Metal 3D printing technology is an advanced manufacturing technology that can stack metal powder or wire layer by layer and form it into complex parts or structures according to three-dimensional model data. According to different forming principles and material processing methods, metal 3D printing technology can be divided into many types.
 

NO.1

Powder Bed Fusion, PBF

Powder bed fusion technology is one of the most widely used metal 3D printing technologies. It uses a high-energy laser beam or electron beam to scan a bed layer covered with metal powder according to a predetermined path to melt the powder and solidify it into a shape. After each layer is completed, the bed will drop a certain height, and then the powder will be spread again, and the above process will be repeated until the entire part is completed.

Powder bed fusion technology can produce high-precision and high-density metal parts with high material utilization. However, this technology also has its limitations, such as high equipment cost, relatively slow manufacturing speed, and certain restrictions on material properties. Powder bed fusion technology is widely used in aviation, medical, automotive and other fields to manufacture complex and high-precision metal parts.

Powder Bed Fusion (PBF)

According to the different heat sources, powder bed melting technology can be divided into:

1. Selective Laser Melting (SLM): Use a laser as a heat source to melt the metal powder.
2. Electron Beam Melting (EBM): Use an electron beam as a heat source to melt the metal powder. EBM is usually carried out in a vacuum environment, which can reduce oxidation and pollution and is suitable for printing some special metal materials.

Principle: On a platform covered with a thin layer of metal powder, the powder material is selectively melted by scanning with a laser or electron beam along a predetermined path. The melted material quickly cools and solidifies to form a solid layer. Then, the platform drops one layer in height, and a new layer of powder is laid on it, and the above process is repeated until the entire part is printed.

Features: Powder bed melting technology can manufacture high-precision, high-density metal parts with good mechanical properties and surface quality. However, due to the need to lay powder and melt layer by layer, the printing speed ,could be faster and the equipment cost could be higher.

Application scenario: Powder bed melting technology is suitable for manufacturing metal parts with complex structures, such as aircraft engine blades, medical devices, molds, etc.
 

NO.2

Directed Energy Deposition, DED
 

Direct energy deposition technology is a technology that delivers metal powder or wire directly to the print head and melts it using a heat source such as a laser, electron beam, or arc during the printing process, and then deposits the molten material onto the substrate along a predetermined path, stacking it layer by layer into a shape. Compared with powder bed fusion technology, direct energy deposition technology has a faster manufacturing speed and is suitable for large parts or repair work. However, the accuracy and surface quality of this technology could be higher, and subsequent processing is required.

Direct Energy Deposition

Direct energy deposition technology is widely used in aviation, energy, heavy industry, and other fields to manufacture large and complex metal structures or repair and remanufacture parts.

Direct energy deposition technology is a 3D printing technology that directly melts metal powder or wire and deposits it on a substrate. Depending on the heat source, it can also be divided into laser metal deposition (Laser Metal Deposition, LMD) and plasma arc additive manufacturing (Plasma Arc Additive Manufacturing, PAAM) etc.

Principle: Metal powder or wire is melted by a heat source such as a laser or plasma arc, and the molten material is sprayed onto the substrate through a nozzle to form a continuous deposition layer. By controlling the movement path and speed of the nozzle, the desired part shape can be deposited layer by layer.

Features: Direct energy deposition technology has high printing speed and flexibility, can be printed on different substrates, and can even repair or add materials to existing parts. However, since the temperature and cooling rate of the material during the deposition process are difficult to control accurately, the accuracy and surface quality of the parts may be slightly inferior to powder bed fusion technology.

Application scenarios: Direct energy deposition technology is suitable for the manufacture and repair of large metal parts, such as ships, aerospace vehicles, heavy machinery, etc. In addition, it can also be used to manufacture parts with gradient materials or composite materials.

NO.3

Binder Jetting
 

Binder jetting technology is a 3D printing technology that mixes metal powder with a binder and then sprays it into shape. Unlike powder bed fusion technology, binder jetting technology does not directly melt metal powder but instead bonds them together by spraying a binder between powder particles.

Binder jetting is a technology that mixes the metal powder with a binder, sprays the mixture onto a substrate in a predetermined shape through a nozzle, and then solidifies the binder by heating or other means, thereby bonding the powder particles together to form a solid body. Compared with the previous two technologies, binder jetting has lower equipment cost and faster manufacturing speed but relatively lower precision and strength.
 

Binder Jetting

 
In order to improve the strength and precision of parts, binder jetting is usually used in combination with other metal 3D printing technologies or traditional processing technologies. For example, the prototype of a part can be made using binder jetting technology. Then its density and strength can be improved through processes such as sintering or infiltration, or binder jetting technology can be combined with other metal 3D printing technologies (such as powder bed fusion technology) to produce metal parts with more complex structures and higher performance.

Principle: On a platform covered with a thin layer of metal powder, the binder is sprayed onto the powder through a nozzle along a predetermined path so that the powder particles are bonded together to form a solid layer. Then the platform is lowered by one layer, and a new layer of powder is laid on it, and the above process is repeated until the entire part is printed. After printing, the parts need to be sintered or heat treated to improve their density and mechanical properties.

Features: Binder jetting technology has the advantages of fast printing speed, high material utilization, and low cost. However, since the metal powder is not directly melted during the printing process, the density and mechanical properties of the parts may be slightly lower than other metal 3D printing technologies. In addition, binder jetting technology also requires subsequent processing to improve the performance of the parts.

Application scenarios: Binder jetting technology is suitable for manufacturing large and complex metal parts or structures, such as architectural models, artworks, sand casting molds, etc. At the same time, it can also be used to manufacture parts with porous structures or complex internal channels.

Conclusion

In addition to the above three main metal 3D printing technologies, other technologies are also being developed and applied, such as Stereolithography (SLA) for the manufacture of metal resin parts and then sintering. These technologies have their own characteristics and application scenarios and can be selected and used according to specific needs.
 

Supplier
 

TRUNNANO is a globally recognized manufacturer and supplier of compounds with more than 12 years of expertise in the highest quality nanomaterials and other chemicals. The company develops a variety of powder materials and chemicals. Provide OEM service. If you need high quality 3D Printing Metal Powder, please feel free to contact us. You can click on the product to contact us.