Key Aspects Of The Debinding & Sintering Atmosphere For 17-4 PH Stainless Steel Fabricated Via Binder Jetting

Paper in proceeding, 2023

Binder Jetting (BJT) of metals is a multi-step process that relies on the sintering of printed parts to reach the intended material properties. A crucial but often overlooked step after printing is debinding, which is impacted by the processing atmosphere and strongly determines the efficiency of the following sintering process. A tailored processing atmosphere composition and flow can facilitate removal and decomposition of the binder as well as efficient removal of the decomposition products. The success of debinding and sintering is closely correlated, and both require a specific but often different processing atmosphere in terms of purity and composition in order to achieve the required material properties and tolerances of the sintered component. In this study, different atmospheres for the debinding and sintering of 17 4 PH stainless steel manufactured via BJT were studied utilizing chemical analysis and microstructural examination to determine the effectiveness of the debinding and sintering processes.