binderjetting

Binder jetting is an additive manufacturing process in which a liquid binding agent is selectively deposited onto a bed of powder. Using an array of inkjet-like print heads, the binder binds powder particles in the desired geometry. After a layer is completed, a fresh layer of powder is spread over the bed and the process repeats until the part, often called a green part, is built. The green part is then cured to set the binder before post-processing.

Materials used include metal powders, ceramic powders, and foundry-grade sands, as well as polymer or composite powders in some systems. In metal and ceramic binder jetting, the printed part typically undergoes debinding to remove excess binder, followed by sintering or infiltration to achieve final density and mechanical properties. Sand-based binder jetting is used to produce large-scale molds, cores, and casting patterns. Some color binder jetting variants use pigment-based binders to render multi-color parts.

Advantages of binder jetting include high part production rates, scalability to large build volumes, and the ability to print complex geometries without support structures. It can produce metal and ceramic parts with relatively simple tooling and can enable full-color parts in certain configurations. Limitations include the need for extensive post-processing to achieve strength and density, potential porosity and anisotropy after sintering, and the handling and safety considerations of powdered materials. Equipment costs can be high, and post-processing steps add time and complexity.

History and developers: Binder jetting emerged in the 1990s with early systems from Z Corporation and later expanded under companies such as ExOne and Desktop Metal. Today, it is used for rapid prototyping, tooling, foundry patterns, and production parts in metal, ceramic, and composite families.