3D metal (or advanced ceramic) additive manufacturing

TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION

The device has been developed for the 3D metal (or advanced ceramic) additive manufacturing. It is an evolution of the traditional FDM machines very popular for printing plastic objects.
This innovative system is based on:
- A fixed extrusion head;
- A work table with five degrees of freedom (three along the x,y,z axes and two rotational).
- The starting material is not in form of a wire but in form of granules, fed by gravity through the feeding unit.
- Three types of feedstock have been used (stainless steel, inconel and zirconia) mixed with water soluble polymeric binder.
- The extrusion process is influenced by the rheology of the binder.

BENEFITS

Direct metal additive manufacturing processes with significant advantages over laser or EB based processes:
- lower cost
- higher versatility (many different materials with rapid material change)

LIMITATIONS

N.A.

APPLICATIONS

3D Manufacturing of three-dimensional metal objects and / or ceramic with a high metal content.

MATERIALS