can be implemented quickly.
Elimination of support structuresWith the MBJ, no support structures or building plates are required. This leads to greater design freedom and a significant reduction in waste.
Cost-effectiveDue to the high process speed, a large number of components can be produced more cost-effectively than with other AM processes.

Do You Have A Binder-Jet 3D Printing Project We Can Help With?

Depending on your requirements, binder jetting offers several advantages over traditional metal injection molding and other forms of 3D printing. The technology is especially good at speed and resolution.

For highly complex metal geometries

Metal binder jetting is a 3D printing technique used to manufacture complex metal parts with excellent mechanical properties. Metal binder jetting is commonly used to produce metal parts at a fraction of the cost of other metal processes, with few design constraints. Binder jets have a large build area and produce parts at high speeds, making them an excellent choice for fast-turning parts in low to medium batches. The speed and economy of adhesive jetting make it ideal for industries that require high-strength parts, such as the industrial, automotive, consumer, and oil and gas industries.

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Metal Binder Jetting Available Finishes

Zirblast (Standard)This standard finish results in a bright, matte, bronze-to-gray metallic surface. This is provided due to a ceramic bead blast (zirconium silicate bead).
Tumble PolishedParts are media tumbled to a semi-gloss polish. Part color is bright bronze with darker gray striations from features inaccessible to the media. Small gaps may still hold small grains of polishing media.
Medieval PewterA heat patina is applied, then parts are tumble polished resulting in a dark gray appearance with some bronze shine on protruded features. Parts are coated with a sealant before shipping.
Damascus SteelA heat patina is applied to a media blasted surface leaving an even, dark gray, and matte surface. Parts are coated with a sealant before shipping.
Antique BronzeA heat patina is applied after tumble polishing to produce a copper-like coloration with darker gray striations from features inaccessible to the media. Parts are coated with a sealant before shipping.
Wheat PennyA heat patina is applied and then media blasted, resulting in an even, matte, and copper-like finish. Parts are coated with a sealant before shipping.
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Why Metal Binder Jetting?

Advantages of the technology:

  • Quick print speeds for volume production output
  • Parts with internal geometries
  • Design freedom for complex designs
  • Greater complexity and better surface finish and feature details compared to investment casing designs
  • Wide range of material possibilities
  • Geometries that are difficult to produce in hard tooling
  • Larger sized components for production
  • No required initial tooling or retooling

How does Binder Jetting work?

Binder Jetting is a powder based Additive Manufacturing technology in which a liquid polymer binder phase is selectively deposited onto the powder bed joining the metal particles and forming a green body.

The metal powder is applied to a build platform in a typical layer thickness of 50 µm to 75 µm. Subsequently a modified 2D print head ejects a binder liquid selectively into the powder bed. Depending on machine technology a hardening or curing process of the binder phase is performed in parallel for each layer and/or at the end of the whole build. During the in-situ curing process a heat source is used to solidify the binder and form a solid polymer – metal powder composite. Afterwards the build platform moves downward by the amount of one layer thickness and a new layer of powder is applied. Again, the liquid binder is deposited and hardened in the required regions of the next layer to form the green body. This process is repeated until the complete part is printed. After the complete printing process is finished the parts have to be removed from the “powder cake” meaning the surrounding loose but densified powder. To improve the removal of the excess powder from the green body often brushes or a blasting gun with air pressure are used.

To create a dense metal part the 3D printed green body has to be post-processed in a debinding and sintering process. Similar to the metal injection molding process BJT parts are placed in a high temperature furnace, where the binder is burnt out and the remaining metal particles are sintered together. The sintering results in densification of the 3D printed green body to a metal part with high densities of 97 % to 99,5%, dependent of the material.

Binder Jetting with single print head

In classic Binder Jetting systems such as the ones distributed by EXONE or DIGITAL METAL the liquid binding agent is selectively deposited with a single print head. Meaning the width of the print head does not cover the full width of the powder bed. Therefore, the print head moves multiple times in xy-direction over the powder bed to completely cover the printing area and distributing the polymer binder.

Binder Jetting with single pass jetting

The SINGLE PASS JETTING technology was developed by DESKTOP METAL and HEWLETT PACKARD. The width of the printing head covers the full width of the powder bed. When the printhead passes over the powder bed, binder is released from more than 30,000 small nozzles and the whole powder layer is selectively immersed in binder in one pass. The process is bi-directional which means that the binder deposition takes place in both moving directions of the printhead. With these modifications the printing speed is significantly increased.

A similarly fast technology is the METAL JET process by HEWLETT PACKARD. In a single pass, a liquid printing agent is applied to the powder layer and subsequently partially evaporated to form the binding polymer around the metal powder. After the completion of the print an additional curing to achieve the full green body stability is needed.

Binder Jetting with full layer jetting

3DEO combines the Binder Jetting process with a subsequent machining process. Different from conventional Binder Jetting processes, the binder is not only deposited selectively but onto the entire powder layer. After hardening of the complete layer, the part geometry is shaped through a milling process every couple of layers by cutting the part contour out of the binder powder composite.

Metal Binder Jetting (MBJ) from detailed features to massive structures

Unlike other AM technologies, Metal Binder Jetting is not limited to rapid prototyping or Low volume production. As a sinter-based process, the finished parts have characteristics suitable for real-world applications. The sample parts already correspond almost completely to the finished series parts, which means that the process enables scalable 3D metal printing with exact reproduction of the most complex shapes — not only on an industrial scale, but also within the desired time and cost framework.

Sinter-based AM requires enormous expert knowledge, and this is where Elimold’s particular know-how lies. Thanks to this expertise, the company — which is headquartered production sites in the China — is able to identify potential problems in advance and knows how to prevent them from occurring in the first place.

We offer all steps of the industrial AM product development cycle, from product design to 3D printing, to sintering and finishing.

Leverage our extensive know-how in the sintering process and in metal injection molding production.
Profit from our extensive experience in series production.
Take advantage of our consulting services, which include product engineering and a focus on optimization potential so that we can spark new ideas and realize our customers’ dream designs.

Are you looking for the Metal Binder Jetting Services?

Elimold is your one stop solution. Our experts will help you out with the different from Metal Binder Jetting Services as per your requirement.
Elimold offers complete product design & development solutions from concept design & research to 3D printing and manufacturing to the multiple sectors including medical, automotive, oil & gas and more.

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